I love it when my couples ask me to photograph an at-home engagement session! Your home is where you’re most laidback and authentic, so what could be a better place to capture your unique love for each other? Plus, your home is a great place to take a mix of indoor and outdoor photos if you can’t decide which you’d prefer.
Courtney and Michael asked me to shoot their at-home engagement session, and it was a blast! They welcomed me into their home with warm smiles, and I loved getting to know them and their sweet pup over the next hour. I can’t wait for their May wedding!
If you’re interested in an at-home engagement session, these tips can help you prepare. However, remember that the best thing you can do is be yourself! Great natural lighting and a beautiful home have their place, but the love between you and your partner matters most. Read on for more tips for nailing your at-home engagement photos!
At-Home Engagement Session Tips
Select Your Space
It’s best to focus our session on 1-2 areas of your home with the best natural lighting. Scout out these locations and note which times of day feature the best light. Then we can plan our session around that!
Tidy Up
No need to go crazy here! We want your home to reflect your authentic day-to-day life. However, doing light decluttering and tidying up in the spaces we will shoot can help keep the focus on the two of you. In addition, feel free to move any unsightly objects out of the way, such as cords and cleaning supplies.
Highlight Your Hobbies
Including objects or décor in your backdrop that reflects your shared interests is a great way to personalize your at-home engagement session! Courtney and Michael love to read, and they have a beautiful bookcase full of books they wanted to include in a few of their images. They ended up being some of my favorites from the session!
Include Your Fur Babies
Your pets are part of the family too, so why not get them involved in the fun? I love meeting my couples’ fur babies, and I’m known to win over even the most camera-shy pups. Try snuggling with them on the couch like Courtney and Michael or playing fetch in the yard—whatever you like doing as a family!
Take Outdoor Photos
If you have a yard, consider spending some of your session outdoors. After all, you won’t find better natural lighting anywhere else! We can split a typical one-hour session into a half-hour indoors and a half-hour outdoors or spend more time in your preferred location.
Relax and Have Fun!
Your at-home engagement session with the love of your life should be fun, not stressful. I always want my couples to feel comfortable enough to forget there’s a camera pointed at them and just relax! Interact however you ordinarily would in the comfort of your home, and I’ll take care of the rest.
Ready to get cozy at home for your engagement session? Let’s do this thing!
[…] and Michael’s wedding day began at the beautiful home they share, the same place we shot their engagement session! They got ready, surrounded by the comforts of home, then met each other in the front yard for a […]