welcome!

Congratulations on your engagement and thank you so much for trusting my studio to document such a special time in your lives!

Engagement sessions are a great way to get to know me and to get more comfortable being in front of the camera. Many couples opt to use their engagement pics for pre-wedding and day-of decor such as a guest sign-in book, personalized favors, programs and save the dates.   Whatever way you choose to use your images we're excited to help you create a variety of gorgeous photos to choose from that you can look back on for years to come. 

why do an engagement session?

YOU GET TO KNOW YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER

An engagement session is one of the best ways to truly get to know your photographer. What is it like to work with them? How well do they understand your preferences? If you are usually uncomfortable in front of a camera, this is great practice before your big day. Plus, it gives you the chance to ask questions you may not have thought of before.

IT'S FUN & FLEXIBLE

It is perfectly fine to take photos several months after your engagement. Take your time to plan a shoot that means something to you both. This is your chance to have a little fun and walk away with beautiful photos for your home. As long as you will get your photos months ahead of your wedding, you can plan it at your own pace.

TEST OUT YOUR HAIR AND MAKEUP ARTIST

An engagement shoot is the ideal excuse to test out your makeup artist and hairstylist. It's better to find out if you don’t like their style way ahead of your wedding day than several days prior.

DO IT FOR YOUR SAVE THE DATES

Your engagement photos are the perfect photos to use for your save the dates. You can also incorporate some of the photos into your guest book or décor for your bridal shower or the wedding!

determining the date, location, and timing...

The one thing you can count on for planning outdoor activities in Northeast Ohio is that our weather can be unpredictable- BUT that doesn't mean that there aren't best practices in approaching the best locations and timing for your photography.

SCHEDULING YOUR SESSION

You can get on my calendar for engagement photos whenever you're ready, however I always encourage you to reach out sooner than later to guarantee the day and time works best for your schedule.  I only take on a limited amount of sessions during the week and rain delays always have the potential to happen so it's best to have you scheduled well in advance if you have any type of deadline date you're aiming to stay inside of for a finished gallery.

WHERE SHOULD WE GO?

This is one of the questions that always comes up first when couples are ready to get on the calendar!  The answer is always: it's entirely up to you!  Northeast Ohio is full of gorgeous pockets to hold a session no matter what your style preferences are for how your photography looks later on.  Your engagement session photos should feel like YOU though and highlight an environment that makes you and your partner feel the most in your element. 

I have done engagement sessions all over the Downtown Cleveland area for my city people, a variety of beaches along Lake Erie (Headlands Beach or Huntington Beach being the most popular), the Virginia Kendall Ledges, The Cleveland Museum of Art, wineries, putt-putt courses, arcades, speakeasys, Downtown Chagrin Falls, and all types of beautiful Cleveland Metroparks locations across Northeast Ohio. 

I am happy to provide you a detailed list of options along with gallery links to how different settings photograph if you're not sure what the best fit is for you and your partner.

PLANNING AROUND THE SUN

Sessions are always held to begin around 90 minutes prior to sunset.  This time can vary due to daylight savings time as sunset in Ohio can go from after 9pm in July to 5pm in late-October.   If you're interested in a summer session, your start time can vary anytime from 7pm-7:30pm in the summer and fall session start times can vary from 3:30pm-4pm depending on how late into the season you would like to shoot.  Your exact starting time will be determined on what the sunset scheduled time is going to be on the date you would like to do your session.

KNOW YOUR SURROUNDINGS

If you're aiming to hold your engagement session in places like Downtown Cleveland or Akron, The Flats, Little Italy, Chagrin Falls, Downtown Willoughby, Wade Oval, the Cultural Gardens, Lincoln Park or anywhere else that hosts events like parades, cultural gatherings, holiday or food festivals, music concerts, sporting events, etc, we will make every effort to ensure we know if/when those events may be happening and how they may effect your session.  Any type of event that can bring in lots of people can cause complications with parking, accessibility to our planned shooting spots, and can make it difficult to enjoy being present with your partner while surrounded by crowds. 

While we can't plan around everything at the time of initial scheduling, I always recommend being aware of what your location may have going on as we get closer to the session time so we can pivot however is most beneficial to you on an as-needed basis.

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Sarah's Vineyard:

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Headlands Beach:

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Cleveland Museum of Art:

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Downtown Cleveland  (The Flats and The Velvet Tango Room):

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The Hyatt Arcade:

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how to prepare for a stress-free engagement session...

SCHEDULE YOUR HAIR AND MAKEUP APPOINTMENTS

Schedule your hair styling and/or makeup appointment(s) for the same day as your session- and plan for them to be completed around an hour prior to starting your session in case time runs over.  Make sure your partner also has a fresh look prior to the shoot to ensure they look (and feel) their best!

HAND CHECK!

Since there will be a lot of close up shots of your hands, it's important to have photo-worthy skin and nails if you want those close-up photos to look really good.  Make sure your partner's nails are trimmed and clean too.

PACK COMFORTABLE SHOES

If you know you will be moving around to different spots in-between photos, have a pair of flat, comfortable shoes on hand to make things easier.

PLAN YOUR WARDROBE CHANGE

If you will be changing outfits during your shoot, make sure that you've also packed shoes and accessories to match. It's also a good idea to confirm there is a place to change clothes at your photo shoot location.  If there isn’t a place readily available, we keep a portable pop-up changing pod on hand if needed! 

Use your more formal/fancy outfit for the first half of your engagement session and save the more casual look for the second half.  This will allow added flexibility in posing and help you to not stress out about your hair and makeup being perfect the entire session.

BRING WATER AND SNACKS

Since your session will last for an hour or two, it helps to have some light snacks and water on hand to keep you hydrated and energized.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT TOUCH-UPS

You never know when you may need to touch up makeup or blot your face to get rid of excess oil and sweat, so come prepared with makeup and blotting paper.

CLEAN YOUR RING

Your engagement ring will be featured in many of the photos- so make sure it's clean and sparkly for your shoot!

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Acacia Reservation:

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pets!

• While my team is extremely pet friendly, sadly not all parks or venues are.  Make sure that your pets are allowed at any location you would like to utilize for your engagement pictures

• Make sure your pets have a handler available when we aren’t shooting with them.  This should be someone that they are familiar with and who is good at keeping them entertained and comforted while they are away from you during the session.

• If you want leashes to be less noticeable, buy leashes in a color that blends with your outfits (example: if you’re wearing black on bottom, black leashes will stand out much less than bright pink ones)

• Bring your pets favorite treats or squeaking toy for me to hold over my camera or use to make noise to get their attention.  (I love to feed your pets and tell them how great they are so feel free to bring A LOT)

bonus pro tips!

• You & your fiance should have a coordinating aesthetic and similar vibe as far as how “fancy” you get with your outfits.  If one person is wearing a more formal looking outfit (dress, suit, etc) and the other is wearing something casual (ripped blue jeans, open flannel, etc), your styles will clash and the images will read as disconnected.  Make sure that you are coordinating in a way that you’re both on the same level of casual/formal depending on your preferences.

• Outfits look great when they coordinate but don’t match identically.   Examples of what looks great:    

            - partner one could wear a grey sweater with jeans and black shoes while partner two wears a plaid shirt with a grey, black and white pallet that compliments the other’s sweater paired with jeans and black boots    

            - partner one wears a multi-colored romper or top with splashes of navy blue and partner two has a navy blue button down shirt with the same shade of navy blue

• Avoid large logos, pictures, or designs on clothing or any words/phrases that may get partially hidden while shooting certain poses

• If you are planning on having an outfit change during your session, wear your more formal outfit first and your more casual outfit second.  That way the formal look is taken care of early on and you won’t need to stress out as much about changing into something fancy while out in public or stressing out keeping hair/makeup 100% perfect for the entire length of the session.

• TRUST THE PROCESS!  I will walk you through posing from beginning to end to make sure you're comfortable and confident.  You are in very safe hands with my studio and I cannot wait to turn your love into art!  If you have any questions at any time, please don't hesitate to reach out via email or call me at 440-413-0663!