Ligonier Engagement Session, Heather and Mike

Heather and Mike have been together for a very long time. You can tell how much comfort they find in each other. They first met in their 7th grade English class, when they were paired together to work on a paper about one another.  Mike had just transferred schools, and was less than thrilled with the move, and so the only info Mike shared about himself was that he liked pizza. Thankfully Heather was able to break down those walls and the two officially started dating in 9th grade. I think the move worked out quite well for Mike as he found his best friend in that school - and the two still enjoy pizzas almost every weekend!

I met them in Ligonier for their engagement photos in and around the Ligonier Diamond. You could tell Heather felt a little nervous as we began, but Mike helped put her at ease and we had a fun time walking around the town. Heather has the loveliest smile and Mike is a pro at bringing it out. I am so looking forward to seeing the two of them again this fall! Some favorites are below!

Tips for Your Engagement Photos

Engagement sessions are some of my favorite photos to capture and I highly recommend them once you’ve booked with me for your wedding! I love having extra time with my couples and I want to make these sessions all about getting to know each other and feeling comfortable together before your wedding day. So! Here are some of my top tips for what to expect during your engagement session!

Tip 1. It’s going to be fun! But first... it’s going to be a little awkward. We’re not all immediately comfortable in front a camera and don’t know exactly how to move or position ourselves once a camera (and a sometimes very large) lens are suddenly in front of our face. If you’re already a model - how fun! But most of us (myself included!!) are not and so having that camera be RIGHT THERE can feel a little intimidating. So just know going into the session that you may feel a bit uncomfortable, but I promise I will not leave you hanging out there unsure of what to do. I will do my very best to put you at ease, guide you into the most comfortable poses for you and make you forget the camera just as soon as possible.

Tip 2. It’s important to remember that your session with me is not about me or my camera, it’s about you and your person. When I photograph my couples I want them to be interacting with each other - whether that be kissing, or gazing into each other’s eyes, or laughing uncontrollably - I want to photograph what the two of you are like together. Sure, we’ll still take some of the standard, look-at-me-and-smile photos (Grandmas love those!), but my goal is not for you to directly interact with my camera. I want you to look back on these photos and remember how giddy you felt planning for the rest of your lives together. The planning of, and getting to, your wedding day are a big deal. And I want these photos to reflect how madly in love you are, to help remind you why you asked and why you said yes to your love.

Tip 3. I don’t care what you wear to these sessions. Your clothes are not the focus of my photography. Your relationship is. Your wedding day is a great time to rock your best formal wear so don’t feel pressure to dress to the nines for your engagement session as well. I always recommend wearing something that makes you feel beautiful AND comfortable for these sessions (with one pro disclaimer - anything with logos or words on it, or too brightly colored -think fluorescent- can be distracting). If you are focused on whether or not a particular outfit is fitting *just.so*, then you may be distracted and not focused on what you’re feeling. So wear something that you love, that makes you feel beautiful, or that when you see yourself in the mirror makes you immediately say yesssss.

Your engagement session should be a fun, relaxing time and I am here to help make it a great experience for all of us. My goal is to make you laugh, get to know you a little better and make it easier for you on your wedding day when I come to photograph that most important day in your lives! I’m so excited to work with you get to know you better!