This past weekend we had the pleasure of meeting Brooke and Alex.  These two sweethearts fell in love with each other and the city of Charlotte, NC.  It’s no surprise to us that they picked the gorgeous Duke Mansion as their wedding venue right in the heart of Myers Park.  It’s a southern classic, full of character and charm. We had so much fun getting to know them (over bagels, as the sun was coming up).

We consider ourselves natural light photographers because we believe that natural light from the sun creates photographs that feel natural, bridal, and bright.  We typically begin all engagement sessions two hours before the scheduled sunset during “golden hour,” when the light is the dreamiest.  However, when we had the opportunity to take pictures in the morning light in the sunroom of the Duke Mansion our hearts went pitter-patter.  From tall windows to the black and white checked floor the room perfectly highlighted the beautiful couple.

We connected with Brooke and Alex through a fellow Queens University of Charlotte Alumni, Anna Helms, owner of Shop Clair De Lune.  Anna styled this session which you can find many of Brooke’s outfits here.

In the spirit of dressing to impress we decided to share a few tips for our future brides planning outfits for their engagement sessions.

1. Go All In – Have you thought about dressing it up but just never had an occasion for it? This is your chance!  Go all in! Remember: There is no such thing as “too dressed up” when it comes to your engagement session.  Your session is exactly what you make of it.  Thinking of bringing champagne or confetti? We, as your photographer, will love it!
2. Dress Up Your Dream Guy – Have you ever seen your guy look as handsome as he does in a well tailored suit?  Trust us, dress him up, and you’ll thank us later.
3. Say Yes to the Dress – We love when our clients wear dresses!  Dresses and skirts look amazing on camera because they bring extra movement to the photos, especially for dancing pictures.  Did we mention we love dancing?
4. Colors that Compliment – We suggest wearing colors that compliment each other’s outfits.  We recommend selecting lighter tones and more muted shades so your eye isn’t pulled away when looking at a photo.  However, sometimes having a smaller amount of color that pops and is super bright can be fun.  
5. Treat yourself – We believe in treating yourself and that you look your best when you feel your best.  Don’t be afraid to splurge a little bit on yourself to go pro on the hair and make-up for your engagement session.  Remember this is the beginning of the rest of your lives together.  Your engagement season is a mere blip in comparison to your marriage, be present, enjoy each moment and make sure to capture the here and now.  You will be so glad you did.