Your engagement photos are as important as your wedding photos. They are going to capture memories you want to hold onto for a lifetime. That is why you should not skimp when it comes to hiring a photographer, selecting a location, and choosing poses. You should put as much effort into your engagement photos as your person put into your proposal.

How to take the best engagement photos

Below are a few tips on how to take the best engagement photos that will showcase the strength of your love for each other.

The first thing you should do is choose your scenery. Think about what you spend most of your time doing together as a couple and see if you can turn those activities into a photoshoot. If you go hiking together every weekend, your pictures can be taken overlooking a mountain edge. If you spend a lot of time by the water, you can take photographs on the beach. If you spend most of your evenings watching movies together, you could have an at-home session where you snuggle on the couch.

Once you know where you want your pictures taken, you can put the details into place. Hire a photographer and schedule to meet with them in the morning or early in the afternoon so the lighting hits you perfectly. (You should check for what time the sun sets in your area because Golden Hour is the best time for photos.)

If you are going to have your pictures taken in a public place, you should think about going on a weekday when the crowds are lighter so there aren’t any strangers walking through your background and accidentally photobombing you. Plus, the fewer people that are around, the less nervous you will be about being photographed.

If you want your pictures to come out flawless, then you should also consider hiring a professional to do your hair and makeup. That way, you won’t have to stress yourself out by rushing around and trying to do all of the work on your own. They might even be able to style your hair and face in a way you never thought of trying yourself.

Before the big day arrives, there are a few more things you should do in preparation. First, make sure you choose an outfit that you are comfortable wearing for a long length of time so you can spend hours snapping photos. You don’t have to wear formal attire. You get to make your own rules! You can wear workout clothes, bathing suits, or pajamas based on your location. Nothing is off the table.

Another great way to prepare is by scrolling through relevant Instagram tags or Pinterest boards. You can get a taste for what kind of engagement photos you love and would like to copy, and what kind of photos you consider cheesy and would like to avoid. The more you scroll through photographs of other couples, the more posing ideas you will come up with, which will make your photoshoot run much smoother.

When you meet your photographer for the first time, tell them about any ideas you have so they know what kind of pictures you are hoping to send to your family and friends. Before you start posing, take a few minutes to talk to them and get comfortable with them. Do not let them intimidate you. They are only there to help.

If you end up getting nervous during your photoshoot anyway, the best thing you can do is take a quick break with your person. Look them deep in the eyes. Kiss them. Remember the reason why you are having your photographs taken in the first place: to showcase your love and your excitement about your engagement.