We didn’t know where to begin when it came to finding and booking our wedding photographer. Especially in this day and age you can exhaust the online forums/adverts/social media and contact as many photographers as you want but what I found was that many photographers book a year in advance (which I still think is insane). So I gave up on the online search and started asking friends and colleagues and luckily we found a referral that matched our needs.

Usually photographers offer a free engagement shoot which is a great opportunity for you to work with your wedding photographer before the big day! Also, for the couple to get comfortable in front of the photographer’s lens, learn about their style and maybe use these engagement images for your reception area, guestbook signing and just create fun and beautiful memories. What I really liked about our photographer is the candid pictures he was able to capture on the wedding day and during our engagement photo shoot.

Because it was a Spring, we tries to coordinate our outfits with a pop of colour (I basically asked my husband/fiance to bring a pair of colourful pants ha!). When he saw my pink skirt, his first reaction was: “are you going for a salsa dance competition?” haha. I wore that skirt anyway and he liked it more and more as the day went by.

Since the photography fee is not insignificant, don’t be shy about making your own suggestion. Even if your photographer is fantastic! Be more proactive and involved in choosing the location. This way, you’ll be more satisfied with the photos and final results. We chose the Aga Khan Museum as our first site, I loved the landscape around the museum and was really excited about the solid white background in some pictures. Also, sometimes it’s nice to choose a site that is meaningful to you and your significant other.

Lastly, go with the flow and have fun. We had so much fun getting out of our comfort zone and taking direction from our photographer but also giving him ideas of what we wanted/liked and didn’t like..etc.

Here are a few tips for your engagement photo shoot:

• Engagement photo session: make sure that your wedding photographer package includes an engagement photo shoot.
• Explore some photos for ideas and inspiration. Don’t do things that don’t represent/reflect your personality (Fun fact: my husband asked our photographer to not make us jump haha, that one was out of the question).
• Expand your location options. Also, check if you are required to purchase a photo shoot permit which can cost between $75 – $200 depending on the location.
• The wardrobe: dress according to the season, don’t wear colours that would clash and wear something fun and/or whatever you feel comfortable in.
• Keep it real and be yourself, at the end of the day these pictures are for you to keep and it should always radiate love and memories of that day! 😉

XO Dalia

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