5 Tips to Help Choose the Perfect Engagement Session Location | Memphis Wedding Photographer | Shelb

So you are ENGAGED! How freaking exciting is that?

Now it's time to document this thrilling season of your love story. Engagement sessions are great for so many reasons. You get to document that new shiny ring and large giddy smile that goes along with it. You get to practice rocking cute couple moments in front of the camera. I mean I can guarantee you no one feels 100% confident jumping in front of the camera at first. That's why engagement sessions are so helpful. You get to work those nerves out. As your photographer, I will totally help you find those poses that are natural and you. We will try many different things and laugh our way through the whole session. And you get to just have fun being in love and being engaged. Plus, you'll probably want a fun photo to use as your Save the Date if you are sending them out.

The number one question that most couples wrestle with for their engagement session is WHERE! I mean you know who you want to marry and where you want to marry them but what location do you choose for your engagement session? Below I have written out FIVE tips to help you choose your dream engagement session location!

1. A great place for your engagement session is your wedding venue.

Choosing a wedding venue can sometimes be a hard decision. Memphis alone is filled with so many beautiful spaces to say your "I do's." You've either dreamed of picking your top choice for years or you searched until you finally found your perfect spot. Doing your engagement photos on site allows us an opportunity to explore the grounds finding gorgeous spots that photograph beautifully. On your wedding day it will help even more in having an idea of where you want certain portraits to take place. Plus, most wedding venues will allow their couples to capture their engagement photos without an additional fee.

2. Another great place for your engagement session is the location where you fell in love or went on your first date.

Maybe it was a park, a certain coffee shop or by the river where you first told each other you loved them. Maybe your first date was on South Main or in Shelby Farms. Regardless, we all have spots that are so special to us. Your love story is just that, a STORY. It's been a journey filled with tiny moments over a course of a time. Using one of these locations in your engagement photos allows you to go back and relive the magic in a spot so special to you. It allows you to have documentation forever and ever of a place that played a role in getting you to where you are today.

3. What about choosing a completely opposite look from your wedding venue?

So let's say you've chosen a wedding venue that is large fields, barns and all things earthy. You may want to switch it up for your engagement session and do more of an urban/city look. When you think about printing your images and hanging them in your home, do you love the idea of having photos that look different or will look similar in location to your wedding day? Maybe your wedding day will be classic and neutral. Why not do an engagement session near a bright colorful mural that you love? You can capture so many looks in the city of Memphis. Thinking of the overall theme/location style you envision for both photos will help in choosing the location.

4. You can always use your engagement photos as a way to highlight one of your favorite places in the city where the two of you spend time.

So Memphis is filled with SO many awesome places. Maybe the two of you as a couple have spent hours at a local brewery, the dog park, eating cupcakes at Muddy's or eating donuts at Gibson's. You may not even consider at first thought one of the places you go to often just because it is habit. I can tell you the best engagement sessions are the ones that are unique and super personal. When you choose a place you go to often it's automatically going to make you feel more comfortable and laid back. Plus, think about 30 years from now when so many places will have changed or you have moved away. You will have something dear to your story documented to show kids and grandkids.

5. Still unsure? Ask ME (or your photographer) to suggest a place they love to shoot!

If you know much about me, you know I am absolutely in love with this city. I take ownership in Memphis. I enjoy roaming around the city often and finding hidden treasures. This city is seriously filled with beauty and culture. I'd love to suggest a place I've captured before that is beautiful or even a new place I've stumbled upon that I have been dying to capture. You may know the style you have in mind. For instance, you may know you want your pictures to have that rural/earthy look but have no idea where to go. I can suggest parks and places in many different areas throughout the city that will fit your vision. I often location scout, finding places where flowers are blooming, leaves are changing colors, or the sunset hits just right.

In all honesty, you could go 1000 different ways with choosing your engagement session location but at the end of the day if you are with the one whom your soul loves, location doesn't really matter all that much. Don't let choosing a location stress you out. Enjoy this season. It flies by. Fun fact: when you book your wedding package with Shelby Renee Photo, you actually receive a complimentary engagement session. It allows me to get to know you and build a relationship with you. Getting to know you allows me to document your story in such a personal way. So let's chat. I'd love to help make all your engagement and wedding photo dreams come true. Love, Shelby