Our Aussie Engagement Shoot

Oh my gosh, I can't believe it's December! What the heck? 

We originally had our engagement shoot pencilled in for the last weekend of November but things didn't work out that way - which was totally fine anyway because last Saturday's weather was awesome!

Yes, okay, I can hear some of you thinking "didn't they already have an engagement shoot?", but that was in London and this is the Aussie one, and I feel like if we didn't get photos done in Sydney our memories just wouldn't be complete, y'know? And what else would the pre-wedding months be if they weren't one giant, cheesy ball of Couple Things. Not that we need an occasion to appreciate each other but this was funnn! 

While planning this wedding there have been so many things that I've been playing by ear because, who really knows how to plan a wedding, right? But I've been doing what everyone tells you to do when you're planning something huge and overwhelming. I've been breaking things up into sections and focussing on one small thing at a time. And even as disorganised as we were, there was one objective that I wanted to aim for which was that I wanted to be able to look back at these photos and have good memories. I also didn't want them to turn out like those stock photos you find inserted into picture frames when you first buy them (lol!). 

We're both awkward turtles at the best of times so I'm so thankful to have such a wonderful, easygoing friend and photographer, Myra, for being so chill and fun to work with! I think it may have helped that we've been friends for years, in addition to knowing Steve ever since... pretty much his birth into my life (ha! gross). So I have complete faith that even if we end up looking like absolute derps, she will pull us through with her photoshop skills.

 Lastly, if you're like me and you're at that age when everyone around you is either getting married, engaged, having kids or...whatever, you can probably rattle off a list of people sitting in the same boat as me, ie, planning a wedding and, hence, preparing for an engagement shoot. And if you're like Steve and I (and not, like, a model or a wedding planner or a stylist or something) you'd probably be playing it by ear as well. So, below is just a list of the few pointers I'd taken on board (off the top of my head) which I think contributed to us having a successful and fun engagement shoot. I'm not saying it was completely stress free or that there weren't a few bumps along the way, but there were no disasters so I'm calling it a win!

5 things to keep in mind when planning your engagement shoot

1. Plan the Day

I'm not usually a schedule type of person but in saying that, there have been moments where I've gone from one extreme to the next. On this particular day I knew there was going to be a lot going on (I had a hair trial in the morning, then I had to sit to get my make up done, get dressed, eat - lol), so it helped to have a timetable reference of where I should be and what I should be doing at the time.

2. Research and Inspiration

Despite still feeling unprepared on the day, I did do some research (Pinterest) on what kind of vibe we were going for and the types of poses to try to keep in mind. We semi-planned our outfits (meaning we had one completely planned out and decided to add another outfit in last minute, lol). I also wanted to use props for some of our photos, so I had those ready to go for Myra to shoot.

3. Insert Some Time Buffers!

This means, extra time in addition to the predicted timetable you already have. These are really helpful for things like:
a.) Not being familiar with the location of your engagement shoot
b.) Having time to scout around without feeling rushed
c.) Being able to take your time and stay calm

Which brings me to my next point...

4. Don't Rush.

As someone who gets anxious and stressed when I'm rushed (even though I don't show it much), it was automatic for me to insert the time buffers because I was aware that the more rushed I felt, the more it would show on my face.

Guys, it's an engagement shoot. You can hardly try to take photos for an engagement if your face is constipated (lol). So.

Take deep breaths and...

5. Relax

One of the biggest challenges Steve and I probably had was trying to relax in front of the camera. He and I both don't do that great with being the centre of attention, plus, posing and cameras and whatnot. So, do try and come up with things to make it easier. Maybe play some music, crack some jokes, jump around and shake the tension out of your body...that kind of stuff. (We did all of that, ha!). Don't be worried about being a goof. Your photos are supposed to reflect who you are as a couple so the more at ease you guys are, the more it will show in your photos.

It also didn't hurt to practice where to put our hands beforehand (because mine usually go straight to his butt, which, haha, yeahhhNO). I know you guys are probably like, oh, but we hug each other all the time, blah blah blah. But this is with the camera in mind, okay? It has to look better than just two sausages squished together ha!

So that's it, those are my five pointers!

Special thanks also goes to my sisters for assisting with everything. I wouldn't have had as much behind the scenes footages as I do now if it weren't for them. Or, have looked more like a real girl, lol (Thanks, Zari!).

Can't wait to see the rest of the photos! But for now, next stop is to start focusing on all the DIYs!

x