style guide ~ engagement session

 The engagement session is one of our favorite parts of our time together because it gives you both a chance to be in front of our cameras before you get married, which is going to make your wedding day experience feel so smooth, seamless and comfortable. Not only that, but we get to create something so special together. You’re going to be married for over fifty years, but you only get to be engaged for this short period of time. We’re so excited to capture the only time in your life when you get to be each other’s fiances. We created this guide for you, and packed it with all our best secrets for getting the best out of your engagement experience. Our goal is to create images that are natural, candid, fun, and represent you as a couple.

This is definitely not a rule book. At the end of the day, the location you choose and outfits you select won't matter nearly as much as the memories you make together. We want you to relax and enjoy your engagement session. Laugh a lot. We will take care of the rest!

STEP 1

PICK A DATE

We LOVE natural light because it creates photos that feel fresh, timeless and true to you. We begin all of our outdoor sessions 90 minutes before the sun sets. Remember that the sunset is much earlier during the cooler months and much later during summer.

To get the most out of your session, arrive a few minutes early. If you are wearing 2 different outfits, come dressed in the more casual one first and save the second one for sunset.

We live in Florida and during hotter months photos can be tricky - so if you book a session during this time make sure to come prepared with water, towels or even additional outfits.

Quick Tip: Our weekends fill up super fast and far in advance due to weddings. You can get a fast pass to the front of the schedule by booking a session on a weekday or in some occasions Friday/Sunday.

STEP 2

SELECTING A LOCATION

THE LOCATION OF YOUR SESSION IS UP TO YOU! If you have a specific location in mind already, let us know. If not, we can always suggest a location. We are constantly scouting and searching for new locations to use. Keep in mind that the location of your session should reflect you.

Something to consider: At Rad Red we travel often, its a huge passion of ours! You can also consider meeting us at one of our favorite national parks or cities and getting a session thats truly unique.

DATE NIGHT IDEA: Is there a place you like to go to on date nights? Sometimes this can be the best location! If its a business we can always try and get permission to shoot inside. Favorite Coffee shop or Brewery? Or maybe you like to grab Crepes at the adorable Le Creperia in Ybor City? We encourage you to brainstorm unique locations that you might have special access to that most people don’t. For example, maybe you, or someone in your personal or professional network, can secure permission to a location that would otherwise be off-limits, like a beautiful private estate, country club or resort. Maybe it’s a family ranch, upscale hotel or even an airplane hangar. The sky is literally the limit! 

Location Styles & Ideas

There are more options and (subsequent options) than these, but we wanted to share a few ideas to get your mind thinking about ideas!

CLICK THE LOCATION BELOW TO SEE AN EXAMPLE GALLERY
These are locations in Tampa Bay ONLY

URBAN

NATURE/GREENERY

LOCAL SHOPS

Local Brewery*
Local Coffee Shop
Local Nursery*

*Some of these locations cost

BEACHY

Need more ideas? Here are some we haven’t done and would love to do!

Themes
Poolside/Palm Beach Theme
Skateboarding
Laundrymat
At Home Intimate Session / Pillow Fight

Locations
Waffle House
Wildflower Field
Talbot Island
Florida Caverns State Park

Oufits

 Colors + Matching: As much as we loved the 90s, long gone are the days of overly matching for photos. There is a nice balance you want to find between matchy/matchy and clashing.

Patterns: We love a good pattern in an outfit but be sure that only one in the group, in some occasions two, are wearing it. Patterns can clash very easily!

End goal: Think cohesive or coordinating! Here are some color combinations to consider! But we are also here to help with any questions or if you need input on choices because these combinations will not cover everyones liking or every color.

COORDINATING COLORS

LIGHT NEUTRAL TONES

Whites, off whites, light grey, tan, greige, almost no color. Pairs well with jeans! LOOKS AMAZING FOR AN IN HOME SESSION OR THE BEACH.

DARK NEUTRAL TONES / EARTHY TONES

BLACKS, BROWNS, GREENS ON THE DARKER SIDE. WORKS IN ANY ENVIRONMENT.

YELLOWS + BLUES

A nice golden or mustard yellow pairs amazing with navy and ALSO GREY. POPS NICELY OFF A GREEN BACKDROP.

BURGUNDY + BROWN, NAVY, OR BLACK

Very similar to the earth tones options but adds in a pop of color. Burgundy is probably one of our favorite options for  sessions because it is flattering on every woman and skin tone.

WHITE + ANYTHING

You are a Bride after all, so white is a great option and pairs with numerous things. GIVE THE FULL WEDDING VIBE WITH WHITE AND BLACK!

BLACK + POP OF COLOR

Black goes with just about anything! And it looks amazing with a pop of color. If you want to wear a vibrant jewel toned dress like red or pink consider putting your significant other in black. This tends to work best with really dressy shoots.

COLOR FAMILY

If you do want to try and match more, there are ways! Try and stay within the same color family but maybe not the same color. Or mix the color in a pattern with a solid version of that color.

There are a lot of elements that go into creating a beautiful photograph. One of those is confidence. Be sure you've tried on your outfits and see them both together so you know you're going to look great. What you choose to wear has to be comfortable! You don't want to be fidgeting the entire session so be sure to wear something you can move around in and lastly, something that makes you feel awesome!

STYLE TIPS FOR HER

BECAUSE YOU WANT TO FEEL YOUR ABSOLUTE BEST!

Have you thought about rocking a boho gown or flower crown but just never had an occasion for it? This is your chance to do it up! Embrace your style whatever it might be!

Most of our Brides choose two outfits - one “wow” dress and one casual “us on a date” look. You don’t have to bring two looks if it’s too stressful or you’d rather just stick to one fabulous look.

In our experience, every woman, regardless of her shape or size has an area of her body that she’s self-conscious about, so consider that when choosing outfits.

GO PRO! Professional Hair & Makeup can take away the stress of looking great and help you feel confident! Check out these awesome hair and makeup recomendations:

Style Hair and Makeup / Lasting Luxe / Femme Akoi

MOST IMPORTANTLY:

Get your nails done
Skip the spray tan
Avoid clothes that show tags or bra straps
Avoid clothes with branding or logos
Avoid loud prints or neon/really bright colors

Lastly, PREP YOUR MAN! Most guys aren't excited to take photos for 90 minutes. Likely because they don’t have an expectation of what’s to come and why it’s so important to you. Take fifteen minutes to educate and empower them.

RENTAL OPTIONS: GOLDEN HOUR GOWNS OR FLUTTER DRESS

STYLE TIPS FOR HIM

BECAUSE DAPPER AND DEBONAIR NEVER GO OUT OF STYLE

From James Bond to Don Draper, Men look most striking in a well-tailored suit OR suit pants a nice button down. The best part? If you don't own one, there are now amazing rentals companies where you can affordable a dapper look. Check out TheBlackTux.com, its our favorite! Solid shades of gray or navy are a strong compliment to most women’s outfits, whereas pinstripes or plaid patterns tend to distract the eye. 

If you feel like a suit doesn't suit you, pun intended :) Aim for long pants or jeans and a nice button down. Long pants and closed-toed shoes are the most sophisticated and masculine looks for men. They draw attention away from his legs and feet and place it where you want it: on the face. So, for your session, it’s best to leave the shorts and sandals at home.

Be sure to embrace your personal style!

MOST IMPORTANTLY:

CONSIDER A FRESH HAIR CUT

AVOID HATE, LOGO/BRANDED CLOTHES, BAGGY CLOTHES AND TALL WHITE SOCKS WITH SHORTS

Pro Tip: Be sure to eat before your session. Beyond that, consider grabbing a drink beforehand. A beer or your favorite cocktail might be exactly what you need to calm any nerves.

Remind yourself to enjoy these moments. Most Groom’s don’t like taking photos and dread engagement session. But use it as an opportunity to love on your future wife, I know you won’t regret it!

 

For the Furbabies!

Looking to incorporate your fur baby in your session? We are DOWN! BUT you need someone to come along and help. Reach out to the amazingly talented Fairytail Pet Care to see how they can help!

 

Final Notes

WHAT TO EXPECT

Remember what our goal is here: to create natural, fun images that represent you. We will take some time at the beginning to walk and chat so we can get to know each other a bit more. Once we start shooting, it will take a bit for you to start to feel comfortable in front of the camera and by the end you'll be professional models! (Kidding, of course, but we're sure you'll surprise yourself!)

Speaking of models, we definitely don’t expect you to go all “America’s Next Top Model” on us. We just want you to be yourselves. We will put you in positions and poses that feel natural and help create authentic moments. With that being said, if we ever pose you in a way that feels completely uncomfortable or you think feels unflattering, please speak up! We’re all about the experience and don’t want you looking back on your images and remembering how uncomfortable a pose felt.

Throughout the session, we may take a few minutes to pause, drink some water, relax and chat. We are not going to just shoot constantly for 90 minutes straight. We want to get to know you and we want you to get to know us. We want to know what makes you laugh, what you like to do for fun and what you love about each other. Feel free to ask us questions too. The more comfortable we are with each other, the better your pictures will be.

SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER

TURN AROUND TIME: The turn around time for us to deliver your session is 2-3 weeks.

WEATHER: In Florida weather so very unpredictable. But we typically don’t worry too much about rain or storms except for June-Sept. If there is a 50% chance of rain, we will reschedule. We will not make that call until the morning of because it could change quickly. If there is a storm or hurricane forecasted will we make the call sooner but no matter what we will be in contact with you if this is the case.

AFTER THE SESSION. Don't forget to plan a dinner date! You’re already going to be all dressed up! Why not take advantage of it? Get as many date nights as you can before the baby comes.

WE ARE HERE TO HELP, PLEASE REACH OUT WITH ANY QUESTIONS!