The Winter season typically brings a lot of engagements, which means that Spring is the perfect time for Engagement Photos! 

The colors. The sunshine. The warmer weather. Everything seems to be coming back to life and there couldn’t be a better time to capture your “blossoming” love…see what I did there? 

Seriously though, if you’re considering Spring engagement photos, then you’ll definitely want to keep reading! I’m breaking down the best locations, ideas for outfit and color choices, and time of day to give you and your fiancé the most gorgeous photos to help you remember this sweet time in your lives. 

Location, Location, Location!

Choosing a location is such a big part of making sure that your photos reflect who you and your fiancé are as a couple! If you’re wanting to capture the light and airy feel of spring, these are some great options to consider:

1. Local Parks

One of the best places to capture the beauty of Spring is a local park! You’ll find so many landscapes that create the most gorgeous backdrops for engagement portraits. Everything from trees and blossoming florals to fountains and elaborate ponds capture the essence of the Springtime season while giving you and your fiancé a timeless setting. Bonus points if it’s a park that has special meaning to you two! Incorporating nods to sentimental places and pieces of your relationship adds an even deeper level of personalization to truly capture who you two are as a couple. 

If you’re a Cincinnati or Dayton bride, these are some of my favorite parks!

• Cincinnati: Ault Park, French Park, Smale Riverfront Park, Glenwood Gardens, Washington Park
• Dayton: Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark, Cox Arboretum, Eastwood MetroPark, Oakes Quarry Park, Smith Gardens

2. Downtown Streets

If you want your photos to have more of a metropolitan vibe, hit the streets for photos that incorporate the charm of your favorite city! Most cities revive their city landscapes with new plants, trees, and florals in the Spring, which means bright pops of color and fresh flowers nestled near urban buildings and gorgeous brick walls. The contrast of the bright colors, concrete landscape, and downtown architecture create such a chic and artsy look for photos. 

3. Home Sweet Home

There is something so personal and romantic about capturing couples at their homes and in their element. Did you and your fiancé just move into your first home together? Or have you just purchased your dream home where you’ll start your family? If home is where your heart is, you may want to consider doing a cozy, intimate engagement session right in the comfort of your own house.

There is nothing more personal than capturing the essence of who you two are as a couple in the place you call home. Open the windows and let the fresh Spring light flood the room or cozy up next to each other outside next to your garden that is bursting with new life. 

But what will I wear?!

I’m pretty sure we all freak out a little bit when deciding on what to wear for any sort of photo session occasion. But when it’s for your ENGAGEMENT photos, the pressure seems to amp up even more. Not to worry, friend! Here are some good things to keep in mind when deciding on a wardrobe for you and your fiancé that feels appropriate for spring, and also looks great in photos: 

1. Color is key, but keep it cool

Springtime colors are in full bloom, so your outfits should definitely reflect that! But keep in mind that sometimes colors that are too bright can take away from what the real focus of the picture should be: your beautiful faces!

Take a balanced approach when choosing colors for your outfits. Instead of reaching for bright, neon colors, think muted pastels or lighter tones that complement the already vibrant spring colors. 

Also, take your location into consideration. Soft blues and pinks look beautiful with the backdrop of bright green trees and grass or a more neutral setting. But city streets with lots of rich colors and imposing structures may look better with neutrals like cream, white, or tan. 

Moral of the story: lean less toward bright fluorescent or neon shades and more towards Easter-like pastels and choose outfits for you and your fiancé that have coordinating color schemes but aren’t too matchy-matchy. 

• 

• 

2. Oh, you fancy, huh?!

Listen, I really don’t think you can ever be too dressed up, but if there was ever a time to really amp it up, it would be when you’re a bride-to-be! This time in your life is so exciting and all the focus is on you and your fiancé. Take advantage of that and get all dressed up for as many things as possible (including your engagement photos)!

Find yourself a dress or fancy outfit that makes you feel confident and beautiful. Put your man in a dress shirt or even a suit that would make James Bond jealous. It’s up to you how dressed up you want to be. What better excuse than your engagement photo shoot? Trust me, formal engagement photos always turn out SO well, and it takes everything to the next level.

• 

• 

3. When in doubt, be yourself!

At the end of the day, your engagement photos should reflect who you and your fiancé are. It should capture both your individual personalities and your love as a couple. That means wearing what makes you feel comfortable, confident, and most like yourself. There is no right or wrong when choosing the vibe for your wardrobe. 

Are you happiest in your favorite pair of jeans? Perfect. Denim looks great in photos! 

Do you want an excuse to dress like royalty for the day? Awesome. We can have you twirl that dress around for some cool pictures!

Do you have a favorite clown suit? That would be a first, but let’s do it!

But really, you get the point. Comfort is key and making sure you and your fiancé are captured exactly how you want to be is the main priority. I’ll say it again: there is no right or wrong when choosing the vibe for your wardrobe. 

As long as you bring your smiles, everything will turn out beautifully!

• 

• 

What time of day should we aim for?

Excellent question, I’m so glad you asked! Timing is everything, especially during the Spring months when we are still waiting for days to become a little bit longer. Natural light is my thing – I NEED natural light to make sure you and your fiancé have the most stunning photos. 

Have you ever heard of a thing called “the golden hour”? It is the most magical time of day in terms of natural light, and it’s my favorite time to photograph my beautiful couples! My rule of thumb is to begin our session two hours before sunset is scheduled on the day of your session. So, for instance, if the sun is scheduled to set at 7:00pm, then we would begin your session at 5:00pm. 

This two-hour window before the sun sets creates the most beautiful light that glows and radiates for the most swoon-worthy photos. Trust me, you definitely want your engagement portraits to be taken during the golden hour!

I hope you’ve gotten some inspiration and helpful tips from this blog for planning your Spring engagement photos! Being engaged is such a wonderful and exciting time in life and having beautiful photos to look back on just makes it all so much sweeter. 

XO, 

Cassandra

Newly engaged or have questions about a photo session? I’d love to hear from you! Head over to my contact form here and let’s chat!