Couples are often more nervous than excited about their photography sessions. Plenty of questions run day and night in their minds—What if they will not look good in pictures? What will they do if something goes wrong during the shoot? Perhaps you also have the same concerns and desperately searching for answers to make yourqueer engagement photography session perfect. If so, you have come to the right place! Here we have answered common questions most LGBTQI+ couples have before their engagement, proposal, and pre-wedding shoots. Read on:

Should you get your engagement or wedding proposal photos done?

Most couples book a professional photographer only for their wedding day, ensuring the moments of the most significant day of their lives are captured and framed forever. But they don’t realize that a wedding proposal and engagement session can be as memorable and meaningful as their wedding photoshoot.

During your photoshoot, you can capture some brilliant photos, like save the date, that you can later send to your guests as invitations to your wedding. Close family and friends often put the date on their fridge or clear sights to remember when the wedding is. And every time they see your picture with the wedding date, they eagerly wait for the day to come.

Many couples consider a queer engagement photography session a perfect opportunity to practice for the wedding day. Since not every couple is comfortable with cameras facing them, the engagement photoshoot allows them to let go of their fears and leave all concerns behind. They also get an idea of how to pose for the camera and which side they should keep forward for the best pictures.

What to wear for your engagement or wedding proposal photoshoot?

If it’s going to be a surprise wedding proposal shoot for your partner, you can’t do much but ask them to wear something unique for a special lunch or dinner, ensuring you are not dropping too many hints. For a planned photoshoot, you might want to consider a dress code, perhaps matching outfits, for your engagement pictures.

Most LGBTQ couples go with semi-formal dresses, but you don’t have to follow in their footsteps. If you love dressing up in casuals, go ahead without second thoughts. Don’t worry if your partner prefers semi-formals; there are no hard and fast rules. Besides, it’s your photo shoot; you and your partner should choose what you love, not what others expect you to wear for photos.

Couples also choose two outfits for the photoshoot, and most photographers are happy to go with their client’s preferences to give them the best of both worlds. That said, it’s best not to add too much variety; otherwise, you will spend more time changing dresses and getting different hairstyles done rather than getting clicked by your photographer.

When selecting outfits for your queer engagement photography session, ensure you choose the ones you are most comfortable with; otherwise, your pictures will give away that you are not enjoying yourself to the fullest.

How soon should you do the engagement photoshoot?

It depends on the purpose of your photo shoot. That said, it’s best to book a gay or lesbian wedding proposal photographer soon. If you want to use pictures of your engagement as an invitation, get the photography session done at least eight to nine months before the wedding. For pre-wedding photography, you can book the photo session two to three months before the big day. During this period, you can practice your poses and clear all your doubts regarding photography or pictures.

Many couples hire their professional photographers months before the photography session to ensure their chosen photographer is not busy during those dates. And if they are, couples get choices: either look for another photographer or change their dates to whenever they are available.

Should you hire the same photographer for the wedding?

The answer is yes, but only if you liked their work and were comfortable with them during the photoshoot. An engagement or wedding photographer tries to make their clients as comfortable as possible to capture their happiest memories. If you were relaxed throughout the shoot and faced no trouble understanding what your photographer wanted you to do or pose, hiring the same for the wedding is the right decision. If, for any reason, you weren’t satisfied with their work or did not feel comfortable while getting clicked, you might want to hire someone else to cover your wedding.

Many photographers offer engagement photography as a complementary service when you hire them for wedding photography. You can also give it a try, but it’s best to hire a photographer only for queer engagement photography and sign the contract for a wedding photoshoot if you find them ideal for your wedding. What’s more? When you work with your photographer, you also get to know them and learn about their way of working, which makes it easier for you and them to capture the best pictures.

If you and your partner are getting to get clicked before the wedding day, look for an LGBTQI+ inclusive wedding vendor, that is, a wedding photographer.