You might look forward to engagement photos, but you also feel a little overwhelmed about planning. From choosing the perfect location for your engagement photos to hiring a great photographer, there's a lot to consider.

These are going to be one of the first visual reminders of your marriage and wedding. This is actually also the start of one of your key wedding vendor relationships with your photographer. When you hire a photographer, you can start to get comfortable with that person and their style during your engagement photos.

They can learn more about you and your future spouse as well. The following is a quick guide to help you get started.

Finding a Photographer

When choosing a wedding photographer, you want to have a couple of key things that you keep in mind.

First, you want someone who has an editing style that you like aesthetically. Second, you want to make sure that you're working with someone who has a personality that's a good fit for you as a couple.

You can start your search by asking friends and family. You can also look at local blogs and do some Google searches to see who a good fit for you might be.

While photographers are all going to do a mix of photos usually, their editing style tends to be their constant brand.

For example, some photographers might specialize in light and ethereal editing styles, while others are more for dark images with a lot of moody contrast.

There's no right answer as to what style of a photographer to choose—it really is about your personal preferences.

While you aren't necessarily going to become friends with your photographer, you do want to find that it's easy for you to get along with them.

You can meet potential photographers briefly in person to better understand how well your personalities mesh with one another.

Timing

When you choose a photographer, you can start getting more specific. You'll schedule your session, so if you want to use the photos for your save-the-dates, you should plan to book your session at least ten months out from your wedding, if not more.

Your save-the-dates will typically go out anywhere from six to eight months before your wedding date.

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If you give yourself at least ten months before your wedding to do your engagement photo, your photographer can edit them, and you can design your save-the-dates. If you aren't going to use the pictures for save-the-dates, you have more flexibility as far as timing.

You want to think about what the weather will be like and how that could affect how you feel during your photos. For example, if you're getting your photos taken in the middle of summer, you may be sweaty and feel the humidity's effects. You don't want extreme temperatures.

Spring and fall can be times when you'll get a pretty backdrop, while winter can be cold, and you're potentially going to have dormant trees in the background.

Most photographers will tell you the best time of day to take the photos—usually in the evening or early morning. For example, starting a session about an hour before sunset can get the best natural light.

This time of day is known as the golden hour, and the lighting will be warm and give your photos a glow. If you don't mind getting up early, the early morning light can be beautiful too.

Choosing a Location

Choosing the perfect location for your photos can be one of the toughest parts. You have a lot of options. If you have no idea where to do it, your photographer can make recommendations. Some people like to choose somewhere especially meaningful, like where you first met or where you celebrated a milestone. Going to your hometown can be a good option, especially if you're from a picturesque place.

If you have a location in mind, you want to think about the season. Some places are known for being prettier during certain times of the year. For example, if you live somewhere with cherry blossoms, those are stunning during the spring.

If you have your heart set on a certain location, you will need to verify that it will meet your needs. If you're choosing a public, outdoor location, this might not be as much of an issue. However, maybe you want to include your dog in your engagement photos, in which case, you'll have to make sure they can come along just for one example.

Wear Your Outfit Before Your Photo Shoot

You and your spouse-to-be might choose outfits for your engagement photos, but give them a spin before the day you're going to your shoot. What can happen otherwise is that you might find you hate the way you feel in the outfit, and then if you waited until the shoot to realize that, it becomes problematic.

You might take a few photos of yourself in the outfit beforehand to see what it photographs like. When choosing your outfits, you want to dress in what you both feel comfortable in.

Things to avoid include neon colors, especially if you're doing your shoot in direct sunlight. Don't choose clothes with large logos or mixed patterns. If you wear a pattern, limit it to just one clothing item or a single accessory.

Bright white shirts can be problematic in photos, too, because your eye goes towards whatever is brightest. If the spot is your white shirt, then that's the first thing everyone will notice when they look at your pictures.

Finally, while you certainly don't have to have professional hair and makeup before your engagement photos, it's recommended. You'll feel more confident when you have your hair and makeup done. When you feel confident, this will show in your pictures. If you prefer, you can also use it as a test run for what you might do on your wedding day.