Colton and Nicolle's Engagement Photos: Planning the Setup in Under a Week
Colton chose the venue. I planned the decor and photographs, sourced the supplies in less than a week, and set up with help from their friends and family.
Colton gave me the venue for this engagement shoot and let me plan the rest. I got to work through the whole thing, from the decor to the photographs I wanted to make. I loved having that much room to use my creative brain.
I sourced everything I needed in less than a week. With that short a turnaround, the setup and the shots had to be planned together. The decorations would be part of the photographs, so thinking about both at once helped me make decisions about what I needed to bring.
Building the setting
The finished setup brought together pink drapery, autumn flowers, pumpkins, and a proposal mirror beside the pond. Those details gave us several ways to use the same setting: photographs of the two of them beneath the drapery, closer portraits, and pictures that included the surrounding decor.
Planning the shots alongside the setup gave the preparations a clear purpose. I could think about how Colton and Nicolle would fit into the scene and which details would also work in a close photograph. By the time everything was in place, I had a direction for the session.
Friends and family helped make it happen
Colton and Nicolle's lovely friends and family helped set everything up. I was so grateful for their help, especially after gathering the supplies on such a short timeline. There was a lot to bring together, and having people there to help made the setup much more manageable.
That support is part of what I remember when I look at the finished photographs. I planned the decor and the shots, and their friends and family helped get those plans into place for the couple.
Making room for the small details
The gallery includes the larger setup and the smaller details of the engagement. A close photograph of their hands brings the ring into focus. The pumpkin and autumn flowers connect those detail photographs to the setting we had put together.
I really enjoyed being involved from the first planning decisions through the final photographs. This shoot gave me the chance to design a setting, solve the practical problem of sourcing it quickly, and then photograph the people it was made for. Thank you to Colton and Nicolle, and to everyone who helped us set up.
You can explore engagement and proposal session options if you're planning something of your own.