TIPS FOR THE BEST ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS EVER!

FIANCÉ STATUS, BABY!

So, you’re newly engaged. You're about to step into a really exciting season in your life, and one of the first things fun a lot of couples do when it comes to their wedding journey is book their engagement photos.

If you're looking to have engagement photos around North Wales, The Wirral and Liverpool, you’re spoiled for choice. You’ve got everything from beaches, dunes and coastal paths to city streets, historic buildings, waterfront views, parks and cosy at-home settings. Whether you want something relaxed and natural or a bit more editorial and dramatic, there are so many unreal spots to make your photos feel like you.

Engagement photos are such a good way to freeze this part of your story for a minute. It’s not just about getting pretty pictures, it’s about remembering what this chapter felt like. The excitement, the nerves, the buzz of what’s coming next. It’s that in-between stage where life’s about to change, and it deserves to be documented properly.

If you ask me, there’s something really special about choosing a place that actually means something to you. Maybe that’s a windy beach in North Wales, a sunset on the Liverpool waterfront, or one of your favourite little corners on the Wirral. The backdrop doesn’t need to be famous, it just needs to feel right.

As a wedding photographer, I’ve pulled together some tips for the best engagement photos to help you have an amazing experience and get photos that feel natural. for most couples this is the first time being in front of a camera like this, and it can feel a bit weird at first. That’s normal.

Tips for the Best Engagement Photos? First You Need to Find a Photographer Who's Right For You.

So you're engaged. The first step is finding a photographer you genuinely click with.

And I don’t just mean liking their photos. I mean liking their vibe too. You want someone whose work you connect with, but also someone you feel comfortable around, because that comfort shows up in the photos, big time.

If you’ve got a certain look in mind, or you’ve saved loads of ideas on Pinterest, share them. It genuinely helps. Knowing what kind of images you’re drawn to gives your photographer a better sense of what matters to you as a couple. Maybe you love candid moments, maybe you want something stylish and a bit more polished, maybe you want windswept beach shots with loads of movement. All good.

At the end of the day, the best engagement photos aren’t about copying someone else’s shoot. They’re about capturing your relationship in a way that feels honest. The real stuff almost always wins.

If you like someones style but unsure whether to book or not, you can always book an engagement session with them, just as a "trial run" before your wedding but if you can, I’d always recommend having your engagement session with your wedding photographer. It’s such a good chance to get comfortable with each other before the wedding day. You get to see how they work, what posing feels like, what you naturally do in front of the camera, and what you both love most.

FINDING THE RIGHT PHOTOGRAPHER TO REFLECT YOU

Decide on the style you want

Before your shoot, spend a bit of time looking through your photographer’s website, Instagram or Pinterest boards and save the images you keep coming back to. Patterns usually show up pretty fast. You’ll notice whether you love the more laid-back documentary feel, something romantic and soft, or images that feel a bit more fashion-led.

And if there’s something specific you really want to include, say it. This is your session. It’s the perfect time to try things out and work out what feels good before the wedding.

Get to know your photographer a bit

This part matters more than people think.

Your engagement is a huge chapter in your life, and being photographed can feel vulnerable. So having someone around who feels easy to talk to makes a massive difference. Read about them, look through reviews, have a call, meet up if you can. Ask loads of questions. Seriously, ask everything.

The more relaxed you feel with the person behind the camera, the more natural your photos will be.

WHEN TO TAKE ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS

Choosing the right time of year makes a big difference to how your photos look and feel, especially in places like North Wales, the Wirral and Liverpool where the seasons really do show up.

Autumn can be gorgeous. You get deeper colours, moodier skies, golden tones in the parks, and that slightly cosy feel that works so well in photos. Places like Newborough Forest, Bodnant Garden, Thurstaston, Royden Park or Sefton Park can look unreal at that time of year.

Winter is for the couples who don’t mind wrapping up, leaning into the wind a bit, and getting close to keep warm. Coastal sessions in winter can be stunning, especially if you love dramatic skies and a more cinematic feel.

Spring brings blossom, softer light and everything starting to feel alive again. Around Liverpool and the Wirral especially, parks and gardens come into their own. And in North Wales, spring on the coast is just lovely when you catch it right.

Summer is perfect if you want longer evenings, warmer weather and that laid-back golden glow. Beach sessions work especially well in summer, whether that’s West Kirby, Crosby, Talacre, Llanddwyn Island, Colwyn Bay or somewhere tucked away along the North Wales coast.

Basically, every season can work. It just depends on the kind of feel you want.

TIME OF DAY

Now let’s talk about light, because this is 90% of photography. Without workable light, good photos cannot exist.

Personally, I love photographing engagement sessions at sunrise or just before sunset. That’s when the light is at its best. Softer, warmer, more flattering, more romantic. It makes everything look a bit more magical without trying too hard.

Golden hour, just before the sun drops, gives you that dreamy warm glow. And the few minutes after sunset can be just as beautiful, with a softer, more even light that feels calm and intimate.

This is worth thinking about whatever season you choose. In autumn and winter, your session might need to start much earlier in the day because the light disappears fast. In late spring and summer, you’ve got loads more flexibility and those longer evenings are such a win.

And here’s the other thing. If you want quieter locations, sunrise is massively underrated. Popular spots like Crosby Beach, the Liverpool waterfront, West Kirby, Llandudno promenade or The Albert Dock can be way calmer early in the morning. Less people and a lot less chaos, more space to actually enjoy yourselves without an audience. Painful alarm clock? Yes. Worth it? Also yes.

WE’RE COMING FROM OUT OF TOWN FOR OUR ENGAGEMENT SHOOT

If you’re travelling in for your session, whether that’s to North Wales, the Wirral or Liverpool, I’d really recommend planning the shoot somewhere in the middle of your trip if you can.

That way, you’ve got a bit of time to settle in, get your bearings and not feel rushed. You can have a wander, find a few places you love, maybe scope out a coffee spot, maybe pick up something to wear last minute because that always seems to happen.

Weather around here can also be a bit unpredictable, and that’s me putting it nicely. One minute it’s soft golden sun, the next it’s blowing a gale off the coast. So giving yourselves a little flexibility during your trip is never a bad idea.

The bonus is that this whole part of the country is packed with good spots, so even if the weather shifts a bit, there’s usually a backup plan that still looks bloody lovely.

PHOTO LOCATIONS AROUND NORTH WALES, THE WIRRAL AND LIVERPOOL

Location does matter. Not more than the connection between you two, but it definitely helps shape the feel of the photos.

A session on the beach in North Wales is going to feel very different to one around Liverpool city centre or tucked into a quieter corner of the Wirral.

If you’re local, think about places that actually mean something to you both. Maybe where you had your first date, where you go for walks on a Sunday, where one of you proposed, or just somewhere that feels like your relationship.

That could be:

• a beach in Abersoch, Llanddwyn, Talacre or West Kirby

• the waterfront near Albert Dock or the Three Graces

• a park like Sefton Park, Caldy Hill or Royden Park

• the little streets around Liverpool Georgian Quarter

• a cosy at-home session making coffee, cooking together, hanging out with the dog and just being yourselves

Honestly, not every shoot needs a massive dramatic backdrop. Sometimes home is the most meaningful place of all. If your favourite thing is being in your own space, curled up on the sofa, making a brew, playing records, cooking breakfast together, that’s more than enough. That kind of stuff is real, and it photographs beautifully.

And if you want adventure, I’m always up for that too. Clifftops, dunes, sea air, windswept hair, city lights, whatever feels most like you.

WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU

Truthfully, just bring yourselves.

Bring your energy, your connection, and a willingness to go with it a bit. It might feel awkward for the first few minutes, that’s completely normal. Nearly everyone says that at the start. Then five minutes later they’re laughing and wondering why they were stressing.

The biggest tip I can give you is don’t overthink every second. You do not need to perform. You do not need to know how to pose like models. You just need to be with each other.

When in doubt, get closer. Hold hands. Pull each other in. Go in for a kiss. Usually, the best bits happen in between the posed moments anyway, right before the kiss, just after it, when one of you starts laughing, when you forget the camera is there for a second. That’s the gold.

And please, if you’ve got a dog, bring the dog. I am fully in favour of dogs joining engagement sessions. They’re chaotic, they’re adorable, and they’re weirdly good at helping everyone relax. Same goes for any part of your life together that feels important and worth including.

MAKE A DAY OF IT

Honestly, why not turn it into a full day?

Go for breakfast together, book a nice dinner after, have a drink somewhere you love, make the whole thing feel like an occasion rather than just a task on the wedding to-do list.

Your engagement session is also a really good excuse to do a hair and makeup trial if that’s something you’re planning for the wedding. It helps you see how everything photographs, and it means you feel a bit more polished if that’s your thing.

Give yourselves enough time beforehand as well. Steam your outfits, check for creases, lint roll everything, and don’t leave getting ready until the last minute because that’s when the stress kicks in for no reason.

As for what to wear, the biggest rule is this: wear something that feels like you.

If that means dressing up and going a bit fancy, amazing. If that means knitwear, boots and jeans on the beach, also amazing. The best outfit is the one you feel comfortable in, because when you feel good, it shows.

WE’VE GOT OUR PHOTOS. NOW WHAT?

The nice thing about engagement photos is they’re not just for now. They end up becoming part of your whole wedding story.

Loads of couples use them for save the dates, wedding websites, invitations, guest books, prints around the house, or just as a way to remember this mad lovely season before everything moves onto the next bit.

And because they’re taken somewhere meaningful, whether that’s North Wales, the Wirral or Liverpool, they’ll always feel personal. Not generic, not staged, not like anyone else’s.

Just the two of you, as you are, right now. Which is kind of the whole point.

If you would like to book an engagement session, reach out by filling in the form below