• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Everyday Style
    • Everyday Outfits
    • Capsule Wardrobe Remix
    • Style 101
    • Jess’ Favorite Brands
    • Home Decor
  • Advice
    • Real Women Approved
    • Advice
    • Ask Jess
    • Personal Notes
    • Healthy Living
    • Wedding
  • Beauty Tips
    • Favorite products
    • How to
  • Travel
    • Packing Lists
    • Chicago
      • Midwest Road Trips
    • Italy
      • Tuscany
      • Amalfi Coast
    • France
    • Montreal
    • Mexico
    • Nantucket
    • San Francisco
  • #QuarantineLife

The Golden Girl

Chicago Fashion and Lifestyle Blog

August 26, 2016

Currently Loving: At Home Engagement Photos

2016-04-22_0015

I’ve never been a fan of engagement photos. 

To me, they can so easily feel forced, unnatural, cheesy, and they rarely manage to capture any real emotion or the unique connection of the couple. (“Tell us how you really feel, Jess.”) 

However, when I stumbled upon these photos from India Earl photography, I absolutely loved them. 

Why hadn’t I thought of this before: Engagement photos at home? 




To me, there’s nothing more intimate and special than capturing your real life together–a moment in time, in your relationship–preserving it forever.

They capture your lifestyle, and how you felt when you woke up on a Saturday morning. (Something you’ll look back on fondly in 20 years and say, “Sigh. When it was just the two of us!”)

I love the ideas of capturing photos in the kitchen–how you cook dinner together–that thing where you always sit on the counter drinking wine, talking to one another. 

Isn’t that so special? 

Now–the jury is out. Will we do engagement photos? I don’t know. We’re still pretty on the fence about it. I’m not sure any photos can capture the one’s taken as Neal proposed. But I’ll surely keep you posted 😉 

Tell me though, what’s your opinion on at-home engagement photos? 

2016-04-22_0011 19-ginny-au-loom-workshop 18-casual-at-home-engagement-session 5-relaxed-engagement 1-organic-engagement-session

Tell me–what do you think about at-home engagement photos? Would you do them? 

Photo credits: India Earl, Once Wed, Once Wed, and Once Wed 

Filed Under: Wedding

Reader Interactions

< previous post
next post >

Comments

  1. Hannah Roberts says

    August 26, 2016 at 11:18 am

    Love the idea of at-home engagement sessions! We’ve talked about doing it for an anniversary. They seem so beautiful and intimate.
    I think one of the biggest values in engagement photos is getting comfortable with your photographer – I think it helps with having more natural photos on your day. If you already have a photographer you are really comfortable with, they aren’t as necessary. But we used a new photographer and wanted a chance to break the ice with her before our actual wedding.

    Reply
  2. Love Always, Audrey says

    August 26, 2016 at 11:18 am

    These are so beautiful! I adore them, and agree that they don’t seem as forced as regular engagement photos.

    Reply
  3. Erin @ Her Heartland Soul says

    August 26, 2016 at 12:14 pm

    What a fun and unique idea! They’re so intimate and special!

    Reply
  4. Kristina Anderson says

    August 26, 2016 at 1:04 pm

    Aww this is such a fun idea. I agree that engagement photos can look forced and staged, but I still love mine because they’re the only professional photos we have together besides our wedding, and they’re our engagement photos so they always bring me back to that special time in our lives.

    Kristina does the Internets

    Reply
  5. Natalie Was Here says

    August 26, 2016 at 3:28 pm

    I absolutely LOVE at-home engagement photos. I always said when I get engaged some day, that’s the place I’d do it! My boyfriend and I just moved into our first apartment together, and I think it’s so special to share a home with someone you love. Seems only fitting to shoot engagement pics there, too!

    Natalie Was Here

    Reply
  6. Erin says

    August 26, 2016 at 4:29 pm

    What a great idea! I did engagement photos only because my in-laws paid for the photographer and they paid for a package with an engagement session. And I don’t like them! They are so stiff and posed and awkward. I love my non-posed wedding pictures though! Go for the engagement pictures at home! We were renovating a house when we had ours done and I now think how cute that would have been for pictures!

    Reply
  7. Sarah F says

    August 27, 2016 at 9:10 am

    We pushed the furniture out of the way in our favorite room in the house, set up the camera, and took our own. Barefoot, wearing jeans, and with the cat wandering through. Even after all of the fancy wedding photos, these homemade “engagement” shots are still some of my favorite of us. The house is where we fell in love and are building our life – I love that it gets to be a part of our story, too!

    Reply
  8. Stacy says

    August 27, 2016 at 3:28 pm

    These photos are absolutely gorgeous! I love the idea of the at home engagement session, but I also love traditional engagement pics so much too. I think if you find the right photographer, your pictures don’t feel forced. Ryan hates taking pictures, so our “traditional” engagement pictures are some of my favorites of the two of us together.

    Reply
  9. Catherine Marks says

    August 29, 2016 at 12:44 pm

    We had at home anniversary photos taken, and we love them! You’re so right about capturing this phase of your lives just as it really was on a normal day. That is pretty priceless! Here are ours: http://www.classiccatherine.com/?p=684
    xoxo,
    Catherine
    http://www.classiccatherine.com

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Happy Weekend Around The Web - Coastal Bride says:
    September 9, 2016 at 7:03 am

    […] will put you in a New York state of mind! This just might be the coolest wedding photo ever. At home engagement photos – one of my favorite things! I’m loving this as a wedding gift! A […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Hi, I’m Jess!

IMG_8690 (1)

Welcome to The Golden Girl–a real girl approach to living your best life! (Because the internet needed a happy medium between real life and the highlight reel.) Click here to learn more about me! 

GG's Popular Posts

  • Billie Razor review Real Women Reviewed: The [UNSPONSORED] Billie Razor
  • The best no-show underwear The best no-show underwear
  • benjamin-moore-midnight-oil-cabinets | Our New Kitchen! Before/After, and all about our remodel Our New Kitchen! Before/After, and all about our remodel
  • 10 Random Things on a Friday | fresh flowers in a vase 10 Random Things on a Friday
  • Dynasty George House Dresses review Dynasty George House Dresses: The WOC-owned, sustainable and ethical startup you need to know about!
Shopbop.com

Fast Free Shipping Worldwide

  • JUST ARRIVED
  • SHOP T NECKS
  • SHOP WALLETS

Fast Free Shipping Worldwide

JUST ARRIVED

  • Tory Sport

    High-Rise Weightless Chevron Leggings

  • Reformation

    Reformation on Sale

  • Blank Denim

    Blank Denim Love Letter Jeans

< >

SHOP T NECKS

  • Milly

    Shirred Sleeve Turtleneck Sweater

  • Bop Basics

    Get the Look

  • JNBY

    Shop JNBY Colorblock Turtleneck Sweater

< >

SHOP WALLETS

  • Marc by Marc Jacobs

    Preppy Nylon Slim Zip Wallet at Shopbop

  • Marc by Marc Jacobs

    Marc by Marc Jacobs Classic Q Slim Zip Wallet

  • BE & D

    Poly Wallet at Shopbop

< >

Shop High Waist Flare Pants, Lace Midi Dresses, White And Black Blouses, Mini Satchels and more. Get this widget.

Featured Posts

48 Hours in LA

Do you do this in restaurants?

A Parisian Picnic

Do you believe in fate? (Our story).

Copyright© 2021 · Brunch Pro Theme by Shay Bocks