Last year, Sarah and I had been messaging on and off about setting up a couples session with herself and her boyfriend, Mike. As we were trying to solidify plans, she told me some exciting news…they were ring shopping! We decided to hold off on the session until they got engaged. A few months later, Sarah sent me a very excited message, saying they had gotten engaged and were ready to plan a session for some downtown Chicago engagement photos! If you’re unsure of whether you want to book an engagement session, I reccomend reading my earlier blog, “Why an Engagement Photo Session is Pivotal For Your Wedding Day“.

Styling & Planning

Sarah and I originally connected over our love for vintage decor, so a classic and timeless style was the obvious choice for their engagement session. We selected the University of Chicago and the Museum of Science and Industry as the backdrop for their sessions. The University of Chicago offered old-world European charm, romantic, detailed architecture, and a sense of historic elegance. The neoclassical details at MSI provided a backdrop that felt grand, refined, and as if it were pulled from Washington D.C.

Staying consistent with a classical and romantic session, Sarah selected a very simple, a-line white dress for the session. Mike matched her with black pants and a white shirt. If you need some engagement photo outfit inspiration, you can view some more inspo for different vibes on my pinterest board here!

Similarly, I wanted to emphasize using film photography for Sarah & Mike’s engagement session, because I knew that classic film colors and texture would feel so at home with such a beautiful backdrop. We did a combination of film and digital, giving Sarah and Mike more photos to choose from for their wedding website and save-the-dates.

Timing

We scheduled the session in mid afternoon, we had plenty of time and autumn light available for both locations. Lighting is always the biggest determining factor in timing for engagement photos. By picking two locations within a few minute drive, we were able to maximize our time and utilize multiple locations for Sarah and Mike’s downtown Chicago engagement photos. We even had time for a mini engagement session flat lay!

Stay tuned for more posts for inspiration for downtown Chicago engagement photos!