One of my favorite Flora family traditions is taking photos around the time of our wedding anniversary. It began when Graham and I moved to Chicago in 2015 and we were celebrating our first anniversary. I researched Chicago photographers and found Abigail Joyce Photography and I really liked her style. I chose a city skyline background and she suggested the perfect spot for our photos. This year we will be working with Abbey once again for our photos. I am excited to see the shots she takes. In the mean time, I have been busy preparing for our photos. I try to space our my to-dos so that I’m not overwhelmed, so I thought I’d share some ideas for how to prepare for your own family photos. These are just some of the things I’m doing plus other ideas I thought would be helpful to others. It’s all up to you and how you want to prepare!
A month or two before (or earlier):
- Choose your photographer and schedule the date. Discuss locations with photographer. Try not to schedule it for nap times if you have little ones.
- Start saving or prepare your budget when you schedule your session (or before that).
- Think about what colors you’d like your family to wear.
- Start whitening your teeth.
- Talk to anyone else who is a part of the photos (extended family, for example) to prep them on what to wear and when the shoot is.
2 weeks to a month before:
- Shop for clothing, accessories or shoes you might need. Or pick out the items from what you already have.
- Dye your hair if needed.
Week before:
- Get brows done or do them yourself.
- Do any other waxing you might need.
- Get your haircut, if needed. (It sometimes takes a few days or weeks to learn to style your hair when it’s a big change.)
- If you want to get a facial, do it now.
Few days before:
- If you self-tan, do it now.
- Get nails done or paint them yourself.
- Discuss location with photographer (with specifics and rain backup plan). Make a list of shots you want, if any.
Day before:
- Look up directions and lay out clothing and any props you might need so you don’t forget.
- Last-minute grooming/prep, if needed.
- Wash your hair, if needed. (I prefer second-day hair for photos.)
Day of photos:
- Try to relax.
- Bring snacks for the kids and yourself.
That’s about it! I can’t wait to share my photos with you once I get them back! How do you prep for photos?
