Now and again I get the pleasure of styling love birds for their engagement pictures. Kiera and Jay are two beautiful people getting married in the spring of 2012, and they hired me to get them ready for their engagement session with Melissa Jill.

Kiera and Jay really wanted to have their photos show two different things they love - nature and music. This is such a great thing to think about before a photo session because you can make sure your location and clothing reflects those things. People want to look at photos and see the person they know, AND you want to make sure you're as comfortable as can be in front of the camera. So, regular hang out spots are great location options!

They chose an outdoor location nearby and The Mint, a local club where Jay DJ's. Obviously, these two places (nature and a club) are VERY different from each other, so we made sure their outfits reflected that. All of the clothing was pulled from their closets, which was great because there was already a love affair with the clothing before I got there. =)

First stop was the beautiful outdoors. Jeans are something Jay and Kiera both feel very confident and relaxed wearing. I made sure the washes were different from one another as well as the shape. We selected a sweet lace top for Kiera, and accessorized her with some gold, long necklaces. (If you didn't see my recent post on gold, check it out!)

For Jay, we found a dress shirt that had stitching that complemented Kiera's shirt. The pattern on the button down is wide enough so that it doesn't dance on camera.

And now onto the club, The Mint! I'm headed out there this week, and I can't wait to experience it!

Jay usually rocks a button down and jeans when he goes to work, so we stayed true to what he likes to wear, and chose a classic black shirt with a favorite pair of jeans.

For Kiera, we chose one of Jay's favorite dresses of hers. Obviously, Kiera has an amazing body, and rocked this dress like nobody's business. We accessorized it with black accessories to complement Jay's shirt. I also encouraged her to add the patterned pumps, and I'm SO glad she did. It gives the outfit a touch of spice, no?

It's so great to see their love come alive in these photos, and I'm so glad I had a chance to work with these two! To see more photos from this shoot, visit Melissa's blog.

Being a senior in high school was one of the best times of my life. You feel invincible, on top of the world and of course SO flippin' cool. Granted, I look back at myself and just laugh at the notes I wrote to my friends, the stupid things I did that year, and what I wore for my senior photos!!! Seriously, what the heck was I thinking?! I wore ALL black and posed with my clarinet! So NOT cool! If only I had my own personal stylist to help me pick the right clothes for my personality and the camera.

Well, I'm happy to say that I've definitely learned from my mistakes, AND I'm offering my styling services to seniors as part of a high-end style experince with Melissa Jill Photography!

Melissa is not only a great friend of mine, but she was my wedding photographer back in 2007 and has since become one of the top wedding photographers in the country. Remember those pictures with my bright red pants? Yeah, she took those. =)

Recently, she has been able to grow her business and bring on Sara Nevels who is one of the cutest gals I've ever met AND a talented photographer in her own right. Along with Tina Burnham who is an uber talented makeup artist and hair stylist (she worked on the Rock 'n Roll Bridal Shoot, Marie Antoinette shoot, and did my makeup), a team of creatives has been assembled to make seniors feel like they are even COOLER (if that's possible) and ensure that they'll look back on their photos and love them FOREVER!

So, what are the specific dets?

Well, each session has four components: The Initial Consultation (Sara), The Styling Session (me & Tina), The Photo Shoot (the WHOLE team), and The Viewing & Ordering Session.

The Initial Consultation is a time for Sara, the senior, and the parents to really get to know each other. Lots of bonding takes place here. Stories are shared, questions are answered, expectations are set, and decisions are made.

The Styling Session is a phone chat with me, where I'll talk through different look options using Pinterest.com. Together, we'll discuss favorite looks and how to achieve them with the clothing the client already owns, or talk about where to go shopping to find the clothes that will achieve the looks they want. I'll also find out what the senior's hair & makeup preferences are, so that I can make sure Tina knows EXACTLY what they want on the day of the shoot. And don't worry, we have plenty of alternatives FOR GUYS to make this time worth their while too!

The Photo Shoot is the main event -- Hooray! Depending on how the senior wants their hair & makeup, it's safe to assume they'll be with us for 4 hours. Better to over-estimate than under! We plan 2 hours for preparation and 1-2 hours for the photo shoot. This also gives a little wiggle room for traveling to their location. We'll start at the Melissa Jill Photography office where Tina will do their hair & makeup and I will put together 3 outfits. As soon as the senior is ready, we'll head out for the shoot!

The Viewing & Ordering Session is the very first time the senior will see any of their images...SO EXCITING! Sara and Melissa will show a slideshow of all their images and have them pick out their favorites while celebrating with sparkling cider. Parents are required to attend, since we give an extra 25% off all of our prints and canvases if they purchase during this session. Sara and Melissa will post the photos online for friends and family to order from, but the discount is only valid for the senior at their viewing & ordering session.

Pretty cool, right?! We think so too.

For pricing information, please contact Sara, sara@melissajill.com.