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Planning Your Maternity Session In 6 Easy Steps

July 16, 2020

I love serving my couples in any way that I can and so today, I’ve written up 6 easy steps to help plan your maternity session. They are simple, easy, and will lead to a stress-free, gorgeous maternity session!

Before starting the steps below, I always recommend thinking and dreaming about how you want your maternity session to look. That way when you have to make decisions during the planning process you already have an idea in your head and won’t be overwhelmed.

 
 

Step 1: Figure out when you will be around 33 weeks

The first step in planning your maternity session is figuring out when you will be around 33 weeks gestation. This is the optimal time for a bump session because you are starting to show yet not too far along where being uncomfortable is the new norm. The longer you wait the chances are you will start to feel more tired, puffy, and just big. That’s not what you want for your photos. Plus, you will likely still have many options of clothes to choose from that still fit which is an added bonus.

Step 2: Choose a Date

I schedule sessions on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays first before any other day of the week. I am not available on Sundays unless the weather becomes an issue and a reschedule is required. Once we narrow down your 33-week timeframe, I will send over some available days that I have in my calendar.

 
 

Step 3: Narrow Down a Time

This will be either in the morning or evening depending on my availability and your preference. Both happen during the golden hours which are within 2 hours of the sun rising in the morning or 2 hours before the sunsets in the evening. Specific times will be determined based on the season that you are in and the date that works for us both.

Step 4: Pick a Location

Rural or Urban. This is one of the most popular questions I get about lifestyle sessions. First of all, you will want to consider what you envision your session to look like. Do you picture it in nature with a rural setting or do you picture it next to beautiful architecture with an urban setting? Maybe both?

 
 

After that, I typically suggest that with your vision in mind, consider using a place that has significant meaning to you both. Maybe it is where you went on your first date or where you love to take walks. Maybe it is family property that you love visiting and has fond memories. That will help narrow things down and make your session more special/personalized.

The following are some location options to consider…

– Sentimental settings: family property, proposal site, your home, a park you love to walk at, your college, where you met, etc. 

– Other settings: nature parks, Shades State Park, Turkey Run State Park, Eagle Creek State Park, Holiday Park, the canal in downtown Indy, creeks, ponds, streets, allies, old downtowns, coffee shops, etc. 

 
 

Step 5: Plan Your Outfits

This is a very important step to consider when planning your maternity session. This is a wonderful chance to dress up, be models for a day, and have fun at a photoshoot! Maxi dresses are the perfect go-to for this kind of session. If you are investing in this, then it is totally worth it to go the extra mile and dress up a bit! Why not get your nails done, splurge on some cute clothes, and specifically plan each of the outfits? Trust me, putting a little bit of extra effort into this step will make the biggest difference! 

To help with this step even more, I’ve created a few Pinterest boards full of outfit inspirations catered to each of the seasons. These are designed to inspire and mimic what you could choose to wear for your session…

– Spring Family Outfit Inspo

– Summer Family Outfit Inspo

– Fall Family Outfit Inspo

– Winter Family Outfit Inspo

– Maternity Specific Inspo

 
 

Step 6: Plan Ahead And Prepare Your Kids

If you have other children and will be bringing them along for this session, rest assured I have a few tricks up my sleeve to get your kids to smile! However, to be totally honest, kids tend to struggle to behave during sessions just because it is out of the norm for them and I am likely someone they have never met. Bribing with snacks and/or ice cream definitely helps make kids more cooperative. If you can, avoid napping in the car before a session. If they wake up in a bad mood or disoriented, it can take a while to coax them back to normal. If they are really little, I’d suggest talking to them early and often about meeting me and having their photos taken so that they are not uncomfortable with a stranger interacting with them. Do not give them snacks in the car if they are wearing their outfits. Too much of a chance of getting it messy. You might even consider changing them into their clothes once you arrive at the session if you are really worried.

 
 

I hope these steps help you plan your session easily and with minimal stress. Of course, I am happy to help even more with outfit planning or anything else you need all you have to do is reach out! Send me your photos/questions if you want to step up your session even more and create the most stunning photos ever! I look forward to our time together during your lifestyle session. It’s going to be so much fun!!

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