I get to be a part of so many growing family's milestones, and it's not something I take lightly. I know that it is an honor and privilege to be let in on this exciting news, sometimes well before others know that exciting news! There are a lot of unknowns with some family's pregnancies, so it can be scary to book something like your maternity session so far in advance. You can certainly book any time, based on your favorite photographer's availability of course, but planning ahead for your ideal maternity session does have it's benefits. Let's dive into those!

1. Plan Ahead: Availability and Booking for Maternity Sessions

You'll hear lots of photographers talk about when to book your maternity session, and first I would like to acknowledge that I think that choice is certainly a personal one. Every photographer is different with the number of sessions they'll take in a week or month, so sometimes availability can be a concern. If you have a particular photographer in mind it might at least be good to reach out and let them know when you're expected to be due or even just that you have family planning on the brain and ask what their typical schedule can look like. They can also recommend the timeframe of when to book, and a timeframe of when to actually do your session. This will help give you an idea whether this is something you can put a pin in for later, or whether it might be something you want to really start considering the details of. I certainly can't speak for anyone else, but for me I know that pregnancy is a delicate subject and status can sometimes be unknown. For me, I would rather a couple who loves my portfolio reach out and get something on the books with me early on so we have time to plan ahead. If your status changes after you've put a retainer down you can consider that refunded if you wish, or just as a placeholder with me whenever you are ready. 

When to book?
In an ideal world I would like to do your maternity session when you're around 30-33 weeks. I have found this is generally a sweet spot of a cute bump, but moms not feeling over swollen, over tired, and it gives us room if we should have to reschedule for some reason. We don't want to push your session to your final days of pregnancy when you're yelling "get this baby outta me!" nor do I actually want you to be in labor during our session. Let's save that for another type of professional!  With me, I prefer about a 2 months heads up when booking a session because I do tend to fill up quickly and I ADORE my maternity sessions so I want to take those in my schedule first. 

Why is booking early so important?
I'm going to use this session of Janet and Parth at Hampton Park as the perfect example. Janet and Parth were just visiting Charleston but they gave a few months notice ahead of their trip. Janet sent me a picture of them both, what dress styles and colors she liked and then we touched base again closer to their arrival. In the back of my mind I knew that she loved bold colors, she loved the mermaid style and wanted something both casual and designer looking. When it comes to my Client Closet I do have a lot to choose from, but I'm always a sucker for a good deal when I see one. Well, Chicaboo had a limited sale on the Royal Blue colored Ariel gown and when I saw that I knew it was going to be perfect for her so I scooped it up a few weeks before their session. I certainly don't do that for every client, but I truly do want to know what you love and if I see something that works, I know I'll have someone to wear it. 
The next reason to plan early is that I know I can keep an eye on our locations for the best outcome. This session happened to be at the tail end of our spring, but the Peggy Martin roses had just reached peak bloom so I knew that Hampton Park would be a prime location for some color. This location in late spring is (in my opinion) better than booking Magnolia Plantation because if I know what is blooming where I can help you make an informed decision about your location. Another example is that in the fall for my beach clients I have to keep an eye on erosion and storm surges and how they can effect our session. Often times during or after hurricane season we have some badly eroded dunes so we may need to opt for another location all together. 

2. Shop Early: Outfits are KEY!

Again, I know that I'm saying to do all this ahead of time when your mind might be in many other places. But maybe while you're late night scrolling hop over to Pinterest, Etsy, or even Instagram and start pulling together some looks that are really YOU when it comes to maternity. What do you love, what's your style and mood? Is the dress fitted or flowy, does it show your arms or belly, does it cover it all? Do you love the posed pictures or something more candid and raw. You have to know your style and oftentimes these are the first professional portraits you will take after your wedding so maybe you want them to match or maybe you know you want to steer in a totally different direction. It's good to at least have an idea of what your style is and where you need to get that from. Sometimes you need a lot of lead time for a particular look or designer and that is always good to know. It's also helpful if you're looking at sales and already have an idea of what you want so you can keep an eye on it. 

Why the Client Closet?
Having a Client Closet of dresses or outfits to shop from that are FREE to use is a huge bonus for you as the Client. Maternity dresses can be really expensive from designers because they are made to adapt to your growing belly and changing body. These dresses are well made and actually look like they're supposed to. So shop the Client Closet first before diving in on your own. 

Avoiding foreign retailers.
Okay so sometimes clients get lucky with something they found on Amazon or those random sites where the heads are cut off the models... But in most cases those dress styles are stolen from the real designer and made cheaply in China or some other country. Who knows when that will get here and who knows if it will even be the right size and style on your body. Amazon is great about returns, but other companies aren't so much. Shop at trusted designers on Etsy, Chicaboo, Baltic Born, Sew Trendy and there are also places to rent maternity gowns for sessions. 

Get something that has room to grow.
You should know by now that your body is, or is going to be changing on the regular. Which is why shopping in advance can be so difficult. I recommend sizing up, because often times the dress (depending on style) can be pinned or fixed a certain way to be smaller. Many retailers that specialize in maternity dresses size things based on your pre-pregnancy size which can be more helpful for you since you know what you were but not where you're going to be. They take those sizes and adapt for that growing belly and changes so it can make the fit a bit more reliable. 

Know YOUR colors!
I do always get moms that feel like they HAVE TO wear pink or blue based on the gender of the baby and I'm here to tell you that is absolutely not a requirement. If we have that as one of your outfits, sure. But you know what colors you look best in based on your complexion, your hair, etc so embrace that fully, too. If you rock jewel tones- please wear them! If you loved the way you looked in your white wedding gown- let's do white because how many more times can you get to do that? I want you to embrace who you are and what you feel confident in, so don't worry about gender and worry more about where you'll be and what looks good. 

3. Get Dolled Up: Book a Hair and Makeup Artist

So this is coming from someone who never wears makeup or does her hair: book a professional hair and makeup artist for your maternity session. There is literally nothing you can regret from making that decision because it just makes sense. Think about how you felt so taken care of on your wedding day. Even if you prefer to do one for yourself and not the other, that's fine too, but know your strengths and limitations and if that is something that can make you look and feel amazing while also taking some stress off your plate. Worth every penny!

Use it as an added excuse to treat yourself.
I love when my maternity clients have something planned after their session, whether it's a fancy dinner out with their love or even their baby shower! I think when you're getting dolled up this is such a perfect excuse to really use it as an entire day to pamper yourself and enjoy the entire day, whatever that means to you. 

Ask for referrals from your Photographer.
I always provide my clients with a list of ladies I recommend in the area for Hair, Makeup or both. Many of them are even accustomed to my early start times so you know that you're going to get someone reliable and who does a beautiful job. I've also got some ladies that I recommend for my women of color since I know that every hair type is different and skin tones need to be beautifully blended and not choppy or too contoured. Looking your best and having someone reliable is key, so always ask for trusted referrals first. 

Chat with them about weather backup plans.
I know with me, my sessions are always subject to weather being on the coast. Our weather can change hourly so it is definitely important to discuss with your salon or artist what their personal policies and availability are for any changes you might need to make. Photography sessions for portraits are different than weddings, your wedding date doesn't usually change for weather but for a portrait session we want the best possible outcome. Sometimes that means changing the day or timeframe. So just be open and upfront with them how important this is for you and take note of their policies. 

Relax, and enjoy the experience.
I guess my last note would be that once you've got it all in place, booked, dresses ready, make up done... really take in the moment and enjoy it. These moments in time are fleeting and you should be able to look back on your session and really have smiles and feel amazing.