Día de los Muertos Engagement

Día de los Muertos.
Honor the heritage.

Cultural-themed engagement sessions with calavera makeup, marigold, papel picado. Document the tradition + the love story. From $1,500.

Book session

Elements we capture

The aesthetic elements.

Calavera makeup

Painted sugar-skull faces — black + white traditional or color-accented modern. Coordinate with your makeup artist beforehand. Best photographed in soft natural light, 1 hour before sunset.

Marigold (cempasúchil) flowers

Bright orange marigold petals scattered on the path or held in hand. We bring the petals if your florist doesn't. Petals on cobblestone or hardwood photograph beautifully.

Papel picado backdrop

Tissue-paper banners strung in the frame — bring your own or we provide. The bright colors make for editorial-magazine-quality portraits.

Family altar / ofrenda tribute

If a loved-one passed who would have witnessed your engagement — we set a small altar in the session with their photo, marigold, candle. A way to include them in the moment.

Locations that fit the theme

Mission San Juan Bautista, Old Town San Diego, Olvera Street LA, Mission Dolores SF, Casa Romantica San Clemente. We help pick a location that complements the aesthetic.

Traditional attire

Charra dress, embroidered blouse, dark suit with cultural accents, mariachi-inspired jacket. We can recommend stylists if you want to lean into the wardrobe.

FAQ

Most-asked.

When can we shoot this?+

Anytime — but the cultural calendar peaks late October to November 2 (the actual Day of the Dead). We book the late-October window 4 to 6 months out. Year-round shoots also work — the aesthetic is timeless.

Cost?+

AGV engagement sessions start at $850 (90 min, 50+ edited photos). Themed sessions with multiple looks + locations $1,500 to $2,500. Photo + film engagement reels $2,500 to $3,500.

Can we use these photos for save-the-dates?+

Yes — most couples do. The cultural theme makes the save-the-date stand out + tells the family heritage story upfront.

Are these appropriate / respectful?+

When done thoughtfully — yes. Día de los Muertos is a celebration of life + memory, not a costume holiday. We approach the session as honoring the tradition. If you have personal cultural ties to the heritage — beautiful. If you don't — we can talk through whether the theme fits or whether another aesthetic suits you better.

Do you do the ofrenda yourselves?+

We set the small altar element if you want it. You bring the photos + meaningful objects. We bring marigold + candle + papel picado.

Ready?
Tell us your story.

10 minutes. Tell me your heritage + the loved-one you want to honor — I'll plan the session with you.