I know what you’re thinking; you can’t wait to get your fall photos done, but you’re not sure when the brightest and boldest colors will be where you live.

Did you know that there is a tool you can use to check peak foliage in your area? That’s right! This little online tool, courtesy of SmokeyMountains.com, lets you use a slider tool at the bottom of the screen to check foliage.

While it isn’t 100% accurate, it gives a pretty good estimate. It only shows the continental United States (Sorry Alaska & Hawaii), and the dates range from September 7th to November 23rd.

The map uses a color key to represent changes, with green being no changes and a very dark red that symbolizes past peak. While bare trees are still just as pretty in their own right, having fun fall colors as your scenery is also a fun choice.

I use this tool every year for scheduling fall photos, and it works out pretty well for me. Take a look at some of the amazing photos taken of Laura and Deanna in late October of last year.

Another reason their photos popped so well with the colors is because of their amazing outfits!

They chose some bold colors for a fun pop and some solid neutrals to get that dreamy look.

One of the keys to successful photos in any season is the colors and patterns in your outfits. Keep in mind that you want to stay with light colors, neutrals, and minimal patterns for that dreamy romantic look. If one of you wears a pattern, the other should wear a solid to keep the photo from being too busy.

I have more about picking out engagement outfits here.

-Taliya Michelle