why take engagement photos?
An engagement session can be one of the best things that you do before your wedding. I have worked with hundreds of couples over the years and found that those who take engagement photos are more relaxed and less stressed about photos on their wedding day. If you’re not sure if it’s right for you, here are some of the best reasons:
Get to know your photographer
The best way to get more comfortable in front of the camera is to spend some time with me before the wedding day. In addition to our initial consultation meeting I like to meet couples for a drink or two on the afternoon of their engagement session. This allows us to catch up, answer any other wedding planning questions that may have come up since I last saw you and discuss the engagement session.
Get prepared for the wedding day
Couples often think that they might be akward and that’s even more of a reason to do engagement photos.
Every single image on my site is from an actual couple, not models. Part of being a wedding photojournalist means I’ve developed what it takes to make people feel comfortable in front of the camera. All you have to do is enjoy being together and have fun. If you do that your images will be fantastic, I promise.
During the session you’ll learn how to look and feel your best. Everything that we do during the session will be the same things that I ask of you during the wedding so when the big day arrives you’ll be comfortable in front of the camera and understand how to interact naturally.
”
Choose somewhere different than the wedding
This is your chance to get photos that you won’t be able to get on the wedding day. Time is usually limited on a wedding day so an engagement session allows us to capture images in a completely different setting. Are you getting married in the city? Let’s go to the mountains. Maybe you’re having a summer wedding but would love to incorporate the fall colors into your engagement photos. If you have a location that you love that we can’t get to on the wedding day, this is the time!
Let’s capture your personality as a couple
The wedding day photos are going to be something that you cherish for a lifetime. But, those photos will only be representative of that single important day in your lives. During the engagement session my goal is to document who you two are together, the way you make each other laugh and how you interact.
Use the images for wedding related purposes
One of the original reasons couples needed an engagement photo was for an announcement in the local paper. These days there are countless other ways to use the photos. The most common things that couples use their engagement photos for are their save-the-date cards and wedding website. I’ve also seen couples use them for table numbers/centerpieces, guest books or a large canvas that their guests sign.
You can bring your dog
If your wedding venue doesn’t allow you to incorporate your dog, we can get some images with them during the engagement session.