As a wedding photographer, I get super excited when my clients want to do an engagement photo session. It’s like Christmas for me! Seriously. In fact, I love engagement sessions so much that I automatically include them in every wedding I book!
Of course, my clients are not required to have an engagement session and I’m not going to force them to do anything they don’t want to do, but I strongly encourage every couple to have engagement photos done.
Top 5 Reasons To Have Engagement Photos Done
Practice
Practice makes perfect, right? Well, no. But it does make things better. One great reason to schedule an engagement session is to practice being in front of the camera. I don’t know about you, but I tend to feel super awkward when a camera is pointed at me (there’s a reason I’m behind the camera). An engagement shoot allows you to get a little more comfortable.
You might be thinking that there’s nothing on God’s green Earth that will make you feel comfortable in front of the camera, but it really works. Think about the grocery store you go to. You go to THAT store because you are familiar with it, right? You’re more comfortable going to that particular store because you’ve been there before and you know what to expect. You know where the bread aisle is and you know exactly which end cap to find the tortillas on.
Comfort is huge and it’s something we all crave. Engagement sessions provide just that…a certain level of comfort through familiarity. This one simple thing will make your wedding photos all that much better. Trust me, when you feel uncomfortable, you LOOK uncomfortable and that’s NOT something you want to see in your wedding portraits.
Relationships
Having a relationship with your wedding photographer is another key element to great looking wedding photos. There’s always a slightly awkward moment when you meet someone new and especially when that someone shows up on your wedding day when you are half naked, getting dressed in your wedding gown. Yep, talk about a HELLO!
Engagement photos fix that too! Taking engagement photos helps you gain a relationship with your photographer, which helps you feel (and look) more comfortable on your wedding day.
Save The Date Cards
If you’re like most couples, you’ll want to send out Save The Dates cards before sending out the formal invitation (be sure to save one for your photographer). Engagement photos capture the two of you as you are before the big day and are great to use for Save The Dates. Not only do engagement shoots capture your love story, but it gives the photographer a chance to get to know your individual personalities.
Wedding photographers love to capture moments and the more moments there are to capture, the better.
Not only will you use the images on your printed cards, but you will also have plenty of content to post on your wedding website! Family and guests will LOVE to see all the beautiful, professional photos of you on your website.
Previews
Having professional photographs done before the wedding is the PERFECT opportunity to change what you don’t like. I really need to suck it in when I have my photos taken, but I always forget about it…until I see the pictures. Then, I realize that I should have sucked it in a little more or pulled my chin out so I don’t look like I have a double chin.
The little things that others don’t notice about us can drive us crazy! Your photographer doesn’t know what you do or don’t like about the way you look, so this part is up to you. When you look back at your engagement images, take note of what you like and don’t like. You can even send your photographer a note to say ” Hey! Will you remind me to turn to the side just a little so you can’t see my belly quite so much?” I could have a perfectly flat belly, but I’ll zero in on that tiny ounce of imperfection that I see on my own body every time!
Use the engagement session to see what you can work on and what you can avoid for the wedding day portraits.
Album Content
Most photographers offer a wedding album in their packages. I have one included in all of mine because I think they are SUPER important. Engagement photos are great for a wedding album! They help tell the story of you. On your wedding day, you’ll be surrounded by people every moment of the day and your wedding photos will have a different feel because of it.
The intimate setting (just the two of you) will give your engagement photos a whole different feel. Wedding photography simply results in a different type of image than engagement photography.
When you get your parents an album (because your parents are so awesome), they’ll be thrilled to see photos of more than the wedding. They’ll see photos of you two having fun and being silly. They’ll see a different style of image and they’ll love it! An you’ll remember that you married your best friend and you get to spend the rest of your life with the person you love the most.
DID YOU JUST GET ENGAGED?
