Should you have an engagement session? Let's chat about it!
I have a lot of couples say they don't want to do an engagement session. I get it - it's another day to book something to do in your busy schedule. But honestly? They are so much fun! I love doing them, I love hanging out with my couples and I love being able to provide them with even more beautiful images to show off to their friends and family to swoon over. Okay, that might be a little bit of a pull at me... but hey! You should want to plater them all over the place to show how damn good looking you two are!
It's the easiest way to get comfortable being in front of the camera
Majority of couples have never had professional photos taken before. When I ask my clients this question, they all say no, then back track and say "wait... do school photos count?" to which I reply yes, but that's a completely different experience than what I provide. You're not huddled in like cattle, told to sit and tilt your head, look at the camera and smile. By having an engagement session, you'll get more comfortable with how your photographer works for your wedding day, feel more relaxed and even look less awkward in your real wedding photos. To me, that's a huge part. All my clients have said "we're so awkward" to which I reply "hold my beer" and in 5 minutes I have them laughing and having the best time. Don't worry. I got chu, boo!
You'll get to know your photographer
I spend time getting to know my clients, so I think it's fair that they get to know me as well! Honestly though, I think you should totally have a real, honest relationship with your photographer since you will likely be spending a lot of time with them on your wedding day. You should want to be friends with your photographer! I know with every single person I have met, I would love to hang out with again, grab a bottle of wine with and just hang out! Spending an hour or two with your photographer helps you get to know them, have fun with them and your pro will take notes on what works for you and what doesn't, what your personality is like and how you interact as a couple. As a last note, I encourage getting your engagement photos done sooner rather than later so you're not in the full on stress mode of wedding planning.
It'll give you a chance to reconnect as a couple
Have your engagement photos taken at a place that means something to the two of you. Where you met, where you had your first date or where you got engaged. If you pick a meaningful location, it will create more of a connection and significance to you both, be more personal and you'll also feel more comfortable in a location you are more familiar with.
You'll get to see professional photos taken of you before the wedding
The advantage of seeing yourself in professional quality before the nuptuals take place is that you can let your photographer know beforehand if there are any angles or poses you don't like and you can point out what you did like! Communication with your photographer is key here. We are here to give you the best experience and we care about you! We are there to bring out the best in your both, make sure you look amazing and that you are so happy with your experience and photos. A good tip to remember is to get your hair and makeup trial done for your photos! You'll feel so great about yourself, you'll get to see how it looks in photos and you can let your stylist know about any changes to make for the wedding day. Once you see your engagement photos and get excited for them, you'll have more confidence in yourselves and in your photographer. When the wedding day comes, you'll be excited to be in front of the camera all day rather than dreading having us there capturing your every move.
You'll have amazing photos to share!!
When you have your engagement photos in your possession, there are endless things you can do with them. You can send them as gifts to family (mom, dad and the grandparents will love them!), you can make a cute little album, a guestbook for the wedding and even use them on your invitations! *Note* if you wish to publish any photos in a newspaper (old school, I know), please make sure to ask your photographer permission as there is copyright attached to all images. As well as if you decide to make invitations with them, do not apply filters or alter the images in anyway - altering images is illegal and takes away from the amount of work the photographer has put in to perfecting your images.
Well, that's about it you guys! I hope you enjoyed learning a little bit about why engagement photos can be a great thing to have! They are completely your choice, but if you like to have fun, get a little silly and have a great time, ask your photographer about it!
And if you're in the market for your wedding photographer, feel free to check out the rest of my website and send me a message! I would love to be there to capture your day and do some tequila shots with you! Click here!
XO Leesa