When I first started out photographing weddings, I didn’t include an engagement session in any of my collections. But, as I photographed more and more of these fun engagement photos, I realized how important they really are (for more than just the selfish reason that I LOVE doing them). So of course now all but one of my collections automatically comes with an engagement session because I believe they are that awesome.

(side note: these two ^^ are getting married on Saturday!!!! omg so excited!)

Most people do not have a lot of experience being in front of a camera, and sometimes it can feel pretty awkward. Especially when I get up in your face a little (it’s not as scary as it sounds I promise). Usually the last time my couples had their photos taken were for their high school senior portraits! So needless to say, it’s a different experience to have your photo taken with your love. An engagement session is the perfect time to have some practice being in front of the camera before your wedding day. It helps to make both you and your fiance feel more comfortable, and you’ll have a much better idea of what you like and how you want to pose. During the engagement session you may learn that you love those close up shots, or you’re not really a fan of how you look when you turn your head that one way.

Your engagement session is also a great time to see how I work as a photographer. You’ve seen the end result, because I know you’ve looked at tons of my photos before deciding you wanted to book me, but you don’t really know the process of how we get those awesome shots! It’s nice to know what to expect on your wedding day.

This time is also awesome for me as a photographer because I get to know you guys as a couple a little bit better! By now, we’ve most likely met in some capacity before you booked, so we are at least familiar with each other. When you take the time to have your engagement photos taken however, I find out more about the dynamic of your relationship. We chat about life and the wedding, and basically just hang out! I get to know what kind of direction works best for you (some people don’t need much direction at all, and others prefer me to tell them exactly what to do), and I get to know the best way to get the truest emotions and expressions from you.

It’s also nice to have some really great photos of the two of you in normal, everyday clothes rather than just your formal wedding attire! The engagement session is so relaxed, and we spend a lot more time than we usually get on the wedding day, so it’s naturally a little more creative and fun. Your wedding day will go by so fast, and you don’t want to spend any of that time feeling awkward in front of a camera. Plus, it’s nice to have those engagement photos to use as save the dates, or to incorporate into your reception!

*If you live out of state, and it just doesn’t make sense to do an engagement session, don’t worry! I’ve done a number of weddings without an engagement session, and we will still get lots of gorrrrgeous photos! But if it is an option, I will always recommend some type of engagement session. 🙂