Why You Need an Engagement Session with your Wedding Photographer
You’ve just gotten engaged and are embarking on one of the most exciting and daunting things you will ever have to do: plan a wedding! After you secure the date with your venue, one of the first vendors you should book is your wedding photographer. Many wedding photographers offer "complimentary” engagement sessions as a part of their wedding packages, and there are several reasons why (and why photographers LOVE doing them!). An engagement session is not just something extra added into a wedding package to convince you to book with a photographer. Having an engagement session with your actual wedding photographer has so many benefits:
You get a chance to make sure the photographer’s style and work aligns with your vision of your big day. Hopefully, you’ve researched that prior to booking, but it’s a lot easier to find a new photographer if you don’t like their work after an engagement session than to hire someone and be disappointed after a day you can’t repeat!
You get a more dedicated chunk of time just for photos with your favorite person! The hustle and bustle of the wedding day can limit the time you have for portraits of just the bride and groom. But an engagement session gives you a nice chunk of time to explore and capture your personality together as a couple!
The photographer and couple can get to know each other and develop a rapport so that the wedding day photography runs more smoothly. Often the first 15-20 minutes of a session are spent getting to know one another and getting comfortable in front of the camera. So when you have an engagement session with your photographer before your wedding, there’s no awkwardness to overcome on your wedding day—you can just jump right into making beautiful portraits!
It gives the photographer a chance to try out a variety of poses and discover what is most flattering and what you are most comfortable with. You can also communicate with your photographer ideas that you may have!
You can take photos in different outfits: formal, casual, etc. On your wedding day, most, if not all of your photos will be taken in your wedding attire! The engagement session provides you with more opportunity for changes in clothing.
You can take photos in different locations! On your wedding day, you may be limited to your venue. But for an engagement session, you can go to other places that have special meaning to you—where you had your first date, shared your first kiss, or even favorite hangouts!
You can use your images for save-the-dates, as a part of your reception decor, and/or to include in a guestbook.
So even if you’ve already had a friend or family member take some engagement photos for you, don’t just ask your wedding photographer for a discount in lieu of an engagement session. Having an engagement session with your actual wedding photographer can be a great way to ensure that the photography on your wedding day runs as smoothly as possible and give you more priceless memories to document your love story.
Logan and Caiden opted to do engagement photos on their property, which allowed us to incorporate special places and their loves of the outdoors. We even included their dogs in a few photos!
Tori and Carter opted to do their engagement session at a local wedding venue—although not the one where they are getting married—where there are gorgeous views and sunsets. That way, they will have a variety of photos together in different locations!
Kimberly Cauble…
…is a teacher and wedding & portrait photographer in the Charlotte, NC area who has been photographing families, seniors, and weddings since 2012. She has photographed over 90 weddings and loves people, the art of photography, and sharing what she has learned with others!
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