I loveeeee engagement sessions. I do. An engagement session is something I recommend to every one of my clients, but not everyone is always on board with the idea. Maybe its timing, scheduling, or maybe they simply don’t like the idea of doing one for fear of it being an awkward process. However, I often find that those couples who oppose the idea of doing an engagement session, are usually the ones who would benefit from it the most. Here are a few reasons why I love engagement sessions and find them beneficial.

• It gives you time to work through any nerves. Let’s be honest, the last time you had professional photos done was most likely for either for a family photo or when you were a senior in high school. So… needless to say it’s probably been a while! Most people aren’t extremely comfortable in front of the camera (myself included), and know what to do, and I certainly don’t expect you to! And those previous experiences with photography are completely different than the one you’ll have during your engagement session or on the wedding day. Doing an engagement session gives you time to feel more comfortable in front of the camera and work through any nerves so that on the wedding day, things just feel completely natural.
• It gives us a chance to work together before the wedding day. Think of it as somewhat of a trial run. You’ll get to see how I work and give direction, and I get to see how you two naturally interact with each other to better photograph your day and look for those in between moments. I find that couples who have done an engagement session feel comfortable naturally interacting with each other on the wedding day without my direction, which really allows us to maximize our time for photography. Plus, it gives us a chance to spend more time together and get to know each other, so that on the wedding day I feel like one of the group rather than just another vendor.
• You get photos of the two of you during your engagement – a time that otherwise might not be documented. The engagement period goes by at lightening speed. There is so much on your schedules – from showers to parties – not to mention all the work that goes into planning your wedding. I find that couples enjoy having 60-90 minutes to just focus on each other and document this time in their life before calling each other ‘husband’ or ‘wife.’ For most couples, that means getting dressed up, laughing-smiling-loving on each other for an hour, and then maybe enjoying a date night out afterwards. It also allows you to get photos of the two of you in a totally different setting than your wedding day photos. Maybe you want to have have a drink at your favorite cocktail bar or take a walk along the lake hand in hand. An engagement session is a time where we can get create with whatever it is you’re dreaming up, without having to worry about a schedule.

Changed your mind on engagement sessions? See some engagement session inspiration here and here!

Happy Monday, loves!