Why it's Important to Have an Enagement Session With Your Wedding Photographer
Congratulations…you’re engaged! Now that the excitement has worn off a little bit and you’re taking the next steps toward planning your wedding day, it’s time to start thinking about an Engagement Session.
Engagement Sessions aren’t just a fun way to announce or celebrate your Engagement, they’re actually a critical step along the way to your wedding day. Let’s dive into the importance of having an Engagement Session, and why you should probably plan it with the photographer you’re going to hire for your wedding day!
Five Fantastic Reasons You Should Definitely Have an Engagement Session
Documenting Your Love Story
Engagement photos should be meaningful, not just pretty pictures you put on your “Save the Date” cards. They are a way of not only announcing your upcoming wedding, but celebrating how your story started. Think about choosing a location that means something to you as a couple – that could be a beach you both love or the place you first met.
The Best Way to Get Comfortable in Front of the Camera is to JUST DO IT!
A lot of my clients aren’t 100% sure of themselves in front of the camera, and many have never had professional photographs taken aside from family photos or senior portraits. Trust me, posing with your Significant Other is totally different! By having your Engagement Session, you’re going to get the chance to learn to work with your partner in photos and play off of each other’s personalities in a totally low stress environment.
Your photographer is going to guide you through the basics, and then they’re going to highlight your personalities and love in your photos. Trust me, you’ll be dancing and giggling, spinning and kissing without fear in no time!
It’s Time for Save the Date’s (and Maybe a Photograph or Two to Display at Your Wedding)
While engagement photos aren’t JUST for Save the Date cards and Invitations, they do definitely come in handy for that purpose – it’s the most fun way to announce your wedding to your guests. You can also use them for other things too. Get a beautiful print with a large matting and have your guests sign that as your “guestbook” then display it in your home. Print your engagement photos and place them around your venue to personalize the space. I’ve even had clients incorporate their engagement photos into super cute and special wedding favors.
Bring Your Entire Wedding Story Together
Think of your Engagement Session as the beginning of the “vision” your guests are going to see when they come to your wedding, and you want that to be a cohesive vision. You don’t want your Save the Date cards to be in one style and your wedding photos to be in a completely different style – you should be able to hang the two next to each other on your wall and have them fit like puzzle pieces! Remember, these are memories that will last forever, so you want them to “go together”.
Last (and Most Importantly) Build a Relationship with Your Wedding Photographer
Your Engagement Session is going to allow you to meet your wedding photographer in person and get comfortable with the way that they work and their overall personality. Sure, you’re going to have already communicated via email, text and phone, but seeing them in their “element” is going to give you the confidence you need to take some stress away on your big day.
It’s also going to give your photographer a chance to get to know you! Having a low stress time and environment to get to know your angles, the way you interact with one another, your preferences in terms of posing, what makes you feel comfortable (and uncomfortable), is invaluable to your wedding photographer! This is what’s going to allow us to capture you in the very best way on your most special of days.
Final Thoughts
You’re embarking on the adventure of a lifetime, and your Engagement Session is one important stepping stone on that adventure. Many photographers include Engagement Sessions in their packages or at least offer a discount to wedding clients – that’s because we WANT this extra opportunity to work with you! As the photographer behind Mirror’s Edge Photography, I offer both of the above depending on what package you choose…so if you’re ready to start planning, I’m here for it! CONTACT ME today!
All Images from Carmen and Josh's Romantic Enagement Session at Montana de Oro State Park and Spooner's Cove