Do I Need Engagement Photos?
Simple answer: No… but here are 5 reasons why you may want to
After you've gotten engaged, you'll have a million things on your mind about your big day including: floral arrangements, your bridal shower, your best friend's food allergies, and how to tear-proof your eye makeup. It's totally understandable to want to skip what may seem like an unnecessary use of you and your fiancé(e)'s time, but we're here to convince you otherwise…
1. YOU WON'T BE CAMERA SHY ON YOUR BIG DAY
Whether you're camera shy, or a professional model, looking into the lens of a camera can be intimidating, so learning how to interact with your partner in front of a photographer/partial stranger before your actual wedding day is an important skill to learn and task to conquer! A lot of the couples we've worked with were completely camera shy at the beginning of our engagement sessions and slowly, throughout our short time with them, we’ve been able to make them more comfortable and confident with each other and with themselves! You and your fiancé(e) will feed off of each others energy and you'll be able to make each other smile, giggle, and let your true self shine! When we shoot, we like to work within you comfort level— this could be no help at all because maybe you’ve been researching and practicing in the days leading up to our shoot, or it could be very specific instructions because you suddenly feel like a deer in headlights. Either way, practice makes perfect and an engagement shoot is— in our opinion— the perfect time to practice being in front of a camera together!
2. YOU'LL GET TO KNOW YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER
It's definitely beneficial for you to get your engagement photos done with the same photographer that will be covering your entire wedding day. Why? You'll already know how your photographer works, and how your photos will turn out after editing. You'll know their shooting style, and how they direct your movements to make you look and feel your best. Working with your photographer during your engagement session will be almost the same as working with them on your actual wedding day, so you'll know exactly what to expect!
3. YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER WILL GET TO KNOW YOU
Engagement sessions have to be our favourite introduction into learning more about the couples that hire us! It allows us to see how you and your partner interact with each other and with others. We get to learn what angles work best for you, what your comfort levels are in front of the camera, and how much direction you want/ need in terms of posing or looking natural. We get to hear your love story- how the two of you met, some of your inside jokes, and what brings the two of you together. All of these components that we work through during your engagement session let us truly tailor the perfect experience for you on your wedding day.
4. YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF YOUR OWN PHOTOS!
We like to encourage our couples to shoot somewhere meaningful to them- whether it’s hanging out at home, hitting up your favourite cafe/restaurant/bar, or just hanging out at your local dog park— these photos are yours and we want them to be a true reflection of who you are together and the things you do! Want to squeeze in a few photos of you and your dogs while we’re at it? Let’s do it! And we’ll bring treats ;) Whether you end up using these photos to display at your wedding, for your guest book, to hang in your home, or just for your phone lock screen, at the end of the day they’re yours so we’re happy to do whatever you want to do!
5. IT'S PART OF THE PACKAGE ANYWAY, SO WHY NOT?
Most wedding photographers will have pre-determined packages for you to choose from, or they'll customize packages based off of your wants and needs. The majority of the time though, engagement sessions are already included into the packages anyway! This isn't a tactic in order to increase the price— but in our packages for example— our engagement sessions are free of charge because we truly find them to be so beneficial to all of us! Instead of asking to remove that option from the package altogether, why not just dedicate time for you and your significant other to take photos together, get creative, and have fun? You have nothing to lose and it’s the perfect excuse to get glam, put on a nice outfit and then later go out on a date together ;)
We promise it's not a silly idea and it's not a waste of time! By the end of your engagement session, you'll have some fantastic photos, you'll be confident in front of the camera, you'll have made friends with your photographer, and you'll be feeling great about having your pictures taken on your big day!
Have any questions about engagement sessions? Leave them below or connect with us here!