Do You Need An Engagement Session?
Wohoo, you're engaged!
Congratulations! And now there are a million things to do, right? It can be downright overwhelming. Everyone has opinions and you're just trying to figure out what you really need. I mean, alpacas are "in" right now (hashtag boho vibes) but where the hell are you getting an alpaca in DC? And is a donut wall too trendy or is trendy what you want? What do you want?
Soon you might find yourself wondering whether or not to book an engagement session! About half of my couples have their heart set on engagement photos and a handful are on the fence, unsure if the cost is worth it. Hopefully I can shed some light on this because there are definite benefits to booking these additional portraits. Alrighty, we're diving right in to #1, the place where many couples begin...
Invitations & Save The Dates
If you're creating custom invitations, the engagement photos can be a great way to personalize them. If you prefer an elegant invitation suite without photos, you can send playful Save the Dates and include your photos there! It's a modern and memorable way to share the wedding info with guests and provide a link to your wedding website. Which brings me to benefit #2...
Wedding Websites
These are one of the best trends and so easy to create! A wedding website is a free template (check out Wedding Wire or The Knot!) that consolidates all of your wedding info in one place: photos, story, location, schedule, info and hotel recommendations.
They're especially helpful for out-of-town guests who need directions, tips on what to see while they're in town and a link to your registry so they don't have to travel with gifts.
Gorgeous engagement photos are a perfect addition to your wedding website! Use the front page to talk about your relationship, share how you met, show off your personalities and wow them with a stunning portrait.
If you're still not sure that an engagement session is worth setting aside a Saturday for, read on to find out my favorite reason for having an engagement session!
Getting Comfortable in Front of the Camera
For many, the engagement session is the first time you're being professionally photographed. It can be daunting. You don't know what to do with your hands. You don't know where to look. You don't know if you should laugh or smile or talk. These questions are best answered during an engagement session, not your wedding portraits!
I always provide guidance during engagement sessions and wedding portraits. But I can guarantee that wedding day portraits will be improved if we've had two hours to practice together! You'll get to know my work flow. You'll get to practice being together in front of a camera. You'll become familiar with what that whole hour of the wedding day is going to look like and that can be a huge relief for both of us.
With that said, about a third of my couples don't book engagement sessions and yes, they still have stunning wedding portraits! My candid, photo journalistic style works great for all couples whether or not they book engagement photos.
We will totally crush portrait hour and it will be awesome! I recently had a groom tell me, "This was surprisingly fun! Can we come back for our first anniversary and see you again for photos?!" (shoutout to Andy, thanks for being so cool!) The portrait part of the day should be romantic and fun and ALL about the two of you.
If you're still unsure, reach out and we can chat about engagement locations and answer any questions you have! I'm happy to help you plan the coolest date-night-turned-engagement-session.
