Engagement Sessions – why they are amazing and why you should do it!

Congratulations! You’re engaged! What an exciting (and overwhelming) time! So let’s get down to business. As you are venue and vendor shopping, planning the big day, a lot of questions arise. One of my favorite questions is “Why is it so important to do an engagement session?” To answer this question, I have put together “Engagement Sessions – why they are amazing and why you should do it!” to feature on my blog today!

“Of course you’re going to try to persuade me to do an engagement session. You’re a photographer.”

Yes, that second sentence is true. I am a photographer. However, I am, first and foremost, your friend and (not too long ago) a bride myself. Engagement sessions are not something I offer to up-sell my brides. These are sessions that I truly believe will benefit every couple for the reasons you’ll find below.

Read:

Engagement Sessions – why they are amazing and why you should do it!

to find out why you’ll benefit from doing an engagement session with your photographer:

Get Comfortable

I don’t know about you, but I am and have never been comfortable being in front of a camera. It’s so awkward. Having all the attention on me, being photographed by someone I’ve only met a couple of times, and showing PDA … just a bit weird. It’s okay if you’re terrified or uncomfortable about the thought of being in front of the camera. Engagement sessions are your chance to get familiar with it. Practice makes perfect and it’s better to practice during your engagement session than on your big day. And trust me, it’s not as scary as it seems! Many fiances and grooms have come to me and stated that they hate having their pictures taken. By the end of their session, they have forgotten they were even on camera and shyly admitted that it wasn’t what they expected.

Quality Time

Let’s be honest. Our lives are busy. Sometimes we forget to take time out to breathe. Here’s your opportunity! Take this time to catch your breath, and spend quality time together.  Spend the whole day together: get pampered (who doesn’t love a good mani or spa day), pick out your outfits, head out to your engagement session, and have fun! Be yourselves, interact with each other, be playful, laugh, dance, make faces at each other, and have a good time! This is the perfect chance to have fun and get casual photos of the two of you. Let those personalities shine!

Put Your Photos to Good Use

Another benefit I want to touch on in this ‘Engagement Sessions – why they are amazing and why you should do it!’ is how you can creatively use your photos.

You worked hard, with all that kissing, hugging, laughing … and it paid off! The pictures are beautiful, and really show off your personalities. Why not share it with the world?! The post-engagement session benefits are sometimes the most rewarding. My couples use their photos not only to decorate their homes, but to use in certain aspects of their wedding. I’ve seen save-the-dates, guest books, table numbers, wedding favors, and large canvases displayed. They contribute an awesome personal touch to any wedding.

Friendship

Friendship is by far the most important advantage of doing an engagement session, which is why I saved it for last.

I love my couples. I love getting to know them, hearing their stories, and being a part of their lives. Being able to spend one of the biggest days of their lives with them is such a blessing.

Doing an engagement session gives us this time to get to know each other prior to the big day. I get to hear their love story, find out more about their upcoming wedding, and to see how they respond being in front of my camera so I can direct them as needed.

My couples then get to know me on a personal and professional level. They have the opportunity to see how I work and direct them. The couple also gets to talk to me, ask me questions, and address any concerns they may have.

We spend quite a bit of time together on the wedding day. Building our relationship and trust is what it’s all about.

Want to see more examples of my lovely couples and their engagement sessions? Click here!

Engagement Session Checklist

I haven’t had the chance to put together my “Tips and Tricks for a Successful Engagement Session” so until I get that up, please feel free to check out “Borrowed and Blue”s checklist in the mean time! It’s a good read to help you prepare for your upcoming engagement session!