When there’s so much to plan, booking a pre-wedding shoot can feel like just another expense but there are lots of reasons why you should have an engagement session.
GET USED TO BEING IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA
Most of us haven’t been photographed by a professional photographer many times if at all and a pre-wedding shoot is a great way to get used to being in front of the camera. I get lots of messages from people saying they hate having their photo taken and they’re worried about looking awkward or uncomfortable so the best thing you can do is practice. People soon warm up to the idea and realise it’s nowhere near as bad as they anticipated. For those who feel a bit apprehensive about being photographed, it’s a great way to put a stop to those pre-wedding nerves.
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER
Engagement sessions are the perfect opportunity to find out more about how your photographer works. There may be certain techniques that he or she uses like particular poses or angles that you can familiarise yourself. When it comes to the big day, you’ll be used to this way of working so it frees the photographer up to do less posing and allows more time to be creative.
PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS
It’s nice to have some professional photos that are a bit less formal than your wedding ones. You can wear clothes that are a bit more casual and this usually gives the portraits a more relaxed feel. I provide all the images in an online gallery so they can be printed and used throughout the wedding as save the dates, a signing book or table decorations.
LEARN WHAT YOU LIKE AND DON’T LIKE
Most people have something about their appearance they don’t wish to accentuate. This may not be obvious to everyone else as it’s a very personal thing. For me, it’s my nose! I had an engagement session and there were a couple of pictures taken from angles which I didn’t feel were as flattering as they could be. I was able to make my photographer aware of this which meant, on the wedding day, he was able to photograph our portraits in a way he knew we would love.
LOCATION
Having a pre-wedding shoot frees you up to pick a unique location that gives you a completely different set of images with a distinctive look and feel. Maybe you have found your perfect wedding venue in the countryside but would love to get some pictures by the sea. Couple’s often pick a location that is special to them, whether it be the place he proposed or somewhere you often visit together. It gives the photos a personal touch that’s hard to replicate on a wedding day.
WEATHER
This is a reason that isn’t often considered when booking an engagement session but it’s a big one! Couples often dream of having beautiful sunset photos on their wedding day but in reality, this isn’t always a possibility – especially if you’re getting married in the UK! An engagement session gives you a lot more flexibility so if the weather isn’t great, we can just postpone it for another day and hold out for that perfect sunset. This is also the case if you’re having a winter wedding. Having some portraits taken on a warm summer evening will take the pressure off when it comes to the big day.
PETS
If you’ve got a pet, why not bring them along! They often get left out on a wedding day so engagement sessions are the perfect opportunity to involve your furry friends.
IT’S FUN!
This sounds like a bit of a cliché but pre-wedding shoots can be really fun. It’s a great opportunity to spend some time together and take a break from all that wedding planning. If you can think of any other reasons why you should have an engagement session, leave your comments below.
If you’re looking for a wedding photographer to capture your big day then I’d love to hear from you so get in touch!