An engagement (or pre-wedding) photo shoot is really just a set of relaxed photos taken of the happy couple ahead of the big day. There are no rules as to where these should be taken, or when. The background can be intimate, fun, charming or romantic, as well as rural, urban or in the grounds of a stately home, for example, while the session will usually last no longer than an hour or so.
I’ve previously written about my favourite engagement shoot hotspots across Surrey and Hampshire. But what are the main reasons for having these images taken in the first place?
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Celebrate your engagement
The time you spend engaged isn’t that long – in 2021 it was typically 16 months, according to one industry website. So celebrate this short yet sweet time with some gorgeous images that will mean you’ll always remember how you were feeling at this special point in your life.
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Getting to know you
Get a feel for how your chosen wedding photographer works at first hand. After all, until now you might have had a pleasant chat and a coffee with them, or seen some of their previous work, but you won’t have seen them in action. With a photo shoot, you can see how much direction (if indeed any) they give you when they are behind the camera, the amount of time they spend on each shot and so on. Best of all, you can do all this without the pressure of it being your wedding; this is your big chance ahead of your special day.
Equally, a good photographer will use the opportunity to get to know you both as well, and gain a better feel for the images you want to commemorate your marriage.
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Get used to the camera
Most people are probably not used to having a professional photographer following them around. You may not have posed together in front of a lens much before. Having a practice run with an engagement shoot will make you feel a lot more relaxed before the camera when it comes to the occasion itself, and quell any lingering nerves about being photographed. So you’re likely to get a much more natural-looking set of wedding pictures as a result.
Decide the angles you like and get a better idea of how you want your wedding day to be captured in images.
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Pre-wedding images have multiple uses
There are many ways you can put your engagement photographs to good use. Post them on social media, have them on invitations, save-the-date notifications plus any other virtual or real wedding stationery, or your guest book on the day – there are many ways high-quality, professional photos will prove very useful in the run-up to your special event.
Book your engagement shoot
Apart from anything else, an engagement shoot is just huge fun.
So I really enjoy pre-wedding shoots, and include these in my Collection 3 package completely free of charge. Get in touch today and discuss what you want from a photography session celebrating your engagement, and then confirm your time and place.
