Congratulations!! You just said YES! I am so excited for you and your future husband as you navigate this next season in your lives. Engagement season is full of so much glow, excitement, and anticipation! But, let’s be real… if you’ve already hit the planning phase, you know what I’m about to say. There is SO MUCH to get done before the big day! When will you ever have time for an engagement session?

Maybe you are planning to be engaged for 2 years, or you are trying to rush a wedding day in 6 months or less. The point is, you want everything to be perfect, and I don’t blame you! I’m not married, or even dating anyone, but I have been planning my own wedding day since I learned what Pinterest was. I have a board full of ideas from flowers, to cake, dresses, color schemes, napkin folding techniques, and even groomsmen shoes! You can call me crazy all you want. But don’t lie to yourself… you might be one of those people too (Ok, maybe you’re less concerned with the napkin folding techniques).

The point is, there is a limited amount of time the closer the wedding day gets, and life gets so busy! And you may be forgetting to schedule one very important date. It’s not your bridal shower, it’s not your bachelor/bachelorette party, it’s not your rehearsal dinner. It’s your engagement session with your wedding photographer!

Many wedding photographers offer a complimentary engagement session with their packages, and there are so many reasons why! It’s not just to gift you with gorgeous photos and your future husband-to-be. It also serves a great purpose in ensuring that your wedding day is as perfect as you planned it! As your wedding photographer, the LAST thing I  want you to worry about is how great your photos are going to look.

Let’s face it, after that special date you booked for your wedding, the flowers will wither away, the decorations will either be stored or sold, and all those rentals and vendors get lined up for the next couple. The one thing that lasts to remind you of your big day for years to come are the memories captured by your photographer or videographer. So, if you’re on the fence about setting time aside for a 1.5 hour session with your photographer, here are some reasons why I HIGHLY encourage you make it a priority!

1. You deserve a couple hours to slow down and remember why you’re getting married. I wanted to make sure this was first, because honestly, it’s really the most important. In the business of wedding planning, you might feel frustrated, discouraged, or spent. Or you are loving every minute and want more to do! You might think things are going great and you can’t wait to book the next thing. No matter what side you’re on, you and your fiancé deserve a couple hours to spend quality time together. My job is to create a place and time for you two to get excited about your big day. You’ll have those moments to hold each other close in a pose. You’ll see the adoration in his eyes when he looks at you. And he’ll feel how proud he is to have you when you’re wrapped in his arms.
   
2. It’s my job to win over camera-shy people. That job is a lot easier during a no-pressure engagement shoot than it is on a high-pressure wedding day! Maybe the groom hates posing for photos, or maybe it’s you as the bride. Maybe you just feel awkward seeing pictures of yourself. It is actually my JOB to make sure you both feel comfortable, natural, and love the photos you get back. This is one of the reasons I don’t show clients the back of my camera anymore. I want to earn your trust, flowing between poses so that you relax, knowing I’m capturing gorgeous images. It makes photography that one less thing to worry about so you can enjoy your day.
   
3. Practice now, perform later. By having an engagement session, you’ll set expectations and practice to be comfortable and natural on the wedding day. I am able to teach you EVERYTHING so that when you are in that white dress and he’s in his tux/suit, everything I ask you to do is familiar. You’ll learn all the poses, how to laugh for the camera, how to smile softly, when to look at me, when to look at each other, and the big question I always get — what to do with your hands! On the wedding day, we would be lucky to get 1 hour of dedicated portrait time! That is really the time it takes to get the highest volume of quality images. Without that engagement shoot, I have to help you learn everything the day of your wedding. The purpose of an engagement session is to get the learning curve and awkwardness out of the way beforehand. That way you are basically professional models on your wedding day (and again, it’s my job to get you there)!
   
4. The more, the merrier. This principle pops up usually in how many guests show up to a party, but I’m not talking about people. I’m talking about photos! Without this session, you risk receiving the minimum number of photos on your wedding day, because we never had extra time to practice! “The more, the merrier” principle definitely adds a lot of value to your wedding package! An hour and a half with me for an engagement session could equal up to 100 images of you and your fiancé. Add that to the hundreds of images you’ll be getting on your wedding day, and you’ll be overflowing with photos to show your kids one day.

Have I convinced you yet? Still on the fence? If you’re one of my brides, and you are still on the fence for whatever reason, make sure you contact me and express those concerns! I am here to make this an easy and pleasant experience for you, so that you can get on to the fun stuff like choosing flower arrangements and napkin folding techniques.

And if I have convinced you, then I am so excited to see you at your engagement session! Contact me to set up your appointment.

Thanks for reading!

Xx Emily