Photo by: Kandr Weddings
An engagement shoot is a pre-wedding photoshoot done before your nuptials. They’re typically an hour in length and can take place anywhere from the beach, a park, the middle of a grassy field or even inside your own home. Almost all wedding photographers have an engagement shoot included in their packages or have it as an add-on option. We highly recommend them to all couples and here’s why!
Most people haven’t had a professional photographer take their photos before. You might be nervous in front of the camera at first, or you might be worried about posing. You may even feel a little uncomfortable. This is why engagement shoots are so amazing!! They are the perfect opportunity for you to get comfortable with the camera and get some practice in with your photographer before the big day. This will take a lot of pressure off of you at your wedding and you will be more at ease. You will already have a working dynamic with your photographer, you can easily recreate poses you have tried out before, and most importantly you will have an idea of what to expect your wedding gallery to look like.
You can also test out some of your other vendors for your engagement shoot. Getting your hair and makeup done by your wedding glam team is a great way to see how they translate on film and you can see what you like about your look and what you might want to change for your wedding day. Tip: you can use your wedding trials for this! Again, this gives you an opportunity to meet your vendors beforehand and build a little bit of a relationship. You get to sit in their chair to get pampered and see how they work. You really will be more relaxed on the big day just by doing this!
Now that you've had your photoshoot will you even use the images? The answer is YES!! Your engagement photos can be used for many things and they can come in handy during your wedding planning process. These photos are great to use on your wedding website, on your Save the Date invitations, or used for decor for your bridal shower, wedding shower and your wedding day! Also having some professional images of yourself not in wedding day attire can be used for your working portfolio too, say a new LinkedIn or email profile picture. Not to mention these photos are a great keepsake to look back on.
Lastly, receiving your engagement shoot photos can turn into a great little date night. We recommend popping a bottle of bubbly, having some snacks and going through the album together. You will have so much fun looking at all your photos and getting to see your romantic connection through the eyes of someone else!
Xoxo,