The Honest Truth about Engagement Pictures

So your significant other has popped the question at last and you’re ready to embark on a whirlwind journey of planning and to-do lists as you prepare to meet each other at the altar and begin the rest of your lives together.

You’ve joined bridal Facebook groups and scoured bridal forum after bridal forum for wedding planning tips. One thing you have probably come across is engagement photos and you may have some questions about them. Questions like:

What are they? What’s the point of engagement photos?

Or maybe even -

Why does this sound like yet another thing the billion-dollar wedding industry has invented to pressure couples into shelling out even more cash?

I hear you. There are veritable mountains of blog posts and articles and advice columns about what you have to do or your wedding experience will be a total flop. Engagement photos are just one item on that list.

So today, I wanted to clear the air a bit and talk about what engagement photos are, the potential benefits of getting them done, and how you can prepare yourself for your session.

But first, a caveat.

Before we get started, I want to say one thing: engagement photos are by no means necessary.

This holds true for most everything that we think of when we think of modern weddings — the DJs, the catering, the coordinators, the videographer, the decorating, the centerpieces, floral arrangements, and bridesmaid gowns. The list goes on and on.

Underneath all of the bells and whistles that people may try to sell you on as you plan your wedding day, the only thing that truly matters is the love between you and your partner. Everything else is just icing on the cake.

This holds true for engagement pictures, as well. There are some benefits to doing them, but they aren’t necessary for having a happy marriage. Whether you do engagement photos, or even if you have multiple outfits and locations during your session, is entirely optional and up to you.

Okay, so what are engagement pictures?

This one is probably pretty self-explanatory, but the main reason many couples choose to do engagement photos is to commemorate a special time in their lives.

Whether you are planning a short engagement or plan on a long engagement to give you more time to plan for the wedding of your dreams, this period of your life is temporary — you will be married one day in the not-so-distant future.

Engagement photos are done to mark this fleeting moment and the joy experienced as you look forward to a new chapter of forever.

Outfit changes and multiple locations

Some people go all out and do change outfits mid-session and visit multiple locations to get a varied look to their photos.

This gives them an opportunity to have one mini-session that reflects their personalities and another where maybe they dress formally, giving them photos that are a little more luxurious.

And some people simply see it as the only time in their life in which they will ever do something like this, so why not go all out?

So what are those benefits?

I’m so glad you asked.

One easy benefit is that engagement photos give you photos to use on your invitations (if you prefer that style of invitation — which many do!). Rather than relying on that one photo your friend took of the two of you when you were a little bit tipsy at the backyard barbecue, you have professional photos to use to spread the word of your upcoming nuptials.

But the biggest benefit is that doing engagement pictures can give you a chance to make sure you are comfortable with your photographer. We actually call our engagement sessions “get-to-know-you” sessions for this reason.

Beyond finding a photographer whose work you like, it’s important to know ahead of time if your photographer is someone you are comfortable working with. Coffee and Zoom meetings can go a long way to getting a feel for who they are and if they make you feel comfortable in front of the camera.

You can kind of think of engagement pictures as a practice run for your wedding day!

Why a practice run can be beneficial

If you shop around for a photographer in your area, chances are high that most of them will include engagement photos in their wedding photography packages. Why is that?

If you are like the vast majority of people, you have probably not spent much time in front of a camera (apart from the occasional selfie or group picture at a family gathering). Because of this, you will likely be nervous when the photographer’s camera points in your direction.

This is 100% normal.

Engagement sessions can serve as a practice run so you can feel more comfortable in front of the camera on your wedding day.

If your wedding photographer is the same person you did engagement photos with, you will likely feel more comfortable around them and have a rough idea of what they are going to ask of you for your portraits.

Some photographers will also use your engagement session time with them to teach you a few basic poses. This helps you and them better communicate on your wedding day, enabling them to capture the beautiful pictures you want without throwing your timeline out of whack.

How much do they cost?

Good news!

Most wedding photographers include engagement sessions in their wedding packages, so it doesn’t have to cost you anything over what you’re already paying.

That said, different photographers will have different policies.

For example, at Red Family Photo, we don’t require any deposit or contract before we do our “get-to-know-you” sessions. We use that opportunity to get to know you, let you get to know us, and decide if we are a good fit for creating those timeless, adventurous wedding photos that you want. However, these sessions are a little shorter (typically around 45 minutes of active shooting) and there’s not much time for wardrobe changes.

Other photographers do ask for paymentor a deposit on a wedding package before planning an engagement session. This works out if you already know you love the work your photographer does and are excited to work with a specific person.

How should I prepare for my session?

So say you’re sold. You’re ready to contact your wedding photographer and set up an appointment to go take engagement pictures. But what should you do to prepare yourself?

The short answer is: talk to your photographer.

The location(s) you choose, the outfits you wear, how long the session will be — all of it depends on your style and what you want out of your photos. Talk to your photographer and let them guide you through everything.

There is a good chance you will be nervous and feel awkward in front of the camera - this is okay!

Most people are nervous and take a little bit to warm up during their photo shoot. Any experienced photographer has worked with people just as nervous as you before (and probably a few who were even more nervous!) and knows how to guide you through the session to capture beautiful moments, and hopefully while having tons of fun along the way!

Ready to schedule your own photo session? Head on over our Contact page and drop us a line!