Welcome to this week’s Tips and Tutorials Tuesday!
Those of you who know me, know I love shooting engagement sessions. They are the what I’ve photographed the most since launching Shea McGrath Photography earlier this year. Many couples that are looking for a wedding photographer will ask me if I think an engagement session is a good idea and the answer is YES. That is why all of my wedding packages include a one hour engagement session.
Here are the top 3 reasons why I think couples should have their wedding photographer shoot their engagement session as well:
1. It’s a great way to get to know your photographer. Every photographer has a different style; a different way of photographing couples and a different way of working with couples. When I meet couples for wedding consultations, they get to know me as well as view my work. However, they do not get to see how I work when I’m in action. Engagement sessions are a great way to see this! I also find that couples who choose to have an engagement session are more comfortable in front of the camera on their wedding day, which results in fantastic photographs! Couples that have engagement sessions have more of a friend-friend relationship with the photographer as opposed to a photographer-client “strictly business” relationship.
2. The photographs can be taken at a location of your choice. As opposed to the wedding day, many couples are limited to places nearby their wedding venue to take photographs, and sometimes, only the wedding venue. Before I recommend any engagement photo location spots for my clients, I try to have them pick at least one location first. 9 times out of 10, the couple has a spot in town that means something to the two of them. Whether it be the place where they first met, where they shared their first kiss, or even if it’s just a place they frequently visit and has become a favorite of theirs, it has sentimental value. It’s personal. It’s intimate. And it shows in the photos. In fact, just this past weekend, I photographed an engagement session and they asked if we could take them at the lake where he proposed….
3. You can include them in your wedding invitations or Save the Dates. We all know how much distant relatives enjoy seeing updated photos of you and the person you are going to marry! Engagement photos are perfect for sending wedding invitations and/or Save the Dates to family members and friends. This brings me to my next point: It’s a good idea to book an engagement session as soon as you book your wedding photographer. I usually shoot engagement sessions anywhere from 6 to 12 months before the couple’s wedding date.
Looking for an engagement photographer? Click here to schedule a session!
Happy Tuesday 🙂
Shea
This article was written by Shea McGrath Photography, Des Moines Wedding Photographer, West Des Moines Wedding Photographer.
