In this blog I want to discuss the importance of an engagement session. As a documentary-style wedding photographer, I often find that the couples who hire me value moments over posed photos. They appreciate authenticity, candidness, and real-life emotions. You want your wedding to be as unique and personal as your lives. But even for couples who are all about the moments, there’s one thing that can make the biggest difference in how those moments are captured: an engagement session.

If you’re in the process of planning your wedding and haven’t yet considered an engagement session, let me tell you why this extra step is worth every bit of time and energy.

1. Get Comfortable in Front of the Camera

One of the most valuable reasons for having an engagement session is to become comfortable in front of my camera. On your wedding day, it’s easy to get lost in the whirlwind of excitement, nerves, and celebration, and that’s when the photos can feel a little overwhelming. Having an engagement session beforehand allows you to work out any jitters and practice being in front of the camera. You’ll get a feel for the posing, the angles, and the moments that look the most natural for you as a couple.

If you’re worried about being awkward or stiff in your wedding photos, an engagement session gives you the opportunity to experience the process first-hand and work out those nerves. A relaxed couple makes for relaxed, beautiful photos. By the time your wedding day rolls around, you’ll feel like pros! To help with this too- I direct you through everything.

2. Get to Know Your Photographer Better (Hi, that’s me!)

Another huge benefit of an engagement session is the opportunity to build a rapport with your photographer. The wedding day can feel like a blur, and it’s important to feel like you and your photographer are on the same page. During the engagement session, you’ll have the time to chat with your photographer, discuss how you want your wedding day photos to look, and establish trust. You’ll also get to know how they work, how they direct you, and how they make you feel comfortable while they’re capturing the moments.

For me, my goal is always to make my couples feel relaxed and natural. An engagement session is a perfect way to foster that connection and ensure that on your wedding day, you’ll feel confident with me behind the lens.

3. Create Unique and Personal Photos

Engagement sessions also allow you to get creative with your photos. Your engagement session can take place anywhere. Whether it’s at your favorite brewery, a bustling farmer’s market, or a quiet mountain trail, the options for locations are endless.

This is the perfect opportunity to infuse your personality and relationship into the photos. Think about places that represent your journey as a couple—where you met, where you love to spend your weekends, or where you feel the most “you.” The result will be images that truly represent who you are as individuals and as a couple.

Additionally, this session lets you experiment with different outfits and styles, creating a range of photos for your engagement announcement, save-the-date cards, or even custom prints for your home. To help with this- I always send out a style and location guide in case you need a lil’ extra help planning!

4. Capture the Love Before the Big Day

An engagement session is also an incredible way to document a pivotal moment in your relationship before the wedding day. It’s a celebration of your love and the journey you’ve already been on together. There’s something special about these photos because they show the excitement, joy, and anticipation of the future—long before the wedding day itself.

5. Document the Details that Matter to You

As a documentary-style wedding photographer, I know that every couple has their own vision for what matters most to them. Whether it’s the intricate details of your relationship or the simple moments that bring you joy, engagement sessions give you the chance to really focus on those small but significant elements.

For some couples, it’s the way they hold hands, the way one of them makes the other laugh, or a shared hobby that brings them closer. For others, it’s the vintage books on their bookshelf, the way they walk through their neighborhood, or the coffee shop they frequent. These details matter, and the engagement session gives you the time and space to highlight them in a relaxed environment.

As a photographer, I want to capture the essence of who you are as a couple, and engagement sessions allow me to dive deeper into the elements that truly matter to you.

6. Perfect Your Posing and Expressions

For some couples, posing might feel unnatural, and for others, it comes a little easier. Regardless of where you stand, an engagement session is a great time to learn how to pose in a way that feels authentic to you.

As your photographer I’ll guide you in creating natural-looking poses that showcase your chemistry as a couple. It’s not about stiff smiles or awkward positions—it’s about capturing candid moments, genuine laughter, and the real connection between you two. These small, seemingly insignificant moments are often the ones that make the best photographs.

7. Create an Album or Save-the-Date Options

Finally, your engagement session is a wonderful opportunity to create additional ways to share your love story with friends and family. Whether you choose to display your favorite engagement photo in a personalized wedding album, use it for your save-the-date cards, or incorporate it into your wedding decor, these photos will hold sentimental value for years to come.

Moreover, engagement photos allow you to tell a part of your story that can be woven into your wedding day—whether that’s through a display at your reception or a slideshow that shows the progression of your love story from engagement to marriage.

With that being said, an engagement session is more than just a chance for pretty photos—it’s an opportunity to celebrate your love in a personal, authentic way. It allows you to become comfortable in front of the camera, build a relationship with your photographer, and capture meaningful moments that reflect who you are as a couple.

Your engagement session gives you the space to document your unique relationship. These photos will help preserve not only your wedding memories but also the story of your love leading up to your big day.

If you’re ready to embrace the beauty of your love story, let’s chat about how an engagement session can set the stage for stunning wedding photos that you’ll cherish for a lifetime.

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