People often ask us, are engagement shoots included in our plans. The short answer is, not automatically, because everybody’s wedding and needs are different.
But, we (and our clients) really love doing engagement sessions for a whole bunch of reasons. And here’s why.
Comfort
Your wedding is a big day with a tonne going on, which for some can get stressful. So the more you can be comfortable with your photographer or videographer, the better it is for you and the better the photos and videos are going to come out, because you’ll just be a bit less stressed or worried about the photo side of things. So the engagement shoot is a really good chance for you to get to know and be comfortable with your photographer or videographer, to know what to expect when it comes to your photo or video shoot on the day of your wedding.
Content
The other thing about an engagement shoot is that it gives you content to use for your wedding day or leading up to it. You could use pictures from your engagement shoot for your wedding website, centrepieces or at various places at your reception, or for a big prints with a giant matt for guests to sign. You can use a wedding save-the-date video to announce your wedding to people.
A Couple’s Memories
It is also another time when you get to have pictures together as a couple that doesn’t involve children. Any future shoot you’re going to have is probably going to be a family shoot – if kids are your thing – and so it’s unlikely to ever again be just about the two of you. So, it’s another chance to celebrate your relationship, in a different way than on your wedding day.
But is it always possible?
Having said that, while we love doing them, it’s not always possible. Sometimes people just have budgetary constraints or they live far out of town, and it’s just impossible. So we don’t include an engagement shoot automatically in our plans. If you want one, and we definitely encourage it, we would include it as part of a single estimate with your wedding coverage.
