5 reasons why you want to do an engagement session
Knubble Beach Engagement Session | Westport MA
Weddings are not cheap. By the time you've paid for the venue, the dress, the flowers, and the food that fifteen people are going to say "wow" about for four minutes, you're looking for anywhere to cut. And the engagement session is usually first on the chopping block.
I get it. It feels optional. It feels like the "extra." So let's actually answer the question instead of me just telling you it's worth it because I'm the one selling it.
Here's my honest answer: yes, you should do one. Not because it's tradition, not because everyone else does it, but because of what it actually does for your wedding day. Here's what I mean.
You get comfortable with me before the big day
Your wedding day is not the day to meet your photographer for the first time. I'm not part of a team you get assigned to, it's just me, so the person who shows up to your engagement session is the exact same person who's there for your first look, your vows, and your reception dance floor. No stranger with a camera you've never met.
That matters more than people think. By the time your wedding day comes, you're not performing for a photographer. You're just hanging out with someone you already know, who already knows how you two work together... and who's going to catch the stuff that actually matters because I already know what to look for.
2. You get comfortable in front of the camera
Not photogenic? That's what they all say before the laughing starts.
Most of you are not professional models. You are not used to having a camera pointed at you, and neither is your partner, and that is completely normal. Even photographers will tell you they hate being on the other side of the lens!
An engagement session is your practice round. It's low stakes, nobody's watching, and it's the place where you get to feel awkward for the first ten minutes and then just... stop. That's usually exactly how it goes. The stiff smile fades, the shoulders drop, and the real laugh shows up. You want that real laugh already unlocked before your wedding day, not something you're discovering for the first time while 120 people watch.
3. It's a good excuse to remember how you got here
There's always a moment in every session where a couple gets a little sentimental, thinking back on how they met or how far they've come. Those are usually my favorite shots of the whole day.
Pick a location that means something. Where you had your first date. Where he proposed. The dog park you go to every Sunday. It doesn't have to be fancy, it has to be yours. The more real the location, the more real the photos feel, and honestly, it also just makes the whole thing easier because you're somewhere familiar instead of somewhere staged.
4. You get to see yourselves in photos before the wedding
This one's practical. An engagement session is your chance to see how you actually photograph before the big day. Maybe you find an angle you love. Maybe you find one you never want to see again (we've all got one). Either way, now you know, and I know, and we can plan around it.
If you can, book your hair and makeup trial for the same day. That way you're not just testing the look, you're testing how it actually shows up in photos. It also tends to make people feel a lot more confident walking into their wedding day already knowing they photograph beautifully.
Learn more about my engagement sessions
5. You walk away with photos you'll actually use
Save the dates. Wedding website. Invitations. I've had couples work their engagement photos into their ceremony programs, their reception decor, even framed prints as gifts for parents. And to be clear: you get full print rights to your images. No fine print, no upcharge to actually use the photos you paid for.
So, is it worth it?
Yes. Not because I need you to book one, but because what you're really paying for is walking into your wedding day already relaxed, already comfortable with your photographer, and already knowing you photograph well together. That's not a nice-to-have. That's the difference between forcing a smile and actually being in the moment.
Want to see what a real session looks like, laughing and all? Check out real engagement galleries here. Or if you're ready to just get a date on the calendar, let's chat.
