If you are considering the benefits of an engagement shoot, first of all, congrats! A favourite part of my job is getting to be a part of my couples’ journey towards saying “I do”. As a newly-ish married lady myself, I recall the excitement, nerves and butterflies of this life chapter all too well!
When it comes to your wedding photography, you’ll likely be thinking about your big day. But there’s another photo opportunity on the horizon which may be a great fit for you and your sweetheart too: An engagement shoot.
An engagement shoot is a photoshoot prior to your wedding day, to mark your time as an engaged couple. It can be completed any time ahead of your wedding, but for most couples I suggest booking it in 1 – 2 months before your big day.
Here’s why engagement shoots are so popular, and five of the benefits gained from booking one in.
YOU CELEBRATE THE MILESTONE MOMENT OF YOUR ENGAGEMENT
Let’s not let this one slide! Yes, your wedding day is the day you’ll exchange your vows, but your engagement? That’s when you first committed to saying “I do”.
Capturing you as a couple during your engagement is so special. The engagement bubble is a magical one, and when you look back on this chapter of your life it’s so touching to have photos of your pre-married life together.
Mark the milestone moment of your engagement with a special photoshoot, and you’ll have beautiful reminders of this time forever.
YOUR ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS ARE TOTALLY ‘YOU’
When I look back on photographs of my couples, I sometimes find it hard to choose which scenario I love most: You two on your engagement shoot, or surrounded by your loved ones on your wedding day.
Truth be told, it’s like choosing between coffee and chocolate — they’re both so SO good. And luckily you don’t have to choose!
That being said, there’s something uniquely relaxed and ‘you’ about your engagement shoot.
You can wear your favourite outfit, go barefoot if you’d like, and choose a location that’s special to you as a couple.
I love it when couples suggest the spot where they got engaged, for their engagement shoot, it helps me to piece together their love story.
IT’S PRACTISE FOR YOUR BIG DAY!
Getting in front of the camera can be nerve-wracking, especially if you sympathise with Chandler from Friends when your photographer says “cheese!”.
Fear not, my superpower is capturing peoples’ ‘best side’, and an engagement shoot can go a long way in helping you to feel comfortable in front of the camera.
Think of your engagement shoot as practice for your wedding day. We’ll get to know one another, you’ll learn about my shooting style, and you can look back on your engagement photos to see which poses you love best. Come the day of your wedding, you’ll be seasoned pros.
WE GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER
An engagement shoot is the best time for me to get to know you as a couple. And for you to get to know me too!
On your wedding day I want you to feel 100% comfortable with me behind the lens.
Pre-warning, I will ask you to tell me how you met. I’m a sucker for a love story.
IT’S FUN!
Oh yeah, did I mention that your engagement shoot is FUN?! Because truly, it is.
Any married couple will tell you that the run-up to your wedding day will likely include some challenging times. Your engagement shoot is an opportunity to press pause and reconnect with why you’re saying “I do” in the first place.
Time for just the two of you, capturing memories together.
I wholeheartedly encourage my couples to turn their engagement shoot into an excuse for a date night. After all, you’re already dressed up!
After our time together, book your favourite restaurant, or bring a picnic to the beach and enjoy your time 1:1.
The takeaway: An engagement shoot is an opportunity to capture stunning photos of you and your sweetheart ahead of your big day. It will help you to relax in front of the camera, and give you the opportunity to celebrate that magical milestone of being engaged.
Engagement shoots are some of my favourite shoots for a reason!
If you want to press “go” on your own engagement shoot, I’d love to hear from you! Drop me an email on: charlotte@charlottebryer-ash.com
