If you just got engaged and your photographer mentioned an engagement session, you might be thinking -- do we actually need this? Is it going to feel awkward? What do we even do?
I hear this all the time. And I'm going to tell you the same thing I tell every couple: your engagement session is not just photos. It's the thing that makes your wedding day so much easier, so much more relaxed, and so much more fun. Here's exactly what to expect.
You're Going to Feel Awkward for About Ten Minutes
That's it. Ten minutes. Most couples walk up to me not knowing what to do with their hands, laughing nervously, asking "what do you want us to do?" And then something clicks, and they forget I'm there.
That's the whole point of the session. By the time your wedding day comes, you already know how this works. You're not stiff in front of a camera anymore. That comfort shows in every single photo.
I'm Going to Give You Direction, But the Best Moments Are Going to Be Yours
I'll guide you through poses and movement, but I'm really just watching for the real stuff -- the laugh you can't hold in, the way he looks at you when you're not paying attention, the moment you forget we're even doing photos.
Take Jared and Lindsay. We shot their engagement session right on St. Augustine Beach, behind the Hilton which is actually where they're getting married this June. Since we were going to be at the same venue twice, I wanted their engagement photos to feel completely different from what their wedding gallery would look like. So I set up a little picnic on the beach, apple cider, grapes, a blanket. Just something relaxed and different.
Lindsay spotted the apple cider and absolutely lit up. Next thing I knew, Jared was dangling grapes above her head and pulling them away every time she reached for one. That was completely them. I just told him to feed her grapes. The teasing? All Jared.
Those are the photos they're going to frame.
We're Going to Try Things That Surprise You
Later in their session, we moved under the pier for some of my favorite shots of the day. I sent them walking down toward the water and asked them to race back to me. What I did not know was how competitive these two are.
Lindsay grabbed Jared's arm mid-race trying to pull him back so she could win.
I was crying laughing behind my camera. And the photos from that moment are incredible -- pure joy, completely unscripted.
Then right after, they did the most beautiful dip kiss I've ever photographed. Chef's kiss. Right there between the pier pilings with the light coming through.
That's the range an engagement session gives you. Silly and stunning, sometimes within sixty seconds of each other.
You Might Make a New Friend
After we wrapped, the three of us, plus Lindsay's maid of honor just sat on the beach and talked for a good thirty minutes.
We found out we're all hockey fans. Completely random, totally genuine.
That's what I want every engagement session to feel like. Not a photoshoot. Just a good afternoon with people I actually like, where I happen to have a camera.
So What Should You Actually Expect?
Here's the short version:
- Location scouting is part of my job. You don't have to figure it all out. We'll talk through spots that make sense for your personalities and your style.
- Outfits matter, but not in a stressful way. I'll help you think through what to wear so you feel like yourselves, just a little elevated.
- Plan for about two hours. That gives us room to move between spots, try a few different looks, and let things breathe.
- You don't need to know how to pose. That's what I'm here for.
Get in touch / Ask a question
If you're newly engaged and wondering whether to add an engagement session to your package, the answer is yes. Every single time.
Ready to start planning? I'd love to hear about your vision.
