After the client meeting, if a couple chooses to move forward with us as their photographers, they sign the contract, and we move along to the next big step in the experience…the engagement session! We include a complimentary engagement session in each of our packages where our primary intention is getting to know our couples even better and helping them feel more comfortable around us and in front of the camera. It’s complimentary because we feel it is that important and plays a huge role in the overall experience with us as their photographers! (And a fun little bonus…each one of our packages also includes a guestbook made up of your engagement photos!)

There is so much that we love about the engagement sessions with our clients; one being the simple fact that we get to provide our clients with natural, everyday photos of them together! We get the chance to freeze those memories and emotions in time, capturing the special and exciting season of their lives when they made the commitment to say yes to that one person for the rest of their life. It’s such a different experience than the wedding day…the engagement session is casual and comfortable. It’s about photographing the couple right where they are at and documenting them in everyday life.

We encourage our couples to pick the locations for their engagement session so that it is comfortable for them and so that it portrays their unique style and personality. We ask our couples to think of favorite places they’ve been on dates or maybe where they went on their first date. We ask them to describe their relationship, what they love to do together, and what makes them unique! That is where we want to photograph them. If they love all things rustic…let’s find a barn or a field somewhere. If they love the outdoors and camping…let’s pop a tent, start a fire and roast some s’mores (you know we are all about camping and s’mores)! Or maybe they love the city, they love the brick alleys and tall skyscrapers…let’s meet downtown! The options are endless! While we encourage our couples to choose the final location, we are more than willing to help in any way we can to find the perfect setting for their session!

Ok, enough about all the stuff leading up to the session! Let’s talk about what happens on the actual day of the engagement session. We meet the couple at the chosen location and catch up a little bit before we get down to business! The biggest fear most of our clients have is not knowing what to do…if we are going to direct them or if they are going to need to pose themselves. So let’s clear this up beforehand…we are there to help direct and pose you guys. We will never just tell you to stand there and smile at the camera. First of all, that is not our photographic style AND our number one goal is to make you guys feel comfortable. We know that if you guys aren’t comfortable, you won’t be able to relax and the pictures won’t be natural and genuine. We will direct you and pose you until you are comfortable and look natural. Then as we go throughout the session, you become more relaxed, and a lot of time, those grooms-to-be who were shy or nervous at the start of the session end up breaking out of their shell, getting their GQ on, and suggesting poses of their own! It’s awesome!

There is such a great connection that seems to always happen during the engagement session…you know, where we can just feel it click! That part always leaves us extra excited for their wedding day!

In order to provide even more helpful info to our couples, we are currently in the process of completing a “client lounge” website. It will be chock full of information and tips about the engagement session, wedding day, and so much more! We are hoping to launch it in the next month!

Until then, keep shining!