3 Reasons to have a pre-wedding portrait session
There are so many benefits to having a pre-wedding portrait session. We know it is a busy time planning a wedding and having an engagement shoot could feel overwhelming but it’s just the opposite. Here we explore the advantages of having a pre-wedding photo shoot.
Get to know your photographer
Feel comfortable in front of the camera
Use the photographs in a number of ways
Get to know your photographer
You may have met your photographer for a consultation before booking them and feel good about your decision but it never hurts to get to know them better and how they work. Your photographer could be with you all day at your wedding so it’s best to hire someone that you can have a laugh with and will fit right in with your bridal party. Also, there will be times at your wedding when you need to stand and pose for the camera so learning a few flattering tricks and how your photographer is likely to guide you in this process is a bonus. At your engagement session your photographer will learn what you are comfortable doing and how confident you are in front of the camera and prepare for your wedding photography accordingly. Also, you will gain an idea of what to expect from the photography on your wedding day.
Get comfortable in front of the camera
The majority of people we come across say they feel awkward in front of the camera. Of course, you are not a professional model so you might stand there thinking ‘what do I do with my hands?’. Perhaps you don’t like your smile or are just not used to having all the attention on you. Even those that are familiar with their photo being taken by doing hundreds of selfies a day often can’t relax when they don’t have control of the shutter. All of this is totally normal and we come across it all the time. Our job as photographers is to guide you in flattering positions and help you relax when having your photograph taken. Let’s get used to the camera being around before your big day – one extra thing you won’t have to worry about.
Choose a location that is special to your story
We can suggest a few local places that work well for portraits but we also want to hear if there is a special place you have in mind. The location of your pre-wedding portrait session should be somewhere you are familiar with and enjoy being. This is why we will always try to get out of the studio into a more natural environment where you can interact with the things around you. Perhaps your wedding has a theme that we can link into the engagement shoot or the location is special because he proposed there or where you first met (hopefully they are pretty places!). Ideas can include the beach, country parks, your home or even an urban landscape.
Get great pictures to use in a variety of ways
If all of the above wasn’t convincing enough, of course you will come away from your pre-wedding portrait session with a selection of stunning photographs that can be used in the lead up to your wedding…
Save the date cards
If you book your photo shoot in early enough, you could use the pictures from it on your save the date cards or wedding invitations. There are so many creative ways you can include this into your shoot for a fun and vibrant session. This is such a charming, cute addition to your stationary.
Personalised guest book
The more popular option is to create a personalised guest book. You will likely be having a guest book at your wedding for all your guests to sign and leave lovely messages to you so why not make it extra special by including some photos of the two of you in it. The guests will enjoy looking through it at the wedding and it is a wonderful keepsake afterwards.
Written by Eleth Mageehan, (c) 2020, all rights reserved.
So you’ve had your pre-wedding portraits and you LOVE the photos but now what do you do with them? Rather than keeping them stuck on a computer, here are a few creative ways to use them throughout your wedding.