After you have picked a date, a photographer, and probably a venue as well, you can celebrate! Those are some of the toughest decisions in wedding planning and you can cross them off your list! Hooray! Now on to the fun stuff… like your engagement session! 

Why is it important?

I include engagement sessions in The Wedding Experience because I truly believe that they are a VITAL part of the entire process. During your engagement session, you’ll have the chance to get to know me, experience how I shoot and how I handle posing and lighting. This session will make a HUGE impact on how the wedding day flows. I’ll arrive on your wedding day already knowing how you two interact, what your best poses are, and how to photograph you in a genuine way! What I will learn about you during your engagement session is invaluable! You will feel like such a pro on your big day because of the great practice you had during your engagement session, and that’s how it should be! 

When should we have our engagement session?

Your engagement session can be scheduled anytime before your wedding day. I normally suggest booking it at least 3-6 months in advance to avoid stress. Because weekends are filled up fast, I typically shoot engagements on weekday evenings, normally from 5-7pm depending on the light and the time of the year. In the winter months, 3-5pm is a normal time frame for a shoot! 

As you start to plan for your engagement shoot, you will need to start brainstorming about location ideas. I LOVE it when couples pick a location that is special or sentimental to them in some way! If you can’t think of anywhere specific that you would like to shoot, I can help you decide on a location. As long as the light is great, I can make ANY location look awesome!

What should we wear?

It’s always a little intimidating to have your picture taken …. even if it’s just a photo on an iphone that is taken by a friend. We still want to look nice, make sure nothing is in our teeth and that our hair is behaving! I realize that preparing for your engagement session can be a little overwhelming. I usually recommend two outfits. Most of my couples will do one more casual/comfy look and then one more dressy elevated look. This adds a ton of variety to your session. I will post a separate blog more in detail about styling and outfit myths on what you can and shouldn’t wear.

How do I get my groom prepared?

If you’re a bride that is a little anxious about how your groom is going to react to this whole “picture” thing, you’re not alone. I receive so many emails from brides who are worried that their groom won’t be into it and I have great news for you…. you both are more photogenic than you think! I am constantly surprising couples by discovering their hidden modeling skills and my most common response from my Erica Gray Grooms is, “That wasn’t as bad as I thought! It was actually fun”. Boom! Mission accomplished! When the groom says that taking pictures was FUN, I have done my job well! Your engagement session is supposed to be fun and relaxed, not forced or awkward.

I highly recommend sitting down with your guy and showing him 2-3 engagement sessions. I also recommend that you allow for plenty of time to get to your shoot! There is nothing worse than when a couple shows up late, and they have been arguing in the car! That is definitely going to put your groom in a bad mood! Remember to have patience with him, and don’t assume that he’s not going to have a good time… I think you’ll be surprised how much you will both enjoy your session! Even more fun make it a date day…you will already be dressed up!

Your Engagement session is such a valuable experience that can help release some of the stress of the wedding day. You have so much control on how your photos turn out. If you have chosen me as your photographer, I’m so honored and thrilled to go on this journey with you! If you have yet to book your photographer, please reach out to me because you deserve an unforgettable fun experience too!

All the best,