Maddie Gets Married: Why You Should Have an Engagement Session

If you’re considering whether or not to schedule an engagement session, let this post be an easy answer. 

Whether you’ve dreamed of this day and all of the bridal festivities that come with it or are anxious about being the center of attention, there are pros for each. 

For the bride that was looking forward to all of the bridal festivities:

I certainly fall into this boat, and, trust me, I know this season has been hard. But getting all gussied up to take photos with your fiancé is something you can  (and should!) still safely do during this crazy time - not to mention, one of the most bridal things you’ll get to do this season. Consider it a time to dress up, test run hair and makeup, and capture you and your fiancé‘s personalities.

Nate and I settled on two looks for our session: a formal and a casual. We wanted to have some formal shots in outfits outside of our wedding day attire but also knew we wanted a more casual look for more natural looking images. 

For the bride that’s anxious about being the spotlight:

Our engagement session helped calm our nerves about taking photos on the actual wedding day. As much as Nate may love to goof off in front of the camera, we both feel a little awkward taking formal photos. The engagement session acted as a sort of trial run to figure out not only how we worked with each other as a couple but also with our photographer to photograph well. She was able to guide us through poses and make adjustments for the best angles/natural looking images. And once the prints came back, we were able to take a look at what translated best and narrow down what shots we’d want to repeat on our wedding day.   

It’s also an opportunity to get to know the one vendor you may spend the majority of your wedding day with. Fortunately, we know ours pretty well, already 😘.

An extra tip for the extra anxious: be sure to pick a place you both love. Whether it’s the location of your first date, a landmark in the city where you both met, or simply somewhere you love to go as a couple, being somewhere that makes you happy brightens any day and puts you in an environment where you know you’re already comfortable.

Below are just a few of the images from our engagement session we loved so, so much. Can’t thank Olivia Suriano Photography enough for capturing our love so well!