Engagement Session – Yes Or No?
You’ve probably noticed that some of my wedding collections at Lumen Atellier include a complimentary engagement session. I love doing these, mainly for two reasons. First, they let me get to know my awesome clients a little better before the big day. Second, they give me almost unlimited creative freedom in my work. At weddings everything is so fast and rushed that I’m already running like a well-oiled machine – most of what I do is automatic.
At engagement sessions we have all the time in the world to create some unique imagery. Well, not really, because I still prefer to shoot as close to sunset as possible while leaving an hour or two of that gorgeous golden light to photograph in. I love doing engagement sessions in cool, rustic locations: characterful urban areas, or a local park with a lake, pond, or some sort of water in it. I love deep woods too, though they tend to attract all the bugs and other curious creatures that make me cringe on contact…
Engagement sessions are complimentary and not at all mandatory at all when you book your wedding with Lumen Atellier. Every once in a while a bride is willing to swap her engagement session for a “trash the dress” or a post-wedding session, where she gets to relive her wedding day all over again. It’s always worth asking your makeup artist or hair stylist whether they offer a multi-booking discount if you choose to have full hair and makeup done for your engagement or post-wedding session. Post-wedding sessions are especially useful when the bride, groom, or wedding planner didn’t allow enough time for the couple’s portraits between the ceremony and the reception – such as this image:
Engagement photos are also incredibly useful if you plan to order a custom wedding guestbook – and you can use them on your invitations or “Save the Date” cards too. Props showing your wedding date, for example, are a really nice idea, and no idea is too cheesy. Pinterest is a great resource for engagement session inspiration and wedding planning in general; it’s well worth following the Lumen Atellier boards for ideas. Many printing companies can create a custom wedding book for you from a template using the photographs from your engagement session. At Lumen Atellier we can put together a custom package as well — one that pairs a wedding guestbook with an album, for example.
If you have any questions, I’m always available for a chat. You can contact us anytime – we’d love to hear about your plans.
