Today I am excited to be sharing the second in a series of Wedding Wisdom posts from the fabulous Emily Ganey, photographer extraordinaire. I hope you caught her first post a few weeks back, which highlighted some of the differences between film and digital photography – a must read for any couple before you even start the search for your photographer! Well this time Emily is helping us understand some of the benefits of using your wedding photographer for your engagement shoot……. and if you were considering skipping the e-session, hopefully this post will have you changing your mind – I know not having one is one of my biggest regrets!

“Every month I receive a handful of inquiries asking about engagement sessions – and just the engagement session. Immediately my mind runs in 12 different directions – from “Ooh! A fun new couple!” to “I wonder where they’re getting married?” to “But wait…” So today I wanted to share my thoughts about why you should use your wedding photographer for your engagement photos. I know, I know, you may be getting married out of state or having a destination wedding, but if it is at all possible, I would try to make it happen… here’s why:

1. The engagement sessions allows you to get to know your photographers. Meeting in person and interacting with your photographer while they are “doing their thing” really makes a difference. Thomas and I always strive to really become friends with our couples, and the engagement session is a critical element for this. On your wedding day, we want to show up and feel like one of the crew!

2. Doing an engagement session with your photographer provides you with an opportunity for feedback. It is so helpful when couples write back after their engagement session and say “After seeing these photos, I realize that I prefer this side of my face,” or “I loved the photos where we were walking and laughing. Can we do more of those on the wedding day?”

3. You’re more efficient on your wedding day if you’re already familiar with your photographer’s style. There are times where I can call out pose names on a wedding day and the couple instantly knows what I’m talking about. Thomas and I have already directed them with posing through the engagement session, so on the wedding day they’re pros and can flow through poses quickly.

4. A lot of photographers include engagement sessions in their package (including us!). If you’ve had photos taken by another photographer, we still require you to take them with us – it is that important to our workflow and relationship.

5. Having a destination wedding? Most photographers (us included!) love to travel! Even if you’re not living in the same city, put out some feelers to your photographer about taking your engagement photos in your hometown – their response could surprise you!

Our favorite part of the wedding process is taking engagement photos! It is so fun to have a relaxed time with our couples where we can talk and get to know them. I love hearing more about their relationship and getting clued in on the wedding details ahead of time.”

A huge thankyou again to the lovely Emily of The Ganeys for sharing her insights. If you loved these glimpses of her beautiful photography, you should take a look at Alex & Amanda’s romantic wedding, she captured it so perfectly! You will find lots more over on their website at theganeys.com – and don’t forget to follow Emily & Thomas on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

Be sure to check back here too, as I will be back with more words of wisdom from Emily on finding your perfect photographer over the coming months.

Amy

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