4 Reasons to Have an Engagement Session | Arizona Engagement Photographer

grand canyon engagement session arizona elopement photographer.jpg

4 Reasons to Have an Engagement Session | Arizona Engagement Photographer

Ok, folks! Let’s talk about engagement sessions. :D They seem to be a new-ish phenomenon in the wedding world, only becoming really popular in the last couple decades. And I’m so glad they have, because I think they can be such a helpful, important, and fun part of the whole wedding process!

If you’re not really sure what an engagement session is, it’s just a more informal (or, as formal as you want it to be) couples session, usually taking place several months before your wedding or elopement. If you’re not sure what exactly it is for… let me tell you!

Here are a few reasons why I think having an engagement session with your wedding/elopement photographer is a good idea:

1. Get comfortable in front of the camera

This one cannot be underestimated. So many couples describe themselves as awkward or camera shy… even though they pretty much always kill it in front of the camera. However, that self-consciousness isn’t always so easily overcome, and you really don’t want to feel that way on your wedding day. Getting some practice being on camera can really help to ease those fears. I have heard from some couples who didn’t do an engagement session say that they wish they had done one, so they would be more at ease when the cameras showed up on wedding day. Of course, throughout a wedding day, you get comfortable with it eventually, but it would be a lot easier and less stressful to be comfy from the get-go!

Cute couple laughs together while holding each other in Saguaro National Park in Tucson Arizona. Arizona engagement photographer. Lucy B. Photography.

Man lifts up his fiance and kisses her while she throws her feet back, surrounded by greenery in Lincoln Park Conservatory in Chicago Illinois. Destination engagement photographer. Lucy B. Photography.

Couple embrace in a hot tub, the man kisses his girlfriend’s neck while she smiles at The Woodland House in Portland Oregon. Oregon engagement photographer, PNW engagement photographer. Lucy B. Photography.

Man sits on a ledge over a river while his girlfriend stands between his legs and they make silly faces at each other in Girona Catalonia Spain. Europe engagement photoshoot, Spain engagement photographer. Lucy B. Photography.

2. Get to know your photographer

Getting comfortable in front of the camera is important, but a big part of that is being comfortable with the person behind it! Doing an engagement session gives you a chance to meet your photographer in person, see how they work, and allow them to put you at ease if you were feeling nervous about wedding photos. Of course, it’s also a chance to make sure you actually vibe well and that you really want them to photograph your whole wedding day. Hopefully you do vibe, though, and it is just a way to get to know them and their process, and to build trust!

Lucy sitting on some red rock in Utah with a camera in one hand and petting a Utah elopement couple’s corgi with the other. Utah elopement photographer. Lucy B. Photography.

Lucy in a goofy pose flashing peace signs in front of a beautiful Sedona Arizona landscape. Sedona elopement photographer. Lucy B. Photography.

Lucy sitting on her deck in Tucson Arizona while working on her computer next to a snake plant. Arizona elopement photographer. Lucy B. Photography.

Lucy squatting in a shallow area of the Salt River near Phoenix Arizona taking a photo of two brides in front of the Superstition Mountains. Arizona elopement photographer. Lucy B. Photography.

3. Practical purposes, e.g. save-the-dates and wedding decor

Engagement photos serve more purposes than just comfort! They can also be used practically for things like save-the-date cards, invites, holiday cards, gifts, and even decor at your wedding. Everyone loves getting mail, and it’s even better when your cute faces are on it announcing your wedding! Something for the fridge, for sure. And as for wedding decor, you can hang your photos all over your reception space, put them in an album-style guest book, or whatever else you can think of!

A shelf at a wedding reception decorated with plants, engagement photos, and other cute decor. Lucy B. Photography.

A framed close up of a couple’s hands in front of some clay pots filled with greenery at a wedding reception. Lucy B. Photography.

4. It’s fun!!!

Does this one need explaining?? Maybe you don’t have any trouble in front of the camera, maybe you’re already all set on decor… why not just do it anyway?! There is never a bad reason for a couples session. I promise, if you go in with an open mind, it is always a frickin blast. Why not do a session just to celebrate your love and your engagement? I dare ya to give me one good reason why not. 😉

Here are some cute engagement sessions to help convince you. 😁