Looking back, having engagement pictures taken -- and at locations filled with memories from our dating days -- was invaluable.
One of the most fun parts of my engagement was the photo shoot we had, about six weeks after Danny popped the question. We trooped around town with our photographer/friend Mark, posing for shots at the park where we went on our first date, a lush tropical garden we visited on another date, and at the beach where we spent many an evening in deep conversation.
The results are lifelong keepsakes, preserved in picture frames and in our wedding day guest book. (And of course on Facebook, where I peruse them at least once a month!)
If you’re engaged and considering having engagement pictures taken, stop considering — and just do it! As long as you don’t pay an outrageous price for the photographer’s services, you certainly won’t regret it. Sure, these aren’t the pictures of your big day, but they’re pictures capturing your excitement for that upcoming day, your enthusiasm for one another, and quite possibly, chronicling your personal love story through the backdrops that played an important role in your relationship.
The majority of my friends had engagement sessions. Those that didn’t wish they had.
You can make your engagement pictures as casual as simply handing your digital camera to a trusty friend, or as formal as staging elaborate shots in a studio or in dramatic locations, complete with costume changes and props. We took the more normal middle ground: hitting some scenic spots around town with a professional who happened to be a friend. But if you’re still undecided, or just lacking in inspiration, check out a few of these photographers’ websites. Glance through a few galleries from just a few photographers around the country, and I’m willing to bet you’ll be sold, too!
New York — Parris Wittingham Photography
Florida — Marcio Cavalcanti Photography
Colorado — Dave Brown Photography
Michigan — Toole Art Photography
Arizona — Ferguson Photography
I hope you’ll enjoy your engagement shoot — and the results — as much as I enjoyed mine.
~ Laura
The Wise Bride's Guide 