When you book a wedding package with me, your engagement session comes with it; and that one decision makes a bigger difference than most couples expect.

There are several reasons that I include an engagement session in all of my wedding packages, and I will admit, some are selfish.

If you are newly engaged and planning a Virginia wedding, your focus may be on one of the first things newly engaged couples think about: finding a photographer. Amidst all of the details that come with saying ‘yes,’ it’s natural to tackle tasks one by one, starting with the simpler ones like capturing those first moments together. I’ll share why choosing your wedding photographer now, who can also capture your engagement, has so many advantages for you and the photographer! 

ADVANTAGES FOR YOU

1. Save Money – Often, photographers will offer engagement sessions in their wedding packages (like me!) or offer them at a discounted rate if you book them for your wedding. This is fantastic news for your wedding budget, especially considering that weddings can be one of the most costly events in life!
2. Simplify – By booking the same photographer for your engagement session and your wedding, you’ll have one less vendor to coordinate with and manage, simplifying your planning efforts. With just one invoice and contract to handle, you save valuable time during this bustling wedding planning phase. 
3. Build Stronger Connections – Your wedding photographer is one of the only vendors that will be with you the entire wedding day. Working with them before your wedding enhances their understanding of your vision and personality, fostering a greater sense of comfort and rapport for your big day. An engagement session gives you beautiful photos for your save the dates, invitations, or anywhere else you want to show off your new fiancé. But it’s also so much more than that. It’s the time we spend figuring out what direction feels natural for you, what makes you both laugh, whether you’re the type to need quiet moments or you feed off the energy of a crowd. By the time your wedding day comes, none of that is a mystery anymore. If you’re still figuring out what to look for in a photographer, I wrote about that too.
4. Consistent Style – While it may seem like a minor detail compared to other benefits, sometimes it’s the little things that bring the most joy. Choosing the same photographer for both your engagement session and wedding ensures that your photos maintain a consistent style and feel. This consistency is particularly valuable when using the photos for save the dates, social media posts, guest book, or home decor, creating a cohesive and polished look across all platforms.

ADVANTAGES FOR YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER

1. Building Rapport – Building a relationship with the couple during the engagement session helps me better understand my couples’ personalities, preferences, and comfort levels. This rapport translates into better photos during the wedding as we all feel more relaxed, and you feel more natural in front of the camera.
2. Understanding Expectations – The engagement session serves as a trial run where I can gauge what my couple expects and desires in their wedding photos. Each couple has slightly different priorities, and I want to make sure that I am focusing on what is truly important to each one. This insight enables me to tailor my approach and provide photos that capture the couple more authentically.
3. Scouting Light and Locations – If your engagement session is at or near your wedding venue, even better. It gives me a change to learn the light, find the hidden corners, and show up on your wedding day already knowing where I want to take you.

HOW IT WORKS

When you book a wedding package with me, your engagement session is already included! No extra invoice, no extra contract, no extra decision to make. We’ll pick a location that feels like you, whether that’s a golden field in the Shenandoah Valley, the grounds of a Virginia estate, or somewhere that means something to your love story. From there, I take care of the rest! All you have to do is show up, be yourselves.

Some of my favorite weddings have been at Virginia’s historic estates, garden venues, and private properties, places with texture and light and a sense of story. When I’ve already spent an afternoon with a couple before their wedding day, something shifts. I’m not just a vendor. I’m someone who already knows how you two look at each other, what makes you both crack up, and when to step back and just let the moment happen.

That’s what the engagement session makes possible. And it’s why I include it in every single package.

If you’re planning a Virginia wedding at a garden, estate, or historic venue and you want a photographer who shows up on your wedding day already invested in your story, I’d love to connect!

Let’s Chat →