Remi and Jax did this all on their own when I asked their people to walk along the beach! Good job guys!! They got a new bag of tennis balls in the mail for doing such a great job!!
Oh my goodness! Engagement sessions are the best! David & Trudy had their engagement session in paradise! We traveled up to Madeline Island with the pups too and spent time in Big Bay State Park. Usually I like to shoot up at Big Bay Town Park (the beach and the lagoon are my favorite place on earth!!) but WOW was it beautiful and fun to be in a new area on Madeline Island. I love that Trudy’s name is going to be Paradise! They sure picked an amazing area to get engaged and later have their engagement session. Their wedding is set in Bayfield overlooking Lake Superior!! Waaaaa! Cue the sparkles and wows!
Friends, I cannot begin to tell you how incredibly important it is to have an engagement session with your photographer before the wedding! In 2021 I experienced this in a huge way that I’m still seeing today. Out of my weddings from last year I had two that chose the album upgrade (it’s amazing!!) so we work longer together as photographer - client. Of course there’s different personalities and all that to consider but it is completely night and day, the relationship that I have with the bride who had an engagement session and the one that didn’t. It was unintentional as a “test” but last night I exclaimed to my husband that I am just even more convinced than I was before how very important it is!!
So what’s the big deal? Why is it important, Jen?
Well, I’ll tell ya!
You and your groom get to learn what’s it’s like to have me photograph you. You’ll get to see my crazy (and I’ll get to see yours! ;)) and my personality more than when we met for your consult and booking.
I get to know you and how you two are with a camera pointed at you. My very first wedding - the groom would NOT smile for the camera. He would smile with the bride off camera, with the groomsmen, etc but as soon as my camera came up his smile was GONE! Vanished! IF I had done an engagement session, I would have known!! The next wedding I had - he was a groomsman but I had tricks up my sleeve and was ready and we got smiles during wedding party photos because I was prepared.
You get to learn some of the essential poses for the day - so when I say, “David, can you do prom pose?”, you’ll actually know what that is! (or snuggle in or stand apart and lean this way or that…we will have done it already once before and it really comes back to you because we’ve worked it out in advance.
Maybe most importantly, we get to know each other better. I’m going to spend more time with the bride than the groom will spend with the bride that day - it’s fantastic to know and trust and be comfortable with one another.
Every once in a while it happens (elopements, etc) I’ll do a wedding without an e-session but not usually. They are just so beneficial! Check out these beautiful people and pups in the amazing setting on Lake Superior!
