With everything that’s going on in the world at the moment, I’ve been finding ways to help guide my couples through the recent strange turn their wedding journeys have taken. With all of the advice I’ve been giving, something I’m strongly recommending is an engagement shoot. Engagement shoots have become increasingly popular in recent years, and that couldn’t make me happier! Not only are they a perfect opportunity to get to know your photographer before your big day and work out your favourite angles, but they are also a great excuse to dress up and pose!
I recently caught up with the beautiful Anneli Marinovich during a shoot to discuss engagement shoots and how to make the most out of yours.
“Covid-19 has given us all the more reason to celebrate life & love. The current situation has not only had a huge impact on wedding industry suppliers, but couples all over the world have had to postpone their precious wedding days.
Booking a pre-wedding shoot, for when lockdown eases, will be something wonderful to look forward to. Your wedding day may have been postponed…but your love for each other has not! Dressing up, having your hair & make up done and having these precious memories captured on camera, will be a fun way to celebrate your love for each other and the build up to your (long-awaited) wedding day.”
So why an engagement shoot?
“if you’re engaged, you should definitely make the make the most of the build-up to your wedding day. Celebrate every little thing – finding the dress, booking your photographer etc! It’s meant to be such a fun and exciting season in your life, and having an engagement session celebrates you as a couple, deciding to tie knot.
Secondly, you want to be as stress-free & relaxed as possible on your wedding day. Getting married will be a brand-new experience (in most cases) and even though you might have had a rehearsal & planned your socks off to make the day perfect, you still won’t be 100% sure what to expect (which is completely normal).”
When planning your wedding, you may be used to the odd selfie and casual couple photo, however, a professional photo shoot may be a little outside the norm and having a photographer pointing a camera directly at you for the day could be a little nerve-wracking.
“Most couples have never had a professional photo shoot together, and many couples tell me that they “don’t photograph well” / that they are “very nervous about being photographed”, so understandably the thought of having an engagement session may be daunting.
TRUST ME:
I say this to all my couples and I’ll say it here again: Most of the photos you will have seen of yourself, will most likely have been taken by a friend when you least expected it (your eyes may even be shut in the photo)! You probably weren’t really looking your best and it may even have been taken on a night out after a few drinks, so it’s no surprise that you think you don’t photograph well!”
If you’re still nervous about it, don’t be! I’ve had a lot of experience with Anneli working with both myself and couples. Not only does Anneli make you feel super relaxed, but she will guide you through the entire shoot.
“In addition to guiding my couples on what to wear / where to shoot, I pride myself on making sure my couples have fun during the actual session. I always chat with my couples during the session and encourage them to talk to each other while I’m shooting, which helps to make the photos look effortlessly natural. Using my expertise when it comes to the most flattering light, posing and interaction between you and your fiancee, I help you both look your best.
I always direct my couples, so you don’t have to worry or overthink small things like “what do I do with my hands”…don’t worry, I’ll tell you! You’ll relax in no time and possibly even forget you’re being photographed, with the end result being romantic, non-cheesy photos of the two of you having a great time together.”
If you have any further questions on engagement shoots, or would like to know more about our full wedding planning services, then please get in touch with us today.
