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Why Engagement Sessions are Important – Raleigh Wedding Photographer

I met Heather earlier this year as she was planning her wedding.  We met at a local Starbucks to chat about what she was looking for in a photographer, and we immediately hit it off!  She is such a sweet, kind, gentle person.  She was cool and collected and so easy-going about the whole wedding planning process.  I wish I could say the same for myself when I was in her shoes – I feel like I was so worried about things falling into place!

So here’s my topic for today: Why Engagement Sessions are Important!

Heather and her fiancée Max booked me as their wedding photographer, and at the time they didn’t think they wanted to have an engagement session.  However, a few weeks before their wedding, they thought about it some more and decided they did want to have a session before the wedding after all!  I had availability and it was perfect!  Up until then, I had not met Max, and weddings always tend to go smoother when we’ve had a “practice run” / “meet & greet” with my camera in advance, during the engagement session.  This gives couples a chance to get comfortable in front of the camera, and with enough time planned before the wedding, a great opportunity to see what you do/don’t like from your pictures (expressions, poses, hair/make-up, etc.) prior to the Big Day.  While we didn’t have much time between the session and the wedding, it was a great opportunity for them to get comfortable with me and for me to see how they interact with each other.  I learned their smiles, their laughs, when they were at ease and even when they were not as comfortable.  I also was able to learn more about their love story and how strongly they care for one another.

When you have a strict timeline for your wedding and don’t have much time for pictures together (whether intentional or unexpected), having an engagement session is critical!  I knew that we had a limited amount of time at the wedding for family, bridal party, and Bride & Groom pictures, however I was about to figure out in advance what worked for them since we had an engagement session in advance!  This turned out to be a blessing, because I was able to do their pictures quickly – and not a moment too soon!  It started raining on us as we were wrapping up their pictures after the ceremony!!  What started as a beautiful, sunny day eventually turned into a soggy, rainy evening.  We were very fortunate with circumstances and got everything we needed and more.

I feel so strongly about this, and that is why my wedding packages come with a complimentary engagement session!  Rather than viewing this as just a regular portrait session,  my main goal for this time together is to “get to know you” – this is for both myself and you as a sweet couple in love.  Treat it as a practice run for your wedding and a fun get-away from the stresses of planning a wedding, and get some great pictures to use in your wedding decor as a bonus.  Heather and Max ordered some beautiful prints with me to display at their wedding and they were a smash!

So without further ado, here are some highlights from Heather & Max’s engagement session!  I had so much fun and laughed a lot with these lovebirds, and I could be more thankful for our paths to have crossed.  Thank you for putting your trust in me to capture some of the most exciting moments of your new life together.  Look out for an upcoming post with highlights from their wedding!

Max & Heather - Raleigh Engagement Photographer - Amanda Brendle PhotographyMax & Heather - Raleigh Engagement Photographer - Amanda Brendle Photography

Max & Heather - Raleigh Engagement Photographer - Amanda Brendle Photography

Max & Heather - Raleigh Engagement Photographer - Amanda Brendle Photography

Max & Heather - Raleigh Engagement Photographer - Amanda Brendle Photography

Max & Heather - Raleigh Engagement Photographer - Amanda Brendle Photography

Max & Heather - Raleigh Engagement Photographer - Amanda Brendle Photography

Max & Heather - Raleigh Engagement Photographer - Amanda Brendle Photography

Max & Heather - Raleigh Engagement Photographer - Amanda Brendle Photography

Max & Heather - Raleigh Engagement Photographer - Amanda Brendle Photography

Max & Heather - Raleigh Engagement Photographer - Amanda Brendle Photography

Max & Heather - Raleigh Engagement Photographer - Amanda Brendle Photography

Photographer: Amanda Brendle Photography
J.C. Raulston Arboretum – Raleigh, NC
Engagement Session: Heather & Max

AMANDA BRENDLE PHOTOGRAPHY

Serving North Carolina & Beyond