Do We Need an Engagement Session?

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You are engaged, hallelujah! How thrilling! Now you are looking at all these different wedding packages and you have questions. One being, do we need an engagement session? Is it totally necessary? I am here to help you out and give you lots of ways to think through this.

-Being engaged is a really special time in your life. There really won’t really be one like it again. It’s a time to document how you feel when you fell for each other. And how you feel when you are committing to spend your lives together. You’ve still got that mushy gushy love. So document it! As the years go on, maybe you two will start a family together. Then a lot of your life and your documentary photos start to revolve around your precious children! Which is totally fine and normal, it’s just different, and the focus isn’t on just the two of you any longer.

-It teaches you how to be comfortable in front of the camera together. I get in front of the camera every now and then, and I’m here to confirm – it can feel pretty weird and unnatural! Because you’re not used to it. But with a little practice, you’ll both feel more comfortable being in front of the camera and knowing what to do with your bodies and what feels natural. Then come the wedding day, you are comfortable and can crush your bride and groom portraits!

-It’s a very romantic and intimate experience. You are looking into each other’s eyes A LOT, cuddling, holding hands, being very close. It can remind you of all the reasons why you love each other. Amongst the potential stress of wedding planning, this is so important to hold onto and remember! It is after all why you’re doing this whole thing in the first place.

So if you’re still wondering, do we need an engagement session? My long answer is yes! It is so valuable, and has so many benefits to preparing you for the wedding day portrait time. Also it’s super fun! And such a special time in your lives to document and remember. Feel free to browse my posts prepping you for your engagement session here and here!

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You are now a fiance, yay! Congratulations are definitely in order! Now comes the daunting task of actually planning this wedding…which you’ve likely never had any experience with! I am here today to answer the question of when to book your wedding photographer?

So you get on The Knot or Wedding Wire, and start mulling over the huge list of vendors. It feels a bit overwhelming! There are venues, caterers, photographers, videographers, dj’s, bands, florists and the list goes on! But wait a second. How do you know what order to go in for the booking process? Specifically I will be answering – when to book your wedding photographer?! How far out from your wedding date do you book?

One thing to consider when booking your vendors is – can they serve more than 1 client on a given wedding day? If they are a bigger company, they may be able to. Photographers are one of the vendors who can only serve 1 client per day for a normal sized wedding. Our packages are generally 5-9 hours coverage, and there’s travel time to consider on top of that. So we are dedicated to you and you only come your wedding day! This means once we’re booked, we’re taken.

When to Book Your Wedding Photographer

In Colorado brides tend to be more laid back about their approach to wedding process. I typically book weddings anywhere from 3-12 months out. Most of my clients average booking about 5-8 months out.

I will say that most photographers out here in Colorado don’t like to commit to a booking more than 1-1.5 years out. Reason being that life can be unpredictable. And based upon our booking rate and such, we may be due for a price increase etc. So that is pretty typical timing in Colorado.

So I advise you to choose a date/book a venue. That is the perfect starting ground. Then next I would hire your photographer! When the day is over, the food is eaten, the flowers are dead, and all that exists are the incredible memories from the day. And it’s up to your photographer to document that all for you two! So it’s a big deal to hire a photographer you absolutely love, are so excited for, and feel comfortable trusting to capture your wedding day!

When Is Your Wedding Date?

Another thing to consider is your wedding date/month. When to book your wedding photographer can also largely depend on this. In Colorado the busy season is May through October. It is “slow” before and after those specific months. Due to the unpredictable weather, not a lot people get married in late fall, winter, or early spring here. September is usually one of my absolute busiest months for weddings, because it’s typically amazing weather and people love those gorgeous fall colors! So if you have a September wedding for example, you better get to snatching up your desired vendors asap! If you are getting married in say February, you’re going to have a lot more choices even up to only a couple months out from your wedding.

So obviously there is no hardfast rule here for exactly when to book your wedding photographer. But hopefully you enjoyed my advice and it is helpful to you!