SHOULD I HAVE AN ENGAGEMENT SESSION? Yes...I firmly believe every couple should consider taking advantage of their complimentary session before the big day!  Full and Limited packages with Persimmon Lane are complimentary! Read on...

ALLEVIATE CAMERA ANXIETY: Sometimes couples wish to forgo the engagement session for a number of reasons. Some feel that it doesn't fit in with their timeline as their wedding is quickly approaching, but others opt to skip out on it because they simply aren't big on having photos taken. There are so many couples who value having their wedding day photographed,  yet cringe at the thought of being in front of a camera! I've photographed hundreds of people, in a myriad of locations, and there is inevitably at least one person who feels extremely awkward! It's rare for me to shoot a session (of any kind) with everyone feeling 100% confident in front of the camera. If you're nodding your head saying "that's me; that's totally me" then you should also know, its *completely* normal! Your wedding is a big deal, and it should be documented, but I again I repeat, it's normal to feel awkward in front of the camera! If this is you, I encourage you to think about this session as a process and not an end product.  What does that mean? It means don't go into our session thinking "I don't need photos of the engagement" but instead "This session will help me alleviate my in-front-of-the-camera anxiety and let me get to know my photographer better before my big day!" Our session is going to be our "get to know each other" - it's when I pull out all of my awful dad-jokes (sorry dad) to make you smirk, laugh,  and feel comfortable in front of me. It's when I ask you to whisper a sexy grocery list into your fiancé's ear, or to kiss each other with your teeth and as weird as that sounds, they're the silly things that will help relax and have fun! It's our first time working together, and at the end of it you'll probably know my life story, but hopefully you've opened up a bit too! With all of this in mind, wouldn't you want to know a little more about the person who will be trailing you all day long on your big day? Do you really want to learn on your day that you have a hard time posing and smiling for a camera? With everything going on during your wedding day, you'll be completely amiss when I look at you and very seriously ask you to pretend to be Chewbacca and sniff your wife's neck! Trust me, this always prompts a big wide smile but I want you to know I take my job very seriously! 

SHOW YOUR PERSONALITY: One of the coolest aspects of an engagement shoot is the opportunity to show you - the REAL you. It's a huge misconception that couples feel as though their engagement photos have to scream romance. While your photos can show whatever you'd like, they should always show your personality! Your engagement photos should be all about who you are as a couple, and not just two people walking in the woods, or a girl in a pretty dress holding hands with her love! Sidenote: My very first engagement session is one of my all-time favorite couples I've photographed; their love was truly obvious. They made a lot of eye contact with one another, snuggled closely, sang each other's praises, and most of all I'll never forget - they giggled through their entire engagement session! Their session showed their personality you could just tell that when they're together, they are the life of the party! While I went into that very first session assuming the images would be romantic, what I came away with was an affirmation of what I already strived for and that was capturing "you". If I'm not capturing who you are, why does my work matter? Your unique qualities attracted one another so your photos should convey YOU and not the Wedding Wire/Pinterest version of romance!  So if you met in Target then let's head there and shoot; romance be damned!  

AND IF YOU WANT ROMANCE: As much as I can joke and say romance be damned, I've been known to sob uncontrollably at that Extra gum commercial. Please say you've seen it. It's the one where the guy saves all the gum wrappers for the duration of the relationship and creates an adorable art-like gallery with them on display. He's proposing to his sweetheart (see it here). So, if romance isn't your thing, no worries, but if it IS, I got you too because I won't apologize for crying on your wedding day and I'm down for capturing ALL the love stories, whether they're in Target on on a sandy beach with a setting sun. If a romantic vibe is what you're going for then I'm 110% committed to the idea! If you envision romance, be sure to set aside time to plan the details. That's right, I said plan the details! A truly romantic photoshoot does take a little bit of planning magic! Be prepared to discuss the perfect location (which may require traveling), time of day, and probably most importantly - attire! There also needs to be a willingness to create poses (that don't look posed) which can sometimes be a bit tricky! I'm up for it, are you?! If you'd like to discuss a big romantic photoshoot for your engagement photos, then let's get to it! 

I CAN'T WAIT TO WORK WITH YOU:  Last of all, just remember that our engagement session is just the 3 of us with no timeline to follow! We aren't being reminded to hurry and there are no family members standing around for us to finish, no bridesmaids or groomsmen watching (unless you just want them in your photos!) there's no hurry, no worry. This is OUR time to gauge how we'll work together on your big day! I want to nail your big day and I want you to feel comfortable. I want to find the angle that flatters you, and I want your day to be perfect. If you've hired me to photograph your wedding day, consider having your engagement session for all the reasons above, and not just because you "don't need them". And if you haven't already realized it, simply put - I can't wait to work with you. 

Let's connect on Pinterest! Send me your board filled with your ideas and vision of your big day and all things wedding! @persimmonlanemd