Why Pre-wedding Shoots Are Important and Why You Should Make Sure You Have One

As a relaxed, candid wedding photographer, there’s nothing I love more than seeing my awesome couples relax into their wedding day, let their guard down, and kind of forget they’re being watched and snapped continuously. But do you know what it takes to get to that point? Yes, a couple of glasses of fizz, naturally… and a pre-wedding couples shoot. 

If you’re nervous about having your photograph taken, not sure what it will be like having a stranger documenting one of the biggest days of your life (I may be a stranger to you now, but I won’t be for long!), or you’re super anxious about how to ‘pose’ or hold yourself on your wedding day to get those gorgeous bridal portraits you’ve seen on Insta, well, babe, you need an engagement shoot because we cover this and more!

First things first, photos aside, this pre-wedding meet-up is a really great opportunity for you and me to get to know each other a bit better. I’m going to be spending a lot of time with you both on the wedding day, so to ensure we move swiftly past those initial stranger vibes; I always find it way better to hang out beforehand. Hang out, and get some photos, of course! We can head to your favourite location, or let me pick the epic backdrop; beaches, lakes, fields, and forests are a personal fave! You want to bring your dog along for the ride? Awesome, let’s do it! We just need to make sure there are refreshments available nearby though. There’s nothing like wrapping up our session with a natter over a coffee (or a pint!), where we can talk through your wedding plans, and you can ask me all of those burning questions you’ve been storing up. 

You might already be wondering how it all works when you book a wedding photographer. Well, this is your chance to find out. See how I work behind the camera, what kit I use, and what it’s like to work with a professional photographer. After our mini shoot, you’ll have access to your online gallery of edited images so you can view this side of the process too - download some images, get others printed, and share with family and friends. 

During our shoot, not only will you get the chance to suss me out a bit more, I will get to find out more about you too! How you are in front of the camera, your chemistry, work on poses that you’re comfortable with etc. It’s my job to ensure that I provide you with a MEGA gallery of images (including romantic couples portraits) from your wedding day, but that absolutely doesn’t mean I’ll be dragging you away from your loved ones and all the fun for hours. I want you to be fully present and have an absolute ball on your big day, so if we figure all the details out beforehand, it simply means I can whisk you away for 30mins TOPS, nail those epic shots and then return you back to the revelry!

I hope after reading this you’ve come around to the idea of a pre-wedding shoot. If time allows and our locations/schedules sync up, then it’s kind of a no-brainer. Plus, you get another GORGEOUS gallery of super dreamy images to keep forever - bonus!