Once you exclaim “yes” and place that engagement ring on your finger, the to-do lists leading up to “I do” will begin! As you envision your big day, you will start many discussions with your significant other that sound like… “Should we ________?” or “Do you ________?”

One of the questions that gets asked shortly after the proposal is “should we take engagement photos?” And a reason that you might be on the fence is that some couples don’t fully understand the use of engagement sessions.

Sure, it’s nice to have extra photos of you two, but are they necessary? We like to say that they are. Here are 5 ways to use your engagement photos so that you can maximize your use out of them.

As you contemplate the pros and cons of an extra photoshoot with your significant other, it’s important to think through what you would do with the photos. Will you be able to use them? Are they worth it?

Why You Should Consider Taking Engagement Photos

Consider these ways to use your engagement photographs:

• Print them on your save-the-dates or wedding invitations. A save-the-date is typically sent out a few months before the wedding invites so that your guests can plan to be available. Save-the-dates (printed or digital) often feature a photo of the couple. While the wedding invitation might be more formal, this helps to make the wedding experience feel personalized from the start.

• Post engagement photos online. If you choose to have a wedding website (where your guests can learn more about the logistics of the big day or even RSVP) then this is one of the best ways to use your engagement photos.

A website with multiple pages will allow you to share different poses, settings, or looks. And if you opt to forgo an actual website? Stay digital and post them to your social media to announce your engagement or to share the road to the “I do” (along with your wedding hashtag!)

• Highlight them at your ceremony or reception. As part of wedding signage, the guest book, or custom slideshow, there are plenty of ways to use your engagement photos on the day of the wedding. Sharing this unique and important window of time in your relationship with your guests can be very special and help them to feel more connected to your love story. (They will also be high quality so will print well. Remember, you won’t have photos of your wedding to highlight here, yet!)

• Feature them in your future home. You will likely print out wedding photos to showcase in your home, but engagement photos will help to highlight other aspects of your personalities. They will also probably feel more natural and provide more diversity to the design of your home---especially since many couples choose to change outfits during their session. While your wedding photos will be very special to put up in your home, this will be a very dolled up and elevated version of yourself and might not do your real day-to-day relationship justice.

• Use snapshots from your session for any formal photo needs. This is one of the most underestimated (yet important) ways to use your engagement photos! Once your wedding has come and gone, you’re bound to get a request for a photograph of you and your partner. This could come up in different points of your family life, career, or local event or organization that you might be a part. Instead of sharing an old, grainy, unflattering, or formal kissing wedding photo, you will have plenty to choose from to help meet the need.

Reasons to Consider an Engagement Session

Still not convinced that you could benefit from engagement photos---here are our top 3 reasons that you should consider an engagement session:

1. An engagement session helps you feel more prepared in front of the camera. You and your significant other can practice posing together and begin to get rid of some of the nerves of being in the spotlight. There will be many logistics on your wedding day that don’t come naturally to you but posing for a photo doesn’t have to be one of them.

2. An engagement photoshoot will help you both to get more comfortable with the photographer. Building a rapport with our couples is one of the most important parts of what we believe helps to bring more joy to the big day. Meeting up with your photographer and seeing them in action can help you to better understand their communication style (and they will do the same for you.) By the time you get to the wedding day, you will have already shared a few laughs with them and learned more about how they instruct couples from behind the lens.

3. Some companies might offer an engagement session as a special promotion. As you begin to research wedding photography and videography companies, you might find that some offer packages. At Joy Photo and Video, we offer customizable packages to help meet your needs. And when you purchase a wedding package with us, you can get a free one-hour engagement session! There is limited availability so inquire for more details today.

We hope that you enjoyed learning about the best ways to use engagement pictures. We would love to connect with you to see how we can bring more joy to your wedding planning experience, from “yes” to “I do!”

[Photoshoots in the spotlight: Haley and Saxton in Dallas, Texas.]

Choose Joy,

The Joy Team