What is an engagement session?
An engagement session is the commonest name for a couples portrait session where you and your future spouse have some professional photos taken before the wedding. I offer engagement sessions alongside wedding photography as its a great way for the couple and I to get to know each other and a fantastic complement to your wedding photography package. Everyone should have some great photos of them together so even if you are already married, or aren’t planning on it yet you can book a couples portrait session. So whatever we call it – Engagement, Day after, Just married, Anniversary, Commitment -it works the same.

See some examples in the portrait gallery

What’s involved?
If you book a couples photo session with me we’ll spend around an hour on location, catching a series of intimate, fun pictures of just the two of you. The £100 session fee includes  5 x 8×10″ prints or digital files on disc and the option to choose more as prints, canvas, an album or even as personally designed invitations, thank you cards or guest book.

We can play things relaxed and simple so you can feel really chilled out about the experience and enjoy it knowing you’re going to get some natural photos of you being yourselves. Or if you are a bit of a poser at heart we can get really creative and work together to give you some amazing fashion style portraits. I love trying new ideas and its great to work with people who are up for it.

Where will our portrait session take place?
I don’t work from a sterile white studio, we will shoot your portraits on location with lovely natural light and interesting and varied backdrops. Where we go is up to you- it may be somewhere personal to you both, or just somewhere we think will be beautiful, interesting or suited the season or the look we are going for in your photos. We are blessed with many varied Hampshire photography locations, from the woods and heathlands of the New Forest, the beaches of Bournemouth and surrounds, historical and modern city centres, fairgrounds, castles, cornfields and parks. Portrait sessions can be done at any time of the year, but we’ll have to work with the elements. Wrap up warm and snuggle in with Christmas lights, kick leaves about in autumn or splash about in the warmer summer sea.

What do we wear?
Whatever you feel comfortable in- you might want to get dressed up in your finest, go cool and casual in a funky little dress and boots, or relax in jeans and t shirt. You can even bring a change of clothes for some different looks. Just try and look like you both are attending the same party (but do not wear matching clothes, thats too cheesy!) Make sure you feel good in them. It’s also a nice idea to bring some accessories and props- how about a hat, sunglasses, scarf, a parasol, balloons, your dog…?

Why would I want a couples portrait session?
Most brides and grooms will admit to having very few decent photos of them both together, other than their wedding photos. A couples portrait session is the opportunity to change that (Which will also please your mum.)

Couples portrait sessions are a great idea if you want some amazing photos of you both but want to spend your wedding day enjoying the party and not taking the time out for a long photo session. You can do things completely differently to you wedding photos, different location, outfits, look and even season. (so have that cosy winter wedding and then run around on the beach in summer)

Maybe it rained on your wedding day and you didnt get the photos you wanted, or dare I say it, you were disapointed with your wedding photos (by another photographer obviously ) This could be a great way to celebrate an anniversary or give some lovely presents for your parents. Or maybe you just want some nice photos for your kitchen wall.

So what about Trash the Dress sessions?
Again, its one of the most commonly used phrases to describe this type of session but doesn’t mean you literally have to trash your wedding dress. The idea is that your dress gets one more outing, and you get to pose for some dramatic fashion style portraits, maybe in some less conventional situations than on your wedding day. So you might want to be rolling around on the floor a bit but nothing a dry clean shouldnt get out. Unless you REALLY want to Trash your Dress. Brides can have a trash the dress session with or without their groom anytime after the wedding, whether I was your wedding photographer or not. It works pretty much the same as a couples portrait session, with the same cost and 5 prints or digital files included.

Convinced?
Get in touch to discuss your ideas and book.