Engagement Photography Misconceptions Pt. 6

Hello, hello, friends! We hope you’re having an excellent week! We’re back today with the last segment of our series on Engagement Photography Misconceptions – Pt. 6! What misconception are we diving into today? That the only reason you need engagement photos is for Save the Dates and Instagram.

As you can probably guess, this is a misconception that gets a big fat FALSE from us. 

As we deep dive into it, we’re also going to share a handful of our favorite images from Ollie and R.J.’s super fun, super romantic fall engagement session too. 🙂 Because, you know, that’s just how we roll around here. 

Engagement Photography Misconceptions Pt. 6 

Odds are, friends, that you and your honey have never had professional photos taken together. Raise your hand if this is you. (JK, you don’t have to actually raise your hand). BUT, just know, that in our 13 years of photographing weddings? We’ve only ever had 2 couples had professional photos taken together before they met us. For real. It’s one of those weird stats that we keep. 

Okay, okay, so what does this have to do with anything?

Well, to be honest, if you’re anything like the rest of the human race, it’s a little awkward the first time you make out with your boo in front of a camera. And, we also know for a fact, that not everyone is all lovey-dovey, touchy-feely in their relationships (totally us). Which means that when someone asks you to do it on cue? It might take you a while to get comfortable with those things. If you choose not to do an engagement session, you two won’t have the chance to get all of the weird awkwardness out of the way before wedding day. It does mean that you’ll be 100% more comfortable in your own skin and with each other in front of a camera, though. 🙂 

Going hand in hand with our first reason that you should totally do an engagement session for more than just Instagram photos, is the fact that it will give you and your honey a chance to get familiar with your photographer.

Here’s the cold, hard truth: not all photographers approach shooting the same way. Some are super, super posey and rigid, even if their photos don’t necessarily look like that. Some are more go-with-the-flow, and just photograph anything cute that you do. Personally, we love to give our couples a chance to connect with each other, and do that through all sorts of fun challenges and dares that result in genuine, intimate moments and memories.

This means that come wedding day?

You two are 100% completely comfortable with each other, AND the person or people behind the cameras. This automatically makes for more genuine, intimate wedding photos. 

A lot of couples think they only want engagement photos for Save the Dates and Instagram. And while that may be true, engagement photos can also make a really cool guestbook. Something where you can put your very favorite, most YOU photos that you two have and leave out for all of your family and friends to see on your wedding day. And while they’re checking out your gorgeous faces? They can also leave a message for you and your honey for later down the road.

Forget the days of just having everyone sign their name and address. Instead, you can opt for something fun and silly – like date night suggestions. Or maybe their favorite memories of you as a couple. Or, we’ve even had some couples ask for marriage advice in their guestbook. Whatever you decide on, how awesome is it that you’ll have personal notes and memories from your VIPS?

You guys. It doesn’t get much better than that. 

Another thing you can use your engagement photos for? Your wedding website. Now, especially more than ever before, we’ve found that more and more of our couples are sending out virtual invites and directing guests to their website to RSVP. This makes your website the PERFECT place to display your favorite engagement photos.Especially since all of your VIPs will be going there anyway to RSVP and get more information about your wedding day! 

Can we let you in on a secret?

Nine times out of ten, when our couples decide to print something “large” for their home? It’s from their engagement session instead of their wedding day. What’s the reasoning behind that? Because it’s more “them” on a normal basis than their wedding day was. (AND they have a wedding album full of favorite images). But yes, it’s 100% true. If they’re going to invest the money into printing something for their home, they want it to be an image they LOVE and that really, truly represents their relationship. Sometimes this winds up being a cluster of 8×10 prints, sometimes it’s a big, artsy collage.

However they decide to print their photos, it’s always engagement photos for the win. 

We’re going to get a little sappy here, friends. Research has been done that shows that when photos are displayed in a home, the children feel much more confident and much more loved than when there are no photos displayed. True story. By seeing themselves on the walls of their home, they know how much their parents love them because they took the time to print photos out and hang them up.

You and your honey may not be kids anymore, but you can have the same experience and feelings when you print and display photos of you and your honey. Speaking from personal experience, having engagement photos up makes you remember why you fell in love in the first place. It makes you appreciate all of the time you’ve spent together, the memories you’ve made, and each other just a little bit more. And in turn? You and your honey are reminded of your feelings day in and day out, which is especially awesome on the not-so-great days. In fact, when one of our couples is deciding what image to print for their home?

My biggest piece of advice is to print something that makes your heart sing. That puts a smile on your face every.single.time you see it. And that even on the really crappy days when you’re having a big argument, it reminds you of why you love each other. 

The power of photography is real, friends. 

Kansas City Engagement Picture Locations | Swope Park, Liberty Memorial

Ollie and R.J., thank you both so, SO much for spending the most perfect fall afternoon and evening with us. We had so much fun traipsing through the woods with you both, and absolutely LOVED watching you to take in the city lights downtown. We absolutely cannot WAIT until your big day in October! 

Feel like you’re missing something? Check out Ollie and R.J.’s sneak peek here.