First things first, and I might be a bit biased here, but engagement photoshoots can be some of the most beautiful photoshoots ever. There is just something about celebrating a couple's love in an intimate and gentle way that is extraordinarily wholesome and magical. They are up there on my list of favourite kinds of photoshoots.

Making the decision to have an engagement photoshoot can be a big one, especially if you're on a budget, but I truly believe they can be worth it for many different reasons.

Photos for invites and announcements

One of the most popular incentives for having an engagement shoot is that it can provide you with photos for your wedding invitations or to share the news of your engagement with friends and family. Being able to share a 'save-the-date' or post your engagement on social media with a beautiful photo or a couple of photos of you and your partner can make for a really special, personalised invitation/announcement.

Practicing being in front of the camera & working with your photographer

One thing I've found since photographing engaged couples is that they often tell me that they're nervous to be photographed for the first time at their wedding. It can be a really strange thing, especially when you're in the spotlight already, to have a camera on you at all times, but an engagement photoshoot can help you to feel comfortable in front of a camera so you can get used to its presence.

It's common to choose the photographer that will be photographing your wedding to photograph your engagement pictures. This makes for a wonderful opportunity to get to know each other really well so that when it comes to your wedding, you feel comfortable in their hands and their skill. It can help them to become more like a friend, which I find can ease any worries before your big day as you know they're here to capture you in your best ways.

Celebrating your engagement together in a more intimate way

My favourite reason to have an engagement session is that it is an opportunity where you can be with your partner without any pressure or stress that might come from the day of your wedding, and without anyone else around you. It's a few hours to celebrate yourselves and the intimacy of your relationship together. Engagement photoshoots can be a really fun and new experience to share together.

I always love for my couples to treat their engagement session as part of a bigger date or day to celebrate themselves. I always suggest they spend time together before their session and then afterwards that they go out for a meal or engage in some other activity. That makes for a whole day of love in each other's company.

In my sessions, we really focus on having a good time whilst also creating memories. I love for engagement sessions to be more than just building a bank of photos, I want for you to have memories that fit with each photo like pieces of a puzzle that come together through the physicality of the photos and the memories of creating them. We focus on your love languages as a couple, we run around altogether, we have an adventure, I listen to your favourite stories about each other and we just have the best time.