For The 2025 Couples Searching For Their Perfect Wedding Photographer With an Engagement Session Included, Here's Part 3 In This Series!
You all loved my first two post in this series (Storage of Images + Double Recording) and I'm excited to share Part 3 with you today, which is on an Engagement Session being included in each Wedding Package! If you're new here, this series is aimed help couples like you better understand the world of Wedding Photography. While I can’t speak for every photographer out there (or every market), I can share insights from my own journey and how my offerings, services, and experience have evolved over the years and how that's affected my rates.
While researching Wedding Photographers, you've probably noticed there's a a wide range of offerings as pricing. There's a reason for that! Pricing can range anywhere from $2500 to $6000+ (and sometimes even higher) for 6-8 hours of Wedding Day Coverage. Why is there such a wide range in rates?? Let’s continue this journey by talking about the benefits of having an Engagement Session Included and how that can affect the Wedding Package rate.
Before we dive in, I want to say that there's no right or wrong way for photographers to create their Wedding Packages. Some include an Engagement Session and others don't. The truth is, not all couples are interested in an Engagement Session or maybe logistically it doesn't workout, for example with couples planning a destination wedding. So it's totally ok if a photographer doesn't include an Engagement Session! However, since this series is based on my own experience and growth throughout my time in the industry, I'm going to share how my Wedding Packages were created when I was charging $2500 for all day Wedding coverage vs what I offer now at $6000+ for Wedding Day coverage.
Not Every Couple Wants An Engagement Session But Personally I Believe...
An Engagement Session with your chosen Wedding Photographer is a must for your Wedding Photography experience. It’s a key part of ensuring you feel comfortable and confident in front of my lens.
Your Engagement Session is the perfect opportunity for us to work together before your Wedding Day, helping us get to know each other and set the foundation for trust, communication, and understanding in our relationship.
You'll receive a beautiful gallery of images you can use for save-the-dates, display at your wedding, or even turn into personalized wedding favors!
But it’s not just about the photos. Your Engagement Session is an essential chance for you to familiarize yourself with my posing guidance and direction, help us understand one another's communication style, and is a safe space for you to share any insecurities/concerns you may have so I can walk you through how to look and feel your best while keeping those in mind.
Getting to work together before your Wedding Day helps you two feel more at ease with me, shows you how your hair/makeup will photograph (if you book your beauty trials for your Engagement Session) which allows you to give your beauty team feedback, and shows you just how damn good looking you are 😎🌶️
As a result, when the big day arrives, you'll feel more comfortable and confident and your wedding portraits will go smoothly and naturally.
The Engagement Session Difference: $2500 vs $6000+ Photographers
Here’s how an Engagement Session in a Wedding Package differed for me as a Wedding Photographer at different price points:
$2500 Photographer
- Did not include an Engagement Session
- Offered an Engagement Session with NO discount
- Then included a 30-60 min Engagement Session
- Some might offer an Engagement Session as a discounted add-on
- Did not include include champagne/bubbly
$6000+ Photographer
- All of my Wedding Packages include an Engagement Session
- My Engagement Session is 2 hours for best client experience and multiple outfit changes
- I include a bottle of champagne/bubbly for popping
- Some photographers might offer an Engagement Session as discounted add-on
Why Does This Matter?
Here's why it's so beneficial to book an Engagement Session with your Wedding Day Photographer:
- Build Comfort and Familiarity
An engagement session provides a chance to work together before your wedding day. It’s an opportunity for us to get to know each other which will help you feel more comfortable on your wedding day. The more comfortable you are with your photographer, the more natural and relaxed your portraits will look.
- Familiarize Yourself with the Process
You’ll learn my posing style, direction/guidance, and prompts. This gives you the chance to practice how to move and interact, you can see how you photograph, and might even discover some new favorite angles where you look and feel your best!!
- Strengthen the Photographer-Client Relationship
The Engagement Session helps us establish a strong connection. The better our relationship, the more trust we'll have so you'll feel comfortable letting your beautiful personalities shine through in your wedding photos. This connection helps me, your photographer, anticipate your needs so I can help you have the best wedding day experience with photos that feel personal and authentic.
The Bottom Line
If you want the best Wedding Day Photography experience but you're nervous about having your photo taken, you feel awkward in front of the camera, or maybe you're not super into PDA and the idea of romantic photos makes you anxious, I highly recommend booking an Engagement Session with your Wedding Photographer!
Again, not all Wedding Photographers include it in their Wedding Packages and some might offer it as an add-on, but if the above paragraph resonates with you, I highly recommend booking one.
Maybe you feel like you already have enough good pictures together (I've heard this multiple times) or you're trying to stay within budget and an Engagement Session isn't a top priority to you. That's all completely OKAY! 🙌
However, my point here is to explain the importance of an Engagement Session and how having one included in a Wedding Package can affect the price of Wedding Photography Packages of different Photographers.
Questions to Ask Wedding Photographers
If having the best Wedding Day Photography experience is important to you and you want to take advantage of an Engagement Session, here are some questions to ask photographers during consultations:
- Is an Engagement Session included in your wedding photography packages or is it an add-on?
- What are the benefits of booking our Engagement Session with you? How does it help with the overall Wedding Photography experience?
- How do you approach the Engagement Session in terms of posing and direction? Will it help us feel more comfortable with you on our Wedding Day?
- How do you customize Engagement Sessions to reflect our personalities and style? Can we choose the location or theme for the shoot?
Stay tuned for more in this series as I dive into more factors that separate photographers at different price points (based on my own experience).
As always, remember it's 100% fine to stay within budget, I just want to make sure you're making the most informed decision. Your wedding photos are priceless—they deserve to be treated as such.