5 Reasons You Should Get Engagement Photos Taken Even if You're Planning to Elope
Engagement photos are typically a part of the timeline of traditional wedding planning, but that doesn’t mean you have to skip out on them if you’re going the less traditional route of an elopement! You may not be sending out save the dates or creating a wedding website, but these photos are still important and you can make the experience completely unique and meaningful to you, just like you are your wedding day. Below I talk about the top 5 reasons you should get engagement photos taken even if you’re planning to elope!
Engagement photos are a way to celebrate and document an important and exciting time in your relationship!
Whether you’ve been planning to get married for years or your engagement season will be shorter than what’s “typical”, it’s still a milestone in your relationship that is worth remembering!
They’re a way to document the “real life” part of your relationship.
Your elopement photos will be AMAZING, but how often are you dressed up in a suit or dress or other fancy wedding outfit? Use this opportunity to get photos taken in something you normally wear, doing something you love! (If you’re normally in a stained up t-shirt and sweat pants, maybeee go for something a little nicer, but you know what I’m trying to say.)
They allow you to get comfortable in front of a camera.
Your elopement will be a very intimate and emotional day and not everyone is used to having a camera around. When you get engagement photos taken, it’s an opportunity to get comfortable being photographed and if you hire the same photographer for both your engagements and elopement, then it’s a bonus opportunity to get to know them better! As an elopement photographer myself, I really value being able to get to know you before your elopement day so that the experience is as comfortable as possible! Doing engagement photos is the perfect way for us to meet and hang out in a casual setting and document more of your story!
You can use them to announce your engagement.
Even if you’re not planning on sending save the dates or wedding invitations, you can still use your engagement photos to share the news that you’re engaged! I think sending personal “yay! we’re engaged!” cards is extra special for couples who are eloping because it’s a way to let your loved ones know you appreciate them and value their impact on your life and relationship even if they aren’t invited to be a part of your intimate elopement day. If a social media announcement is more your thing, then sharing your professional engagement photos on IG will obviously be a little more exciting than an iPhone pic.
It’s an excuse to create a fun new memory together or recreate one of your favorite past memories.
For your engagement session you can visit a place that’s special to your relationship - whether that’s where you had your first date or your first kiss or it’s your favorite hike that you do every weekend. OR you can make a fun trip to somewhere you’ve always wanted to go and have the experience documented.
In the end, you shouldn’t get engagement photos taken for just the traditional reasons like save the dates, invitations, or reception decor - get them because documentation is important. Your life and relationship and all the special moments you share are important. If you’re engaged and interested in booking a session with me, I’d love to work together to create the best experience for you to celebrate this time in your life!
