Wedding Tips

How to Get the Most of a Pre-Wedding Photo Shoot

Pre-wedding Photo Shoot
A Pre-Wedding Photo Shoot is also known as an engagement session or couples shoot.

It’s the best way to get to know your wedding photographer(s) before the Big Day. It will let you to get familiar with the process and get experience to be in front of the camera. If you consider yourself a camera shy person, it’s probably the best for you to have a practice run. You will see how we work with a focus on the experience (your experience), how important to us to make you feel relax and at ease.

The other advantage is that these photos are ideal to use on save-the-date cards, accompanying your wedding announcement on social media, or to illustrate your wedding website.

You don’t have to worry about poses, knowing your ‘better side’ or bringing spare clothing. We will keep it simple and enjoyable and guide you through the process of the shoot. All you have to do is turn up.

Introduce us to your environment

We always advise you to chose a place for your pre-wedding photo shoot that means something to you two, or where you love to spend time together. Or any place with a great view you always wanted to go to, but never had a reason. We can start at your home, to capture the way you live at this moment in time as an about-to-be-married couple. From there, we can go to your local park or a cafe to catch the last warm sunlight of the day.

Another good option is to try something different from your wedding location. For example, if you are planning to have an outdoor beach-style wedding, lets go explore the city for your pre-wedding session. This way, you will have diversity in your pre-wedding photo shoot and wedding sessions.

Also, if you have an access to a unique location (a hidden waterfall, a rooftop in Newtown, a secret garden in Northern beaches or an abandoned warehouse in Alexandria) it would be great to go there to explore the site and create something truly unique together.

Trial for your hair and make up artist

If you booked your hair and make up artist(s), the pre-wedding photo session is the best time to do a trial! We can choose a date for the shoot that works for you and your hair/make up artist. You will see if this person is the right fit for you and how their work looks in photographs.

If you haven’t chosen your hair and make up professional yet, we have a list of vendors on our website that we recommend having a look at.

Make the best of the sunlight

The golden hour about 1-1/2 hours before sunset is the best for natural lifestyle photography. Even if on the day it’s going to be overcast, a few hours before sunset is when the light is usually even and soft.

Feel beautiful, be yourself

A pre-wedding photo shoot doesn’t require you to shop for a new outfit. The most important things is that you feel comfortable and like yourself in what you wear.

We advise you to go with smart casual, a bit fancier then your everyday look, but not by much. If you choose to go a bit more formal, make sure that you both follow the same style. Complement each other. Try to avoid head-to-toe black or white clothing. If you are worried about colour, pick a neutral and a few coordinating colour tones you both like and stick to those hues.

We don’t shoot in the same spots every time or have a list of poses. We want to capture your natural-selves in the most comfortable way. So, please, don’t put pressure on yourselves and overthink this experience.

Not convinced yet, here is an example of a pre-wedding shoot and here is another post. Pre-wedding Photo Shoot – Yay or Nay!

Another amazing pre-wedding photo shoot: Georgia + Felix