When should engagement photos be taken?
This is a good question and one that comes up quite often. As wedding photographers, we get the question all the time. It’s actually something that, when we started in this business, we didn’t think much about. When we got married, we knew that we wanted our engagement photography taken right away. But not everyone thinks that way.
Below are some thoughts on the topic and what may be best for you.
WHAT TO CONSIDER
WHEN IS YOUR WEDDING?
Why is this important? Well, people get photographers at all different times in their planning session. We have had people book us two years before their wedding. We have had them book us a month before their wedding. In the case of the two year booking, you have a good amount of time before you have to do them. Maybe even a year. If your wedding is a month away, we’re most likely looking at shooting engagement photography pretty quickly.
ARE YOU USING ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS FOR INVITES OR SAVE THE DATES?
This bumps up the need for engagement photos sooner. You have to take into account how long it takes to get your photos back. Then, look at how long it will take for save the dates and/or invites to be decided upon. The amount of time it takes for them to be created and shipped to you has to be considered. Then, how long it takes for you to send them out needs to be accounted for.
DO YOU WANT TO WAIT FOR A PARTICULAR SEASON FOR PHOTOS?
Let’s face it – this comes up a lot in Minnesota. People don’t want to do engagement photography in the winter. The want the warmth of the summer sun or the beautiful colors of fall. They don’t want to be out in the cold with nothing but snow around them. And I get it. Even though I have started to really love snowy photos, I’d be the same way. The big thing to remember is that everyone is of the same thought process here. In other words, summer and fall book up FAST. So if you want those seasons, let your photographer know.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER TO GET YOUR ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS BACK?
This varies from photographer to photographer. We get all our couples’ engagement photos back to them within 10 days at the most, usually within a week. Some photographers take a month. Others may take even longer. Make sure to ask that question so you know what to expect.
