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Our photographer provides complimentary engagement pictures, so we're doing them. Even if she didn't, however, I would still want to (for a reasonable price) because while it's nice to have pictures of us on our wedding day, looking wedding-y, it's also nice to have more casual pictures as well. And, I like the idea of using them for our guest book.
Hi,The main reason we are doing them is because I am looking at it as a wedding day trial run. I think the e-session will allow you & the photographer to get to know each other a little better. Get more comfortable. The photographer can get to know your good sides, etc.I think this also comes down to how high is photography on your list. If it's not really that high then I say let it go especially since you have no plans to use the actual photos from the Esession.
If budget is an issue and you guys are leaning more towards yes to the e-session I would consider talking to your photographer . I would say if you haven't booked him/her you can use that as leverage to get a Esession discount? Worth a try if it's important enough to you two.
Keeping in mind my aforementioned reasons for Esessions whenever I contacted a photographer I listed Esessions as a must and to be included within my package. I have a cap on my photography and if they cannot offer everything I want for that price....I move on.
Good Luck!
ETA: Out of curiosity, how much do you think E pics will be? I'm searching in NYC and I've found photographers that offer Esessions as a standalone for $250. Not sure how much the rates will be in CO but I imagine it can't be that much more than NYC? If you want it, keep searching and you'll find a photographer you like within your budget.
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We got engagement photos done for our invitations, but also just because its nice to have them. It gave us a chance to meet our photographer so that we can get to know his style and he can get to know ours. I definitely think it was worth the cost.
Here's a link to our pics if you're interested.
When I got engaged, I really didn't know what e-pics were! Later, I was informed that they're used for announcements on newspapers. We did it mostly cause FI's parents asked about them and our photographer included it in the package.We never put it on the newspaper though - go figure.
Do I regret them? Not at all. So far, I've used them on STDs and newletters. And our families have been so happy to get a picture of us...since well, not many of them HAD a nice picture of us! It can't hurt to have a professional pictures of the two of you. I mean, I definitely could not have used the random goofy pics we've taken throughout the years (well, we could, but it wouldn't be as nice.)
Can I live without it? Yes, but it's been real helpful to have them so far!
The option that I would have picked isn't here! Our e-pics come with our photographer's package. Otherwise, we wouldn't be getting them. But I am glad we are : )
We were going to do them buttttt the $300 expense just wasn't really worth it to us...we would really only be using a few of them...for programs and our signature mat thing for the reception....soooo a friend of mine who has Nikon digital SLR camera and photoshop is going to take some photos of us at a local park for free!
They're nice, just not worth $300 to us.
Our e-shoot also came with our wedding photography package, so cost wasn't an issue there. But I do agree that the e-shoot is a nice way to do a trial run with your photographer, especially if you're not used to being photographed. I definitely appreciated the experience myself since I'm really uncomfortable in front of the camera and am not photogenic. The e-shoot pics definitely set my nerves at ease =). Also, we don't have a lot of good pictures of us together, so it was nice having some professional pics! That's obviously a less compelling reason though =P
I think Gerbera made a good point above. Most photographers use the e-sesion to get to know the couple better. It's easier this way learn what would work for the couple and what would now.
Most photographers have the e-session included in the package nowadays.
Oh these are all very good points! I guess I didn't realize the e-pics can sometimes/usually be included in the total price. We haven't started to look just yet at a certain photographer or anything, but I will keep this in mind. The BF also doesn't want the pics to look like graduation posed photos :) He thinks some of them are very corny.
We aren't using them at our wedding for anything (man they're pricey to order) but we wanted professional pictures of us. Being in an LDR we always look stupid in our random pics it seems because there is such a time lapse between them all. We decided to go with funky, edgy, almost high fashion engagement pics. I think they're a lovely juxtaposition to our wedding pictures, which will be mushier and sweeter and stuff. These are just random and we love them! It gave us a better idea of how our photographer can work with US for our wedding pics, not just her work with her other clients. Plus, they're included on our DVD in our package, so we get to use them afterwards!
I had not heard about e-pics until I started reading Wedding Bee and other bridal blogs. I will say that I was debating against them, but I changed my mind. I realized when I was putting together our wedding website that we have very few pictures of us together. I really wanted a set of pictures that we could have that would show us right before we got married. Also it helps that it was included in our package. Now with our session a few weeks before our e-pics I am realizing it will be nice for us to spend time with our photographer before the wedding day. FI did not get a chance to meet him either, so this will be good for him as well.
We used an engagement picture for our STD's and on our wedding website. We're also having some printed for display at our showers. I really like having pictures of us in our natural state when we're not in fabulous wedding gear too.
We had a good friend of ours do our e-pics for free and were able to use our full photography budget for the wedding. Maybe you can have friends follow you around in the park for a casual session, contact local photography students in college, or search Craig's List a la Miss Joey to find cheap options?
Ours are also included in our contract (ask your photographer if you can do that!) We decided to do them because 1. we wanted some cute professional photos of us and 2. It gave the two of us a chance to interact with the photographers. We wanted to be comfortable with them and in front of their camera before the big day.
We aren't going to get them, just because we like to take photos "on the fly" when we're on trips or whatever. Our wedding photos will be enough to hang on the wall, etc. (We're not doing photo STDs or invites anyway.)
We won a free engagament photo session, or we wouldn't have done them. I am so gald we won them, though, because the shoot was so much fun! Plus, we just really clicked with the photographer and chose him to do our wedding mainly because of our experience getting e-pics done. We ended up using the photos in a guestbook we made in Blurb, so there was a practical reson to get them done, as well. I agree with others, though, to check when you book your photographer. Almost everyone we spoke to includes e-pics in the wedding package nowadays.
You might be surprised at what you can DIY!
Our photographer offers a complimentary session but we're skipping it because we already had one done by accident! About 6 months before we even got offically engaged we were on a trip and my sister told us to smile for the camera. We didn't do a very good job of taking it seriously and she ended up snapping a serious of photos that went from lovey dovey to cracking up at our sappy selves. We had no idea she had even done this and were thrilled to get the pictures.
And before you assume she's at least an amature photog or some such, she's definitely not! The pics were taken on her point-and-shoot Powershot and the only editing was to turn them black and white. Maybe we just got really lucky, but I think it would be possible to pull of if you only want a handful of pictures.
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We didn't get them and I don't really regret it. For us, we didn't really know what we'd use them for. Neither set of parents wanted them, we didn't need STDs and weren't planning on announcing our wedding in the newspaper. With our limited budget, we just couldn't justify taking a bunch of pictures we knew we wouldn't use. I do think other people's photos are great and LOVE looking at them, but I think we made the right choice for us.
Our photog said he won't do a wedding without an E-session first. He views it as a trial run for the wedding, and a way to get to know what works for us. Since it was built into our contract, we went ahead and did it, and I am SO glad we did. I haven't even seen the pics yet, but it was a fantastic way to get used to being photographed, particularly for my fiance (who felt super awkward at the beginning but got used to it by the end. )
I think e-pics are a great idea! It gives you and your photog a chance to get to know each other and it helps you stay comfortable in front of the camera, which will be very important on your wedding day.
Also, it's nice to have pro pictures of yourselves where you look a bit more natural. While it's great to have gorgeous wedding pictures, I don't want all the good pictures of us to be super dressed up in our finest. I definitely don't look and dress like that regularly!
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I'd love to have engagement photos, but we don't have any particular use for them, and I felt like I couldn't justify the expense. I have to content myself with drooling over everyone else's amazing shoots.
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So we are trying to decide if we want e-pics or not. There are no plans to include a photo on the invite and if we want to do a photo mat guestbook we'll just have a friend take a nice one of us at a park or something. The reason for this question....we aren't sure we can justify the expense if we are on a small budget as is and would rather have more photos taken at the ceremony and reception.
So are you or aren't you having e-pics done? If you are, why? If you aren't, please also state why. Who knows, maybe I'll change my mind and then I'll have to work to change the BFs :) Thanks for the help ladies!