Wedding Customs & Traditions Forum

Engagement pictures?

Had a friend that got engagement pictures done. I was wondering what the purpos of having them done was and if my fiance and I should have ours done as well?

Re: Engagement pictures?

  • I never really understood the point of engagement pictures.  For one I'm not a fan of having my picture taken.  Some brides use the pictures for the wedding on things like STD's, guest book, etc.  My photographer includes free engagement photos in our package, and it's a use it or lose it thing, no negotiating if we opt out.  So we decided since it's free, we might as well.  We don't have many pictures of the two of us(probably bc I don't like having my pic taken LOL), so we are going to keep it very casual. 
  • We didn't do them. I feel like we have so many pics from all of the stuff we have done and went since we have been together. Personally, I don't think they are worth it. But of course, if you can get a good package deal and/or you really want them, then by all means go for them. Some things that pertain to the wedding and planning, etc you have to take with a grain of salt or you will get sucked into everything and away from your budget.
  • Don't see a need for them.  Don't actually know anyone IRL who had them taken. 

    IMO, just seems like another for the wedding industry to make people feel inadequate if they don't spend $$ on something that their sister can do for them with a Nikon coolpix camera.
    "Trix, it's what they/our parents wanted. Why so judgemental? And why is your wedding date over a year and a half ago? And why do you not have a groom's name? And why have you posted over 12,000 posts? And why do you always say mean things to brides?" palegirl146
  • I didn't do them and nobody missed them. Seriously, it's one of those expenses that aren't necessary but nice to have if you can afford it. 
  • We had them done.  I think it's nice to have pictures to document your engagement.  How often do you get pictures taken of you and your FI together?

    We used ours to make a photo guestbook for our guests to sign at the wedding.  It was a big hit.

    You don't have to get them professionally done.  You could always get a friend or family member to take them for you.

    A lot of photographers also include them in their packages.  They do this so you can figure out how you work together before the wedding.  It's like a practice run.
  • We just got ours done yesterday and I'm glad that we did. I kind of hate getting my picture taken and both FI and I are kind of awkward in front of the camera, but this gave us a way of meeting the photographer who will shoot our wedding and get a better feel about how she works. We really clicked with her, so I know I will feel more comfortable on our wedding day with her. We are going to do a photo guestbook and also give some of the pictures to our parents. I know a lot of people use the engagement pictures for wedding stationary things.

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  • They're also a very good way to become comfortable with your photographer, and make sure you're satisfied with his work.  That being said, FI and I didn't have our photographer do our engagment pics.  He is 1000 miles away from us, and it was just not feasible for us to go to Texas just to get pics taken.  Instead, we used FI's camera, and his parents took pics of us in their backyard.
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  • My photographer throws them in the package for free so we're doing them. We will use the pictures for our magnet save the dates. Otherwise I have no idea what we will do with them lol they do seem kind of cheesey. However, my photog said its nice to get used to feeling comfortable in front of the camera with him before the big day.
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  • We had them done in our Scottish dress--DH (then Fi) was in kilt, and I was in 19th Century Country Scottish Dress (which includes a street length skirt, chemise, bodice, and tartan wrap.   We did it in an historic cemetary.  I am so glad we did!  We knew that we were going to have a private ceremony, and might not have photographs of the wedding, so those were our formal portraits as a couple.  In addition, because my Scottish ancestry is such a big part of our lives, it was great to have good photographs done of us in dress.  We have them all over our house, and gave copies of one head shot to immediate family. 

    Our beach wedding had a totally different feel, and we, of course, weren't in Scottish dress.
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  • You don't have to get them done, but we decided to do them so that we could get to know the photographer before the wedding. 
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  • We don't have a lot of pictures of us together so we'll be doing engagement pictures. As PP's pointed out it will also make you more comfortable with your photographer and they will be able to learn what poses and lighting works well for you, resulting in better wedding pictures.
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