The local boutique where I purchased my gown offered a free engagement session with a local photographer. I called the photographer and explained how excited we were for the free session as we originally weren't going to do one with our chosen photographer. She told me that even though she couldn't tell me she couldn't do our photos because we already have a chosen photographer for the day of that she suggests we do with him and not her so we can get a feel for each other. Well I was irked because part of the package of purchasing my gown was a free session and because we already decided it wasn't in our budget to do an engagement session with the photographer for the day of. Now I am wondering how important that really is. Do we really need an engagement photo shoot? Do we really need to get to know our photographer's style before the day of? Have any of you opted out of the engagement photo session and were you still happy with your wedding photos?