Is an Engagement Shoot Worth the Money ?

In a nutshell if it’s free, then yes. 

Having an engagement shoot was not the first thing that jumped into my mind when I got engaged. We got my mum to take a few nice photos of us a week after it happened to commemorate the event but I hadn’t thought of getting a professional to do it; I thought they were a waste of money and a little self indulgent if i’m quite honest. That was until I was offered a free engagement shoot after signing up to Bridebook UK. So I thought hey why not, it’s free after all it would be silly not to (yes I am easily persuaded).

The Mr was a little hesitant when I first introduced the idea, but we talked about how it might be good practice for him to be in front of the camera seeing as he is normally behind it! There weren’t too many photographers in our area offering the free shoot but luckily for us Fresh Shoot Studios were and I loved the style of both the engagement and wedding photos so I reached out to Amelia to arrange a date.

One month later and we were driving to Chobham Common on a gorgeous July afternoon. I still wasn’t sure what to expect. I’m quite comfortable in front of the camera but feel like some engagement shoots can look a bit static. I needn’t have worried because Amelia was amazing. She put both of us at ease as soon as we stepped out of the car and we had an absolute blast. It can feel quite pose heavy at the time but the end result doesn’t look overly staged and the smiles and laughter are genuine. It only took sixty minutes and just as golden hour was finishing we were back at the car park saying our goodbyes, already excited about seeing the finished product. As we were on a free shoot and it was slap bang in the middle of wedding season we did have to wait a few weeks but not as long as I expected. A ping in my inbox and the whole gallery was available. As part of the Bridebook UK offer you get one free but the rest are available for purchase and obviously I bought some.

So do I think an engagement shoot is worth it? Yes and No. If you have the budget, or you can get a complimentary one – which I believe as long as you sign up to Bridebook UK you can – then go for it. They are great for getting comfortable in front of the camera and who doesn’t love a perfect picture for the gram or to send to your loved ones. Lots of photographers offer them as a chance to get to know you as a couple and if you’ve already decided on your wedding photographer they might include it in your package or you might book someone for your engagement photos and decide they are the one for your big day. If it’s beyond your budget then obviously it’s not completely necessary.

All photos in this post were taken by Amelia at Fresh Shoot Studios.