How to choose the length of your engagement session
Whether you got engaged six months or an hour ago, if you’re ready to start turning those Pinterest mood boards into reality, one of the first questions you may have is, “How long of a session should we book?”
From my perspective as a photographer who has been photographing portrait sessions for ten years and couples sessions for five, there are a few key questions to ask yourselves when making this decision:
How many locations would we like to be featured in our engagement photos? If more than one location, how long will it take to travel between the two?
How many outfits do we want to wear?
How are we feeling about our stamina for being in front of the camera?
And in my opinion, most importantly - Do we simply want to get a few solid options for our Save the Dates? Or are we hoping for a longer session to be able to capture more of our relationship and personalities through the storytelling of our session for more of a glimpse into our life together at the present moment?
Each photographer provides a different structure of session offerings, as well as different prices. However, it’s likely that the photographer(s) you inquire with will have more than one session offering with varying lengths in the session time.
Once you have your answers to the questions above, feel free to take this information and ask the photographer(s) you’re considering what they recommend selecting from their session offerings. You may have a good idea of which session length of theirs would be a good fit, though it won’t hurt to ask them which session they recommend based on your preferences.
For example, I offer three primary engagement session offerings to my couples:
45-minute session - This session is perfect for the couples who want to nail a few great options for their Save the Dates at one location with one outfit. 45 minutes also allows for 10-15 minutes at the beginning of the session for “warm up” time, or photos that will set the stage for the rest of the session and allow you to shake off any nerves or discomfort that comes with being in front of the camera.
90-minute session - This session is perfect couples who want more variety and showcase a bit more of their story together with the ability to choose up to two outfits and two locations for their session. Caveat: 90-minute sessions tend to work well for sessions with two locations in Chicago, as most of the highly sought-after locations are a close 10-15-minute walk or drive from each other. If you have two locations in mind that are 20-30+ minutes away from each other, I recommend a longer session so you can spend ample time at each location.
NEW! Three-hour date-night style engagement session - This documentary-styled session is perfect for couples who want to slow down, tell and capture an authentic story of a typical date night between the two of them. Couples can choose up to two outfits and three locations, with the recommendation that we spend close 90 minutes at one of the locations. Read more below to see if this session may be the right choice for the two of you!
Another type of session you may come across frequently is a “mini session.” This is often characterized as shorter sessions, typically in the 15-30 minute range, where photographers offer short sessions back-to-back in one location on a given day for clients who are looking for a smaller number of images delivered. Mini sessions are popular during the fall in preparation for the holiday season as couples and families prepare for sending out holiday cards.
Again, each photographer offers different session structures with different prices. Your photographer is there to help you, so don’t hesitate to ask them for their perspective based on how you two envision your ideal session.
Interested in booking an engagement session with me? Inquire via the button below.
Why you should consider an extended, three-hour date night style engagement session
I’m so excited to share with my couples the newest, most personalized offering yet. Introducing…drum roll please (that isn’t really necessary anymore since I spoiled it already above)…
The three-hour date-night style engagement session!! *air horn air horn air horn air horn*
While this session does not have to take place in the evening, it is intended to allow each couple the opportunity to have an engagement session that feels more natural and authentic to you and your relationship.
This extended engagement session is perfect for the couple who wants engagement photos that feel 100% true to them. Here’s what it could look like: Start at an outdoor, quintessential Chicago location or your first date spot for a more traditional photo session and end at home for an in-home session while you cook your favorite meal together in your own space. This allows for a much more natural, slower paced session that feels just like you and your relationship, with a friendly third wheel with a camera in the background.
If you’d like to go the sunrise route, we can start in the earliest moments of sunrise at a public space with a beautiful view of the sun rising above the horizon, and as the world begins to wake up, we can end at your favorite coffee shop or in the comfort of your own home and have the simple & special everyday moments you love the most together documented in your final gallery.
Here are some ideas for how you can spend your extended session:
Walk and play with your dog together at your favorite park
Grab a drink or two at your favorite bar
Visit your favorite karaoke spot and tearing the house down
Cook your favorite meal together in your home with your favorite shared artist playing in the background
Cozy up around a fire in your backyard with your favorite glass of something & a deck of cards
A picnic at the lakefront or at your favorite park
Visit your favorite local movie theater
Leisurely explore your favorite local museum
Take a stroll around your favorite team’s stadium & stop in for a drink at your favorite bar in your team’s gear
There are so many possibilities. Spend a date night brainstorming ideas for your date night session, and you can thank me later for making the decision on what the activity of your next date night will be; I’ll leave it up to you to be indecisive about the type of food you’ll eat.
Your time together as fiancés is likely quite short and very unique compared to your time dating and married - why not commemorate this brief and extremely special moment in your lives together by authentically and intentionally telling the story of your love and your relationship as you embark on the next chapter of being married?
