Why do people have pre-wedding shoots?

We had a pre wedding/engagement shoot as our photographer offered one for free before we confirmed our booking for our wedding. We loved her work anyway but it was nice to have a chance to have her take some photos of us too and also check we could all work together in advance of the big day.I don't think we would have bothered if it hadn't been free.

Depends what you mean by pre-wedding?

if your talking engagement shoots then yes I get it... in 6+ years their is only 5 photos of me and OH in existence and 2 are drunk nights out, 2 are festivals and the remaining one is on the beach when we where hot/sweat/frizzy - so no good ones because we are just not the selfie/lets take pictures of everything type and I personally hate camera phone selfie type pictures and OH is uncomfortable in studios so it would be nice to finally have a proper image of us together for the announcement (even if just for facebook)

if people arnt good in front of the camera it might also help a bit too, it takes a long time for most people to learn to relax in front of cameras

I cant logically see any other reason for a pre-wedding shoot though that couldn't be done post wedding (rock the frock etc...)

We had a pre ceremony shoot (because we didn't do the whole traditional not see each other before the ceremony thing) and to enable us to spend more time with our guests after the ceremony.

The very first photos from the day I look quite stiff in front of the camera so I am glad we did it as you can see I have relaxed a lot more in later photos (which resulted in better pics). If we had had a pre wedding shoot I still don't think it would help as I probably would have forgotten how to relax by the wedding (but maybe that's just me)

We are having one, purely because I am really camera phobic!! Seriously hate having my photo taken so I see it as an oppurtunity to 'practice' and also we don't have any recent photos of us together, it would be nice to have a few non weddingy ones taken by a professional esp seeing as they are included in the togs fee! Nothing to do with the tog having to practice in our case...

We will be having a pre wedding shoot... It's free!

our photographer is very experienced so it's not an opportunity for her to 'practise'!

in her words it will be a relaxed afternoon where we get to know each other better and find out what myself and OH are comfortable with in terms of being in front of the camera!

its also gives us an opportunity to make use of the park in which we'll be getting married taking pictures in the areas we will be unable to get to on the day due to distance and time constraints.

im really looking forward to meeting with her again and having her take some shots of us... Plus we will be using the pictures with some of out engagement pictures (taken by a different photographer) will be used on the day on our stationary and card box!

We are having one because the photographer we want offers it as part of his wedding package. In all honesty I would rather not do it as the thought of it makes me cringe but he assures me it will be ok. It is definitely not because he needs the practice. ?

Bill has summed it up pretty well.

Ours only served to confirm how great our TOG was. I am not a great fan of photos of myself but she made us look fab, even with very little makeup, casual clothes and normal hair. It really made me relax as I knew our wedding photos were going to be great.

It's usually to get comfortable in front of the camera and I guess trial run having photos taken in case you don't like anything in particular/the photographer can learn what works for you as a couple. Sometimes people use it as a save the dates or to slidereel photos on the main day.

I actually only did a few and then I stopped it because it didn't make any sense for me, people say it gets them used to being photographed on the day but as a photojournalistic style photographer, an engagement shoot would only be similar to about 10-20 mins of the entire wedding, with the remaining 9 hours and 40 minutes being a completely different experience.

I completely disagree that they're only useful if they're at your wedding venue.

I'm so pleased we had one - it gave us a chance to get used to being in front of the camera and to get to know our photographer a bit more.

It also gives you the opportunity to look at your 'camera faces' - e.g. - it was after the pre wedding shoot that I realised I much preferred photos of me smiling properly rather than half smiles etc...

Plus, we got some really nice photos of us and our dog ?

Well I come at this from the total opposite POV to Bill (what's new ? )

I think they're fantastic and incredibly valuable. We started offering them as standard about 2 years ago (previously they were an add on) and love them!

We enjoy the relationship building side of things with our couples as much as anything. It's lovely to spend some time with them in a casual setting chatting about wedding plans and that kind of thing, whilst also giving them the opportunity to see how we actually work (as opposed to just telling them) the kind of equipment we use and so on. It's certainly not about practice, ha! I'd like to think we've had enough of that over the last 10 years or so....others may disagree.

As someone who hates being photographed myself, the whole idea of being in front of a camera is pretty intimidating. Not knowing how someone is going to speak to me when i'm being photographed, the level of expectation, not knowing what kind of things might be asked of me etc is where my concern comes from. My imagination runs away with me- it's the uncertainty. And although none of our couples are from a lost tribe (as far as I know) they are human and as such things which are unknown to them can be a little daunting, especially if they've not had positive experiences in the past.

I worry about how I look, I worry my nose looks big, or that i'll have a double chin on show, or fat arms...all the little niggly insecurities that most of us have. I don't want to take those concerns with me to my wedding day and spend the whole portrait session worrying. I want to have an engagement shoot, get a feel for the whole being in front of the camera thing, and see how I really look and go from there. No matter how relaxed someone can try to make me feel, it's not about being relaxed it's about how I feel about myself. If I can see that there is no basis in my insecurities, that's when i'm going to feel relaxed, because I'll actually feel that I look ok. It might sound sad, but you'd not believe how many couples (brides especially) say something similar to me.

The level of familiarity with the whole process also comes in handy if things are going pete tong time wise on the wedding day. Being vaguley familiar with poses used and that kind of thing makes it much easier to get photographs done quickly. Plus, having some photos together is a lovely added bonus. Some of our couples use their photos on orders of service, as an alternative guestbook, on thank you cards etc.

I completely disagree with Bill too. Whilst a photographer may be very experienced and have had plenty of 'practice', and its part of their job to make people relaxed - surely each couple is very different and it's good to get an idea of how to direct them, how they look best in pictures, make them feel relaxed, their preferences etc. It's seeing your couples as individuals, working out how you best work together, I think anyway.

We had a pre-wedding shoot - although our tog was a friend and not experienced in weddings. We spent the day in the park at our venue larking around by the lake. It was good for the tog to check out good spots for taking photos, to get used to taking pictures of us - especially as we were friends! It also helped with building the excitement - or brewing the spirits as we say in this house :-)

I also agree with the relationship building side of things - it's great for the couple to get an idea of how the tog works, get to know them and share their plans and excitement with one of the most important suppliers! While professional photographers may have tons of experience in what they do, most couples will not have been photographed in this way before, so it's good for them to get an idea of how it all works.

I have to say, it does come across as sniping to blame it on 'newer' togs and almost insinuating that they need practice as they don't know what they are doing. It's definitely each to their own, and I can understand why it's not important to some couples. Personally, I think it's an awesome added extra that helps make planning all the more fun.

(Sorry if a bit rambly, I haven't slept for a while!)

But most of that can be discused during a pre wedding skype or phone chat. Or in some cases I will meet them at home and we will go to the Church and reception and all of that building is done without the need to actually "take pictures" also they have booked me and so know what I do and like how I do it so on the day its not like ive never even spoken to them before

Marianne made a good point as how can it be that a "documentary" photographer or one that says we shoot the day naturally as it unfolds etc but then also has a pre shoot to help them feel relaxed in front of the camera, for me the two just don't sit together.

Oh, and my photographer was definitely not inexperienced.

It's not the same thing at all. Saying and doing are completely different things. Someone can tell me how they work until the cows come home, but knowing and experiencing it for myself is what will settle my mind. Perhaps i'm just an irrational b2b.

I can only speak for ourselves, but we shoot the day as it unfolds aside from the group photos and Bride and Groom session. The B&G session is obviously more intense as it's just the two of you with a camera pointing at you and nowhere to run! It's easy to feel relaxed when you don't know you're being photographed, not so much when you're consciously aware of it.

You don't need a pre wedding shoot with a 100% documentary photographer IMO, but ****% of togs aren't just a documentary photographer. Most mix it up a bit. I think Marianne is a tad more on the documentary side than us, so I get why for her and the kind of clients she has it totally wouldn't be worthwhile. For us and the type of clients we generally have, they're perfect.

I think I added this bit as you were typing and thats why you didnt include it in your quote.

Another thing I don't get is how can you fit in all of these pre shoots, because during the week the bride and groom are working and come the weekend you are shooting a wedding and on top of that (for me any way) I am editing the photos during the week and am ready to shoot my next, I don't see how you can fit in another brides pre shoot and edit that as well

Not everybody works Monday-Friday 9-5. Again, its that whole seeing clients as individuals and working around them rather than making sweeping assumptions.

Pavone, you are spot on :-)

Ah but see, again to me that isn't the same thing.

I think we just have very different clients. I don't imagine many of your couples would book us (and vice versa) because we offer entirely different things. Meeting a couple at a church or their venue and chatting about plans and explaining how we work isn't quite the same as heading off for an adventure in the woods and spending a couple of hours together showing them what we do and involving them in the whole process. Quite often we stay friendly with our couples long after the wedding day because we've built a friendship as well as a professional relationship. It doesn't work for everyone, but it's our thing.

Shoots wise, it's fairly easy fitting things in. We limit how many weddings we take on in order to ensure that we have enough time and flexibility for meetings, consultations, pre wedding shoots etc. Plus, lots of our clients are doctors/nurses/midwives/teachers/self employed etc who don't strictly work monday-friday 9-5 every week. It's all about offering a great experience as well as (hopefully) great photos. For many of the couples we have, pre wedding shoots tie in really well with that.

There are also 2 of us Bill so whilst i'm on here talking about my big nose, doing the accounts/admin/twittering etc my OH is uploading photos, backing them up etc. Makes things much quicker ?

Thank you rubyfirecracker. I'm glad i'm making sense to someone, I do worry i'm just yabbering on sometimes!

I would not have hired a photographer who did not offer this. I hate getting my photo taken, so does my husband. We had a short shoot done a year before the wedding, at the venue, so that it would be a similar scene to the day, but we also had another short one a few weeks beforehand. The 2nd one was a favour really, because we'd hired a videographer quite late on and it enabled them to meet and work together.

Point being, we both (H and I) found it hugely beneficial as we relaxed a lot more. Yes, even without the lovely dress and make up! If my tog managed to get such lovely shots of us without all the pre wedding treatment then what was there to worry about on the day?!?! nothing ?

Bill, why on earth would one look crap in them as you insinuate? Are people only photogenic on their wedding day? Seems that this topic was pretty irrelevant to you.