Why do an engagement session?

One great reason for doing an engagement session – aside from the awesome images you’ll get from it! – is the opportunity it gives us to get to know each other better. The more comfortable you are with me, the more likely you are to feel comfortable being yourselves in front of me and in front of the camera.

Engagement sessions are also a great chance to choose a unique location (where wearing a wedding dress might not be a good idea!), or to shoot in the home you’ve made together and maybe even incorporate your furry family in some shots.

These sessions are also a great time to make some images in a place that holds special meaning to you as a couple, maybe where he proposed or your favorite place for a tasty beverage or a spot where you like hanging out and have made lots of good memories.

And the very best reason for doing an engagement session is memorializing your love for each other. Unless you’re a celebrity, there aren’t many opportunities to have relaxed, natural images made of the two of you together.

And, of course, there’s what to do with your images after the session. One of the items I love best is the guest signing book. Because it has no lines, guests are encouraged to sign autograph book style and write lots of nice wishes to the newly married couple, which becomes a true keepsake.



As you can see, there are a multitude of great reasons for doing an engagement session. So, whether I’m shooting your wedding or not, we can always get together to make some great images!

Melissa and Mike – Columbus, Ohio wedding

Last Friday was the first of my double-header wedding weekend, starting with Melissa and Mike and their fabulous wedding at North Bank Park. It waited to rain until we were all under tent for the ceremony, but our portrait sessions went off without a hitch (or a drop). It was a really great day marked by lots of love between Melissa and Mike and their families and friends, and a fantastic after-party at the Mahan Gallery in the Short North.

Enjoy the show!

A couple quick portraits in The Westin lobby waiting for Mike to arrive for their first look.

I think this is just adorable!

At North Bank Park for some portraits before the rain.

A dreamy view of the bridesmaids.

Expressions are everything.

A couple overall shots of North Bank Park.


This little girl was so cute!

At the Mahan Gallery.

Congratulations, Melissa and Mike!!

Sara and Jason – Pompano Beach, Florida wedding

Where to begin, where to begin?! I spent the past weekend in Florida shooting the fabulous beach wedding of Sara and Jason, who came to me through Megan of Megan and Elwood. My typical “destination weddings” take place in Cleveland, so to be invited to shoot in Florida – which meant flying with all my gear – presented new and great challenges and opportunities. I was thrilled to be included with the intimate group and by the end felt I was part of the family. What a fantastic group they are, too. The whole day was fun and relaxing and filled with joy. It was extremely difficult to narrow down the images to a blog-sized handful, so here’s a good sampling:

Sara’s parents’ best man and his wife did an amazing job of setting everything up and making the beautiful setting even more stunning.

Sara and Jason’s first look.

The Moms. They smiled like this all day! It was infectious!

The Grandpas.

The neighbors, who set up their lounge chairs early for a perfect view of the ceremony.

Post-ceremony meant Kentucky Derby time.

We had a couple opportunities to shoot portraits on the beach and dig our toes into the sand.

Here, Jason is spraying the sand off Sara’s feet.

Love these images with the sparklers.

Congratulations, Sara and Jason, and thanks so much for having me!

Hi! I'm Kirsten... - May 11, 2009 - 2:34 am

Simply GORGEOUS! Both the wedding itself and your coverage of it!!

St. Peters Canton, Glamorgan Castle, Marriott Wedding - January 21, 2012 - 1:01 pm

[…] Saturday morning, we were greeted at Laura’s Canton Marriott hotel room by Sara, Laura’s sister whose wedding I photographed on Pompano Beach three years ago now.  Let me […]

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