5. You'll Build A Relationship with Your Photographer
You likely hired your photographer based on his or her portfolio/Instagram, and a quick meeting; but to truly get to know someone, you have to spend some natural time together.
"The heart has emotional muscle memory, and when we look back on photographs, part of the reason we like or dislike images of ourselves is because of how we felt when the photograph was taken,” says Bradshaw. “If a photographer makes a couple feel uncomfortable, awkward, misheard, or vulnerable, the couple will subconsciously remember that when they look back on that photograph, regardless of how objectively beautiful or perfect the couple looks in the photograph. To truly enjoy your wedding photographs, it's important to take the time to practice with your wedding photographer, to build trust and friendship, so when the photographer walks into the getting-ready suite the morning of the wedding, it's like greeting an old friend instead of meeting a stranger.”
The engagement session also gives you an opportunity to iron out any issues before the big day. “If you have any complaints at all, it’s better to find out before the wedding than after,” says Nia Larsen Reed of Larsen Photo Co. “And if you get along well, you’ll feel like your photographer is an old friend instead of some stranger you hired on your wedding day. You’ll have more fun, they’ll get better photos, and everyone wins!”