Let me give you the blunt version first: engagement photos are important because they're the only time you and your photographer get to practice together before the day that actually counts. In 17 years of shooting weddings across Los Angeles, I've never once regretted doing an engagement session with a couple, and I've watched plenty of couples who skipped one show up on their wedding morning stiff, nervous, and unsure of how to stand next to each other for a camera. That awkwardness costs you real photos.

So no, engagement photos aren't a fluffy add-on your photographer invented to charge you more. They do specific, useful work. Let me walk you through what that work actually is.

The real reason: it's a rehearsal, not a photoshoot

Here's what most couples don't realize until they're in front of my lens. Being photographed is a skill. Not a talent you're born with — a skill. And almost nobody has practiced it. You've taken selfies, sure, but you've never had someone circle you with a camera for an hour telling you where to put your hands.

An engagement session is where you get that reps in. I get to see how you two naturally interact. Does one of you lead? Do you laugh when you're nervous? Does one of you freeze the second the camera comes up? I learn all of it in the first twenty minutes, and I adjust. By the time your wedding rolls around, you already know my voice, my rhythm, the way I ask you to move. That familiarity is worth more than any prop or location.

I'll be honest about something most photographers won't admit: the couples who did engagement sessions with me get noticeably better wedding portraits. Not because they're more photogenic — because they've already burned off the stage fright. When I pull you aside for twenty minutes of couple portraits between your ceremony and reception, you're not meeting me for the first time. You're picking up where we left off.

You learn what you actually look like on camera

A lot of people carry a story in their head — "I photograph badly," "I don't know what to do with my hands," "I hate my smile in pictures." An engagement session quietly dismantles that. You see yourself looking relaxed and genuinely happy, often for the first time, and it changes how you show up on your wedding day.

It also tells us practical things. Which angles you love. Whether you want more candid, in-between moments or cleaner posed frames — and if you're still weighing that, I've written about the real difference between candid and posed wedding photography. We figure out your preferences on a low-stakes Tuesday evening instead of during the chaos of a wedding day when there's no time to experiment.

The location and light lessons pay off later

Los Angeles gives you incredible light if you know when to chase it. When I shoot an engagement session, I'm almost always working the last 90 minutes before sunset. At Griffith Park, that low golden light rakes across the hills and turns the whole city hazy gold behind you. In Malibu, the sun drops into the ocean and you get maybe 15 minutes of unreal color before it's gone. Downtown rooftops hold warm light a little longer because the buildings bounce it around.

Doing the session teaches you something important: light is everything, and timing is everything. Couples who've done an engagement shoot suddenly understand why I'm so protective of their wedding-day timeline and why I fight for that golden-hour window for portraits. They've seen the difference between 4 p.m. flat light and 7 p.m. magic with their own eyes. That makes timeline planning so much easier — and if you want a head start, here's a realistic wedding photography timeline for an LA wedding day.

They earn their keep — literally

Engagement photos aren't just sentimental. They do jobs around your wedding:

  • Save-the-dates and invitations. You need images, and stock-looking couple photos won't cut it. A lot of my couples pull their favorite frame straight from the session — here's my take on using engagement photos for wedding invitations.
  • Guest book and welcome signage. Big prints of you two at the entrance set the tone.
  • Sharing the news. If you're deciding when and how, I've got thoughts on posting engagement photos on social media.
  • Your first real prints together. Framed on a wall, not buried in a phone.

You're paying for a session that keeps giving back all the way up to the wedding. That's not true of most line items on a wedding budget.

What I'd do if it were my own wedding

I'd absolutely do the engagement session, and I'd treat it like a real date. I'd book it for a weekday evening, pick a location that means something to us — the neighborhood where we had our first apartment, not just whatever's trendy on Instagram — and I'd plan to grab dinner after. I'd keep it to about an hour of shooting, which is usually plenty; if you're curious, I break down how long an engagement session should really be.

And I'd hire the same team for the engagement session, the wedding photos, and the video. This is where having everything under one roof matters. At ConneryFilm, my photography and cinematic video are one team, one workflow — so the engagement session doubles as a rehearsal for my whole crew, not just me. My second shooter and my videographer learn your dynamic too. On the wedding day, nobody's fumbling to figure out who you are. That coordination is a big part of why couples ask whether wedding photography is worth it — and the honest answer is that this kind of seamless familiarity is exactly what you're paying for.

When you might genuinely skip it

I won't pretend it's mandatory for everyone. If you're doing a tight courthouse elopement, if you truly hate cameras and know a session will just be stress, or if your budget is razor-thin and you'd rather put that money toward more wedding-day coverage — those are legitimate reasons to skip. In that case I'd strongly suggest we at least meet for coffee and spend 15 minutes on some basics before the wedding, so you're not walking in cold.

But for the vast majority of my Los Angeles couples? The session more than pays for itself in comfort and better photos. Most of my packages include one for exactly that reason.

FAQ

Do engagement photos really make my wedding photos better?

Yes, and it's not a sales line. Couples who've done a session with me are visibly more relaxed on the wedding day. The nervous energy is gone, they already trust my direction, and their portraits come out warmer and more natural because of it.

How far before the wedding should we do them?

Usually four to eight months out, which gives you time to use the images for save-the-dates. I get into the full reasoning in my guide on when to schedule engagement photos. Book earlier if you're on a tight invitation timeline.

How many photos do we get from an engagement session?

From a roughly one-hour LA session I typically deliver around 50 to 80 edited images. That's more than enough for invitations, prints, and social sharing. Here's more on how many engagement photos you actually need.

What if we're genuinely camera-shy?

Then you're exactly who needs the session most. Being awkward on camera is normal — it just means you haven't practiced. That's the whole point of doing this before the wedding instead of discovering it on the day itself.

Are engagement photos worth the extra cost?

In most cases in Los Angeles, standalone sessions run a few hundred dollars, but many photographers — myself included — fold one into the wedding package. Given how much it improves your wedding-day results and how many ways you'll use the images, I think it's one of the better values in the whole wedding budget.

If you're planning a Los Angeles wedding and want a team that treats your engagement session as the first chapter of your story instead of a box to check, I'd love to hear about your day. Call or text 818.749.7039, or reach out through ConneryFilm.com and let's grab a coffee, talk through your venue and timeline, and figure out the right session for you two.

Meet the Author: Connery Davoodian Hello, I'm Connery Davoodian, the visionary behind ConneryFilm, and I'm thrilled to share insights from my 17-year journey through the world of wedding photography and videography. My passion extends beyond simply capturing images; it's about artfully weaving your unique love story into a timeless, cinematic masterpiece. My artistic path began long before I ever picked up a camera, deeply rooted in music as a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. This diverse background in directing, producing, and editing has cultivated a unique perspective, allowing me to approach each wedding not just as an event, but as a dynamic narrative waiting to be beautifully told. This blend of technical mastery and creative storytelling is the heartbeat of ConneryFilm, ensuring that every frame, every shot, and every film is infused with depth, emotion, and unparalleled artistic integrity. At ConneryFilm, we believe your wedding memories deserve nothing less than bespoke luxury. My philosophy centers on capturing the authentic, unscripted moments – the genuine smiles, the tender glances, the joyful laughter – that truly define your day. While we obsess over exquisite details and sophisticated aesthetics, our true joy comes from making you feel completely at ease, like a "friendor" who genuinely celebrates alongside you. This calm, organized presence allows your true personalities to shine, resulting in images and films that are as real and vibrant as your love itself. Based in the heart of Los Angeles, California, my team and I are privileged to serve couples across the globe, bringing our signature high-end wedding photography and videography to destination weddings worldwide. Through these blog posts, I aim to share invaluable insights, luxurious inspiration, and practical, fun advice to guide you through your wedding planning journey, helping you make informed decisions about preserving your most cherished moments. Thank you for trusting ConneryFilm to be a part of your extraordinary adventure. I'm excited to share my knowledge and passion with you, helping you create memories that will last forever.