Wedding Wednesdays Q&A: When To Book Your Engagement Photos

Q: I’m thinking about doing some engagement photos next year.  Is that something I should book now or later?  Also, how much do engagement photos cost? 

Great question!  Since you have two questions, we’ll start with the first.  You can book your engagement photo session now or closer to the timeframe when you’d ideally like to take them.  Either way is ok.  However, there are a couple of factors you’ll want to keep in mind which may push you one way or another.

Factor #1 – If you want your wedding photographer to take your engagement photos

If you are planning on using the same photographer for your wedding and engagement photos, I would suggest you book that all at the same time.  It makes it easy and simple.  You’ll want to book your wedding photographer earlier as opposed to later, so in that case, you’d book your engagement session earlier as well.

Now, if you already booked your wedding photographer, don’t worry!   You can always add on an engagement session.  That’s super easy.  You’d just reach out to your photographer and ask them about it and get a revised proposal.

Since your engagement session is already on the books, you can just schedule it when it gets closer.  That way you’ll have a better idea of which dates work for you and them.

Factor #2 – If you want a different photographer to take your engagement photos

If you are planning on using a different photographer for your engagement session, because you want someone local or are doing it in a different location (or for another reason completely), I would book that later.  Wait to book that until you know who you want and when you’re looking to do it.

Since you’ll be booking this photographer for a specific date, you want to know that before you actually book them.  Once you have a date or or a few dates that work, then you can reach out them.

The exception to this would be if you have to have a particular photographer.  Then you’ll want to reach out them earlier and make sure they’re free for your timeframe.  Then talk to them about how best to proceed so that you don’t lose them.  That may be booking them for the session without a solid date or choosing a general date now.

Ok, so now to answer your second question.  When it comes to the cost for engagement photos, that will heavily depend on the area and photographer.  It will also depend on how many hours they’ll be spending with you and the location of your photos. However, in general, engagement sessions will range between about $300-1,500. Within that, most photographers will cost between about $500-1,000.

(Photo credit: Kate Webber)