Are engagement pictures necessary?

They were included in our package- it was nice IMO it gets to know your photographer. it was a 2.5 hour session and we had a blast.

Nope-- just a personal preference. I wanted them, just to have some current pics of DH and I (and our pup). I ended up using them for a save the date and framed a few in our house, but no real need..

No, but it's nice to have

Totally personal preference. Our engagement pictures were included in our total photography package, so it made sense to do them. It's also nice to have work with your photographer before the wedding and have some nicer pictures of you and your FH. We also used them for our STDs and have some in the house framed.

Nope not necessary. Just a matter of personal preference. We opted out of it because I find it pointless and already have **** pictures of us already and didn't need more until our wedding photos.

Based on the photographer we've been looking at it wouldn't be included. I'd rather use that money on something else or even just some nice family photos of the three of us.

Personal preference. We skipped the engagement photos.

We skipped them

Nope- We are doing it because it came with the package from our photographer. I also wanted them because I want really nice pictures of my FH and I.

Nope. Just another wedding time and money suck. There are countless threads on here about stressing about what to wear to the shoot, etc.

We had an aunt with a great camera take a couple dozen casual shots and picked one to use on our save the dates. Free and Done!

We didn't choose a photography firm until after we mailed-out the save the dates (I know some couples' StD that were delayed, because they were waiting for engagement photos). Their free "shoot" would have to have been at one of their 3 or 4 locations (inside only). I'm guessing the prints from the shoot would have been more money. If we had bought any prints, they would have been taken down the following year, when we got our wedding photos done. Now, our wedding photos have pretty much been replaced by baby photos.

Since we weren't assigned a photography/videography team until 1 month before the wedding, getting to know the photographer at the engagement shoot wouldn't have done one thing. People have been having professional photos taken at their weddings for decades upon decades. Only recently have we been hearing for the need to get even more pro photos done and the "getting to know your photographer" line.

P.S. My sister married 1.5 hours away from our hometown. She contacted one photographer who insisted that he do engagement photos, at his location, as part of his package. They had no interest in taking off a day of work and spending 3 hours of driving time, plus whatever the shoot time was. She crossed him off the list. He was pretty pushy over the phone. If they had gone with them, I don't think they would have made it past the engagement shoot.

We negotiated it out of our package, along with the photo album.. because of that we were able to book 2 photographers instead of just 1.

@dreamer did you use Eivans by any chance?

We didn't do them. I didn't see a point in spending $1500 on photography for 1 to 3 photos for the STDs and wedding website. We did want a new photo for the STDs so we asked one of FH groomsmen (who who is an amateur photographer; everyone knows one of those) to take some photos of us at our first date location. The photoshoot took 30 minutes and afterwards we treated him to dinner.

Personal preference! We loath photo shoots and wanted a nice appetizer to the wedding photos. We also didn't have a lot of nicer photos with us but they were also included with our wedding photo package.

No but it gives you a chance to get to know your photog

I didn't do them! I figured that I wasn't going to look at them after the wedding anyways.

We weren't going to do them because we thought they were cheesy. But it was part of our photographer's package so we ended up getting them. We'll prob use the pics for holiday cards and that's about it since we already sent out save the dates. You don't need them but I don't think you'll regret it!

I am so glad we took them! 1 - Because they are so cute! 2- Because it was a huge learning experience before the wedding! There are things I will do differently for the wedding photos, like in regards to the way I style myself and pose! Highly recommend taking them and getting to know your photographer better!

Nope. We're not using it for our save the dates but, it was part of our package and we don't have any professional pictures together so we decided to take advantage of it.

We wouldn't have done them if they weren't included in our package. It was nice though to be able to work with the photographer before the actual wedding.