To think engagement photo shoots are the cringiest of cringe

[DollyMixture99]

And I will definitely not be having one!

[madamginger]

I had one 10 years ago and mine isn't cringey or cheesy.
So yabu!

[Charitybelle]

Yep, cringey, and a bit narcissistic...?

[Charitybelle]

Sorry madamginger!

[DollyMixture99]

I just don't understand why anyone needs professional photos of them gazing into each others eyes or hiding behind a tree? Seems very twee to me.

[fairgroundsnack]

Lots of wedding photographers do them as part of their package to get to know the couple - so I had one just because it was there!

[madamginger]

Mine was part of our photography package for the wedding, I have some lovely candid shots of DH and I and I look so young too.

[LizardBreath]

Nearly all photographers include them as part of the wedding package. They give the couple a chance to get used to being together in front of the camera.

I think they're great! Love seeing people's pics.

[wanderingcloud]

I can see why photographers offer it, useful to get an idea of shots/poses the couple like etc before the big day. But they cringeworthy when openly shared. It's like people think being engaged suddenly makes them minor celebrities. So YANBU!

[londonrach]

We didn't get one done. Did I miss something. In fact I don't know anyone who got one done. Sister no. Friends no. Going to wedding today and no engagement photo done for them either. Is this American thing?

[WooWooOwl]

I wouldn't want one (so didn't have one even though our wedding photographer offered it) but it's a very minor thing to judge other people on. If they are getting pleasure out of it, then good for them.

I had a boudoir shoot which I know many people would think is utterly awful, but I had a fun day, a good confidence boosting experience, a wedding gift for DH that he loved, and a chance to see for real what difference good lighting and editing can make.i think it's a bit small minded to criticise other people's harmless choices, we can all like the same things.

[UpUpAndAway123]

I agree....was saying this the other day when a load flashed up on Facebook! Think they are a good idea for the photographer to get to know the couple-but I don't want to see them thanks
They were included in my shoot but as wedding was planned quite quickly we swapped them for a family shoot 18 months later

[Fairylea]

I'm not a fan of professional photos at all to be honest unless for a wedding. I think they just look so staged and fake. I'd much rather have photos I've taken of the dc doing things they love or caught in the moment... then you're capturing the moment and memory itself.. I don't know if I'm making sense :) I know people like professional family photos a lot, I guess everyone is different.

My mil has tons of the grandchildren dotted around the living room and keeps asking us to take our dc to have them done but we don't want to. We've offered her photos we've taken but they're not good enough.

[ApocalypseThen]

I didn't have them, and I'm a bit sorry, really. Getting engaged was a massively exciting time and really, milk it for all the experiences you can. It's all so fleeting.

[TalcumPowder]

They're nearly as bad as those soft-focus pregnancy shots on a beach with the father-to-be kneeling ecstatically by the bare bump like he's just seen the Second Coming, all blown up on canvas and stuck over the mantelpiece.

[Jumblebee]

I was just discussing this yesterday.

I just don't know why anyone would?! It makes me think that they're a bit narcissistic, surely people don't careTHAT much that you're engaged that they'd want to see a professional photo shoot announcing that fact?!

I'm not a fan of engagement parties either but I'm not sure if that's just because I'm a miserable cow!

[CromerSutra]

My cousin and her fiancé had some done and they were really fantastic. Not at all naff or cringed. Just really flattering, brilliant photos.

[LittleBearPad]

Fairy I get that too. DD's nursery do photos on a day she doesn't attend so I've taken her once but can't be arsed to go generally. Mil wanted me to so she could have a picture. The 1000 odd I've taken on my phone aren't apparently right.

[ElephantsNeverForgive]

The photo my cousin and his GF put on their invite was really lovely. Just a good photo of two happy people together.

They said it was just part if the getting to know the photographer and decide what you want meeting.

[BrandyAlexander]

Feel free to think they are cringey but IMHO I think in some cases it would be brave not to do test/engagement photos prior to the wedding day. Dh and I are different colourings and our photo shoot allowed the photographer to check the best settings on her camera. Also, she discovered at the shoot that dh blinks a lot so she used a different filter (or something like that!). We have lovely relaxed photos from that shoot and perfect photos from the actual day.

[CasperGutman]

YANBU. Our photographer offered one as part of his package, but we negotiated swapping it for an extra hour's photography and additional photos on our wedding day.

[MrsDavidBowie]

Love Talcum powder's comment.
The dreamy ones reflected in wine glasses were particularly grim.

[PossumPoo]

What a load of toss! People have been having wedding photos for a long time without the photographer having to 'get to know them'

As for the photographer getting used to the different colourings