Charlotte and Sam are getting married tomorrow at Prested Hall near Colchester, Essex and I’m really looking forward to photographing their big day – and the weather forecast is looking good at the moment!. It will be my first time as the wedding photographer at Prested Hall and it looks like a great venue.

As part of my wedding package I include a Pre-wedding shoot or Engagement shoot. This is where I meet with the couple at a place of their choice, it may be a park, the beach or somewhere special to them. We spend a couple of hours or so getting some nice informal photos before they tie the knot.

These sessions are casual and fun and really help to get the couple used to being photographed so that on the wedding day they are used to me, they know what to expect and are generally more comfortable in front of the camera. Photographs always look better when you are relaxed. I’m not a great fan of having my own photograph taken and my recent experience of being photographed to have a profile photo for my website was really valuable as it reminded me what it feels like to be on the other side of the camera!

The other plus to come out of a Pre-wedding shoot is that the couple could decide to have a signature mount at their wedding reception. This is where they select their favourite shot from the Pre-wedding shoot and I have it professionally printed, mounted and framed. It comes without the glass in the front so when displayed at the wedding reception guests sign the mount around the photograph. The next day all you have to do is open the back of the frame, move the glass to the front and you have a beautiful framed portrait of the couple with the signatures of all the family and friends who attended the wedding. It’s really a more modern version of a guestbook that doubles up as a piece of art that you can hang in your home – a great reminder of the day.

Here are a few of the shots from our session:

I think you’ll agree that they make a good looking couple and you’d never guess from the photo’s that Sam was supposedly a bit camera shy! Looking forward to tomorrow.