Free Engagement Session in Ottawa with Wedding Collections
If being in front of the camera feels a little unfamiliar, an engagement session is one of the easiest ways to make your wedding photography experience feel more comfortable before the wedding day even arrives.
When you book one of my wedding collections with 6 hours of coverage or more, I include a complimentary 30-minute engagement session as a gift.
It gives us time to meet in a more relaxed setting, take some beautiful photographs together, and most importantly, help you see that you don’t need to know how to pose to look natural in your photos.
Why I Include a Free Engagement Session in Ottawa
One of the most common things couples tell me is:
“We’re not very good in front of the camera.”
That’s completely normal.
An engagement session gives you a chance to experience how I work before your wedding day. I’ll guide you when you need direction, help with posing and movement, and give you space to simply interact with each other when a moment doesn’t need to be directed.
By the end of the session, you’ll already know what my guidance feels like and what to expect when we work together again on your wedding day.
That familiarity can make a surprisingly big difference.
What’s Included
Your complimentary engagement session includes:
- 30 minutes of photography
- One location
- Professionally edited high-resolution photographs
- Private online gallery for viewing and downloading
- Guidance with posing and natural movement
- Help choosing a location
- Outfit recommendations before your session
The engagement session is included with all wedding collections of 6 hours or more.
It is offered as a complimentary gift and cannot be exchanged for additional wedding-day coverage or another service.
It’s Not Just About Practising for the Wedding
Of course, getting comfortable in front of the camera is useful — but I don’t want the session to feel like a rehearsal.
It’s also an opportunity to create photographs of the two of you during a completely different part of your story.
There’s no wedding-day timeline, guests waiting for you, or reception schedule to think about. We can simply choose a place you enjoy, walk around, talk, laugh, and create photographs that feel like you.
Some couples use their engagement photographs for save-the-dates, invitations, wedding websites, prints, or reception décor. Others simply want a beautiful set of photographs from this stage of their relationship.
Both are perfectly good reasons to do it.
Choosing a Location for Your Engagement Session
Your session can feel completely different depending on the location.
You might prefer something elegant and architectural in downtown Ottawa, a quiet natural setting, a waterfront location, or somewhere that has personal meaning to both of you.
There is no single location that works for every couple.
When we start planning, I’ll help you choose a setting that works with the look you want, the season, the light, and the overall feeling of your session.
If you already have a location in mind, we can discuss that too.
What Should You Wear?
You don’t need to buy completely new outfits just for the session.
What matters most is choosing something that feels like you, fits well, and works together without looking overly coordinated.
Before your engagement session, I’ll provide recommendations to help with colours, textures, styling, and how your outfits will work with the location we choose.
And if you’re deciding between a few options, you’re always welcome to send them to me before the session.
When Should We Schedule It?
There isn’t one perfect time for every couple.
Some couples prefer to have their engagement photographs several months before the wedding so they can use them for invitations or save-the-dates. Others simply want to schedule the session when the season and location they love are available.
We’ll choose the timing together based on your wedding plans, location, and the kind of photographs you’d like to create.
Whenever possible, I also consider the light carefully when choosing the session time. For many outdoor locations, softer morning or evening light can create a particularly beautiful atmosphere.
What If We Feel Awkward in Photos?
You don’t need to arrive knowing what to do.
That’s my job.
I won’t expect you to stand in front of the camera and invent poses. I’ll give you clear direction when it’s useful — where to stand, what to do with your hands, where to look, or how to move — and then allow the interaction between you to happen naturally.
The goal isn’t to make every moment perfectly posed.
It’s to create photographs that feel polished while still looking like the two of you.
For many couples, the biggest benefit of a free engagement session in Ottawa is realizing before the wedding that being photographed can actually feel easy.
How Do I Get the Complimentary Engagement Session?
There is no separate promotion code or additional booking process.
Simply book a wedding photography collection with 6 hours of coverage or more, and the complimentary 30-minute engagement session is included.
After your wedding booking is confirmed, we’ll plan the engagement session together — including timing, location, and what to wear.
If you’re still deciding how much wedding coverage you need, you can explore my Wedding Photography Collections in Ottawa to understand how different coverage options work.
You can also browse my Couples Portfolio to see more engagement and couple photography.
Planning Your Wedding in Ottawa or Gatineau?
If you’re considering wedding photography and would like to know whether your date is available, send me a little information about what you’re planning.
You don’t need to have your entire timeline figured out before getting in touch. We can talk about your plans and decide which amount of coverage makes the most sense for your day.
And with every wedding collection of 6 hours or more, your engagement session is already included.
