The engagement shoot of Sophie and Angus was a present from Sarah, Sophie‘s mum, something that the couple would not have considered doing but they enjoyed and appreciated the moment. I’m delighted of course, that Sarah asked me to do it.

Here are a few reasons that I think might help couples to consider doing a pre-wedding photoshoot.

• You get to know your wedding photographer
• You become used to being in front of the camera
• Capturing the very special time of just the two of you
• Enjoying a very unique experience
• Create memorable pictures

The location for the engagement shoot is always a popular topic.

My suggestion to my couples is always to choose a location that is meaningful to them. A place that holds memory and connects with their love story.

One more key point is how to relax and the importance of body language. Natural-looking photographs are beautiful, the secret is not to overthink. Simply allow yourself to be in love. Be playful, romantic, and cuddle each other a lot!

This is exactly what happened with Sophie and Angus. They were a bit nervous to start with but managed to connect and relax in a very organic way very quickly. The body language in the pictures is a beautiful display of deep love for each other. I adore how Angus embraces Sophie with care and in a very protective way.

To help the couple visualise and understand the engagement shoot I created a Pinterest board with a collection of images explaining my way of working. My favourite pictures of Sophie and Angus are the ones where they're relaxed and they were very playful near the lake, so happy and free spirit.

I asked the couple a few questions...

How did you meet?
We met on a night out where we got chatting at a bar and then went on a date – the rest is history!

We would love to hear about the proposal.
The proposal was beautiful and very relaxed at home. We then went on a walk on Wimbledon common after and that is why we chose it as our engagement photoshoot.

What do you both do for a living?
We both work for large corporate companies in London.

Tell us about your wedding plans.
We plan to get married in London as it is where we are both from in September (in the hopes that there will still be some sun). We want everyone to have a relaxed fun day with lots of bubbly, good food and dancing.

Your (both of you) thoughts about the engagement shoot. Would you recommend it? If so why?
We were not initially keen on doing an engagement shoot, as we don't like being in front of the camera. However, my mother thought it might be a good idea and wanted us to have an engagement photo as a present. Now having done it we're so glad we did, not only do we have some beautiful photos to treasure, we have a good idea of what to expect on our wedding day. I can imagine it would be slightly overwhelming otherwise and it also meant we both got to meet Paola and know how she likes to work and what looks good before the big day!

Thank you Sophie and Angus for sharing this with us. Looking forward to the BIG day.

Please, get in touch if you are looking for a wedding photographer in Twickenham, Richmond or London.