Your Pre-wedding Session
Its 2025 and you're getting married this year! YAY! :-)
January for me marks the beginning of a new exciting wedding season and more imminently the planning of the pre-wedding sessions. The pre-wedding is something that always comes up during the initial meeting but I always suggest leaving it to closer to the date to decide whether you'd like to do one or not. Pre-Weddings are certainly not for everyone and there is no obligation in booking one but as your wedding photographer I feel it's important to give you all the information available so that you can make the best informed decision, which is why I've compiled all the information below with some helpful tips and suggestions.
5 Good Reasons to book a Pre-Wedding Session
1. Practise for the Wedding Day
2. We’ll get to know each other better :)
3. You can showcase who you are as a couple
4. You’ll have beautiful photos to use at the wedding
5. You’ll get some quality time together
Cost and what’s included
A pre-wedding session costs €350 (excl.VAT)*. This fee includes the following;
1. Two hour photo shoot
2. Two locations of your choice
3. All the final edited images in full resolution (JPEG's) professionally edited with no watermarks
4. Images delivered on your personalised password protected online gallery
*Pre-weddings in Gozo entail a €100 surcharge to cover the additional time and travel costs
**The fee can be paid on the day of the shoot, alternatively I will email you an invoice the day after and the balance can be paid via Bank Transfer.
How does it work?
The first thing to do is to pick a date. After you have booked your date you can take your time to decide on your locations. I always touch base a few weeks before the scheduled date to see what locations you have selected. The time for the photo shoot is set closer to the date as this is sometimes dependant on hair/make-up appointments, light available that time of year etc. On the date of the shoot we will meet at our agreed location and get started. While I will direct you towards 'poses' these are more gentle guides to interaction. If you're less inclined towards public display of affection, rest assured that I won't have you do anything that doesn't feel natural to you. The 'poses' that we'll work with are really designed to get you interacting together which in return will transmit as natural emotions.
Locations
One question I get asked frequently is what locations should we pick? I'd like to start off by saying that there are no bad locations and I always encourage couples to pick locations that mean something to the both of them. Last year I had the opportunity to shoot a pre-wedding on a sailing boat, one in Cafe Jubilee and I also photographed a couple at Aviation Museum. The possibilities are endless.
Here's a list of popular tried and tested locations depending on locality;
NORTH: Bingemma, Dwejra (Malta), Fomm ir-Rih, Ghajn Tuffieha, Gnejna Bay, Mtahleb, Selmun, Golden Bay
CENTRAL: Buskett, Victora Lines (Kuncizzjoni), Fawwara (Siggiewi), Valletta (City), Valletta Breakwater, Mdina
SOUTH: Gardjola Gardens, Chinese Gardens, St. Peter’s Pool, Birgu, Fort Sant' Angelo
GOZO: Citadella, Dwejra, Saltpans, Ramla Bay, Wied L'Ghasri
SUGGESTION: When picking the locations its always best to pick two locations that are in close proximity to each other (i.e. both in the north or both in the south). We don't want to waste valuable time and light travelling from one location to the other.
What days and times can our session take place?
Timing for the session depends on two things; location and time of year. I usually recommend starting at around 3:30pm/4:00pm in February and March ,4:30pm/5:00pm in April and 6pm in the hotter months, July & August.
Pre-wedding sessions are available Monday through Thursdays. Due to a heavy wedding schedule, pre-wedding sessions are not available at the weekends. There is no availabilities for pre-wedding sessions during the peak times, i.e. May and June.
What to wear
The next big question is what am I going to wear? Cue the shopping trips and endless online browsing for outfits. Here's a few things to keep in mind before you start shopping;
Rule One: No Matchy Matchy
Any kind of shoot where you are in matching outfits is going to look awkward.
Rule Two: Complimentary Colours
Complimentary colours are awesome.
Rule Three: Solid Colours and Simple Patterns
Solid colours and simple patterns are photographic gold. Bold patterns can be very distracting in photographs. Black and white can look a little plain in photographs. But if you’ve got your heart set on black or white, think texture and make sure you accessorise with a pop of colour!
Rule Four: Layer & Accessorise
Layering makes it look like you’ve got serious style. Layering also has multiple outfits built in. Think cardigans, sweaters, ties, blazers, scarfs, and tights. Accessories are the finishing touches. Think earrings, necklaces, bracelets, shoes, belts, sunglasses and ties. You won’t wear your sunglasses in every image, but they can add variety and a bit of fun to your shoot!
Rule Five: You should look like you
Don’t go way out of your comfort zone for your shoot.
Can we bring our dog? Our kids?
I have had past clients that have asked to bring their dog and involve their kids during their pre-wedding session. I encourage it. What I do recommend is that you also bring someone else who will be able to take care of them. I suggest including them at the beginning of the session for a brief time and then having a trusted friend or family member take them home. This is to ensure that you can relax and be together which will be hard to do if you're keeping an eye on the kids or you're holding on to a leash.
What if it's going to rain?
If the weather doesn't look promising for your scheduled day we'll touch base a few days beforehand to discuss a plan of action. 99% of the time this would involve picking a new date. Sometimes clients prefer waiting until the morning of the session to see whether it will actually rain although this is not always practical if you have hair and make-up booked. Either way rescheduling is always a possibility and I'd be able to give you my available dates so you can pick a new one. I would only recommend rescheduling in cases where its raining or stormy. Cloudy weather is perfect for photos and can make for some dramatic results in your photos especially during sunset time.
I hope you found the information above helpful! Feel free to discuss it and, if you’re ready to book your pre-wedding session, just click the button below to check available dates and secure your spot. Please note that bookings are on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.
I look forward to being a part of your Wedding Day,
Shane