10 Creative Ways to Use Engagement Photos
I am always faced with two questions surrounding an engagement session: why are they important and what will I use them for? Obviously social media is a great way to use them, but is there really any other way to get the most out of your session? Well, besides the number of reasons why it’s so important to have an engagement session, there are so many creative ways to use your engagement photos!
I have picked the top ten ways below, but there are always new, fun, creative, and innovative ways that people find and I would love to hear them! If you have any other fun ideas to share, please comment them in this post!
1. Save the dates
One of the most frequent ways people use their engagement session photos is to send out their Save-the-Date cards. It’s a great way to share with friends and family when the big day is - and great to share how you two interact together, especially for those who maybe haven’t gotten a lot of face time with you both. There are some great resources out there to create a personalized Save-the-Date that fits your unique style such as Minted, Basic Invite, and Elli.
2. Thank you cards
As a small token of your gratitude, thank you notes are an intimate way to show people how much they matter. What better way to say thank you than with your face on it! It will just resonate with the receiving party just how much your love together was worth whatever you’re thanking them for. Whether it’s for a bridal shower gift, wedding gift, or even to a vendor for making your wedding complete, thank you cards are perfect ways to use your engagement photos.
3. Wedding website
It’s no doubt that we live in a digital age today. And more than ever, people have been utilizing this fact to benefit the planning of their wedding. Places like The Knot and WeddingWire include help with setting up your free site - so you might as well showcase those photos of you two!
4. Engagement book
It’s so easy to forget that other people weren’t with you when all the photos were taken, and that they are eager to see more. One special way to share the special news of your engagement with others is to have a small book that walks through all the photos together. I personally love the options Artifact Uprising has for books, and you can easily lay out the book how you want. Let me tell you, friends and family members (especially grandparents) will love this. Oh, and it’s a great little thing to add to any engagement party or bridal shower!
5. Wedding Guest book
A guest book at a wedding is a nice way for you to look back at all those who attended your big day. Traditionally, this book is just lines on a page for guests to put their name, notes, and sometimes their address. Why not do something unique and make a guest book with your engagement photos? With layouts that give white space, guests will be able to pick a page they want to leave a note and it becomes more personal. Guests will be in love with watching the love you share for one another.
6. Decorate your home
Digital photos are so convenient to have on your phone to show people while you are on the go. The art of having photos printed out and in your home is slowly starting to come back, and what better way to celebrate your love together than to decorate your home? From canvas prints to framed images, add a nice touch to your home with your engagement photos. And once your wedding photos are done, you can add to your wall and show the stages of love! My best friend did this the best with her wall:
7. Gifts for parents/grandparents
A great way to utilize your engagement photos is to give them as a gift to parents and/or grandparents. It could be a framed photo for them to hang on their wall for guests to see when they walk in, or even just some prints for them to carry around to look at, show off, or even hang where they want - photos of the stage of life you are in, those are so cherished by parents and grandparents.
8. Christmas cards
There might come a time where you realize that everyone you know won’t be invited to your wedding. But, you still want to shout your love for each other from the rooftops, so using your engagement photos as a Christmas card is a great way to spread the good news!
9. Bridal shower
People come to bridal showers to celebrate you and your happiness. You can just as easily show this off with your engagement photos printed out and used to decorate the party. Depending on your style, you could just get the prints and just lay them out around the tables, find a plethora of mix-matched frames to set them in, or make table markers with them. This could also be used at your wedding too!
10. Coffee table book
Another way to spice up your home with your engagement photos is to make a coffee table book - basically a printed album of your session. I will always be an advocate of printing images because you have a tangible reason to look back on some great memories. It’s also nice when you have friends over and they can flip through it. Plus, you can add multiple coffee table books when the next monumental moments come along - your wedding, pregnancy, first child, etc. - thus adding a collection of memories to look back on instead of relying on “the cloud” to always keep your memories.
Still have doubts on why you should do an engagement session? I have so many reasons why I feel it’s vital - not only to work with a photographer before your wedding, but also for you to look back in time at a moment of pure joy and love. Check it out here: