Beach Engagement Session | Lake Champlain Vermont

Expressing Your True Selves on Your Wedding Day: The Importance of an Alternative Engagement Session with a Vermont Wedding Photographer

Your wedding day is one of the most memorable days of your life, and being able to feel totally at ease is important. However, the pressure to look perfect and have everything go according to plan can be overwhelming. This is where an engagement session comes in handy.

An engagement session is not just another thing to add to your wedding to-do list. It’s an opportunity for us to get to know each other, get comfortable in front of the camera, and most importantly, let loose and have some fun. After all these years of photographing weddings, I’ve found that having a pre-wedding session with my couples has made a huge difference in their overall wedding day experience. It allows you to forget about the cameras completely and be FULLY present on your wedding day. Want those beautiful candid and unposed photos on your wedding day? This is how we make those happen!

Now, the term “engagement session” tends to make these sessions sound pretty boring. You probably don’t spend your real life cuddling in random places and standing with your eyes closed. This is where the Alternative, or Alt-Session comes into play.

artistic engagement photography by andy madea

Beyond just getting comfortable in front of the camera, an alternative engagement session also allows us to capture some beautiful, intimate moments between you and your partner that show who you really are. We’ll work together to choose a location that’s meaningful to you, whether it’s a favorite park, a coffee shop, your own backyard or that one city you visited on vacation once. If you are getting married here in Vermont, then you are already well aware of the endless beautiful spots and things to do! If you aren’t sure where you want to do it, or what you want to do, Let’s have a chat about who you two are and what you do for fun. From there I and can suggest unique spots that truly reflect your personality and love for each other. There’s no shortage of stunning locations here in Vermont, so let’s find the perfect place for the two of you to be yourselves.

adventure engagement session, couple on paddleboard by andy madea
engagement session, underwater portrait by andy madea
underwater portraits, engagement session, underwater portrait by andy madea

Speaking of unique locations, let’s talk about Katie and Bryan’s summer shoot on the lake. For this alternative engagement session, we headed out to their backyard, which is a private beach on Lake Champlain. A typical summer evening for them consists of a swim, paddle board session and a beer on beach for sunset. So thats exactly what we did.

With the underwater housing for my camera, we were able to create some truly unique and fun portraits that captured their playful and adventurous spirits.

underwater portrait session, vermont wedding photography by andy madea
lake champlain engagement session, vermont wedding photography, by andy madea
underwater portrait session, vermont wedding photography by andy madea
underwater portrait session, vermont wedding photography by andy madea

In conclusion, an alternative engagement session is an excellent way to prepare for your big day. It allows you to get to know me, get comfortable in front of the camera, and most importantly, create some beautiful memories that you’ll cherish for a lifetime. It can be in Vermont, or literally anywhere else that is special to you. So, don’t be afraid to try something different, embrace the experience, and let your true selves shine through in your candid engagement photos.

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Andy Madea Photography