Do I Need an Engagement Session Before My Wedding?
No, you don’t need an engagement session before your wedding. Your wedding photos can still be beautiful without one.
But as a wedding photographer, I recommend engagement sessions to my couples whenever possible. And surprisingly, it’s not really because you need more photos.
The biggest benefit is getting comfortable with your photographer and figuring out what it actually feels like to be photographed together before your wedding day.
Because unless you secretly model on the weekends, you probably don’t spend your normal evenings walking through a garden, staring lovingly at your fiancé while someone follows you around with a camera.
That’s one of the reasons I love photographing engagement sessions in Knoxville and East Tennessee before the wedding day..
I recently photographed Emma and Mitchell’s engagement session at the Knoxville Botanical Garden, and it was a perfect example of what I love about these sessions. We had the most beautiful golden-hour light, plenty of time to explore, and absolutely no wedding-day timeline yelling at us from the background.
An Engagement Session Is Basically a Practice Run
This is probably the biggest reason I recommend engagement photos.
Your engagement session lets you experience how I photograph before your wedding.
When I photographed Emma and Mitchell at the Botanical Gardens, I wasn’t expecting them to arrive knowing exactly where to stand, where to look, or what to do with their hands.
The hands are always the first betrayal.
I guided them.
Sometimes that meant giving them a specific pose. Other times, I gave them something simple to do and let the moment happen naturally from there.
That’s generally how I photograph my couples. I want you to know that I’m there to help, but I also don’t want your entire gallery to look like I carefully arranged two very attractive mannequins.
I want movement. I want you interacting. I want the photos to actually feel like the two of you.
During your engagement session, we figure out that rhythm together.
It’s also a big part of how I approach wedding photography: plenty of guidance when you need it, without making the entire day feel like one long photoshoot.
“But We’re Really Awkward in Front of the Camera”
If I had a dollar for every couple who told me this, I could probably buy another lens.
Seriously, I hear it ALL the time.
And if this is you, an engagement session might actually be more helpful, not less.
You are not expected to arrive knowing how to pose.
I’ll guide you when you need it. We might start with something a little more directed, and then I’ll have you walk, move, talk to each other, or interact so we can get those more natural moments too.
Sometimes I’ll adjust your hands. Sometimes I’ll tell you where to look. Sometimes I’ll tell you to completely ignore me, which might be the easiest instruction I give you all evening.
You do not need to spend the week before your engagement session practicing poses in the bathroom mirror.
Please don’t.
Your job is basically to show up with your person.
I’ll handle the rest.
If you want to see more of what that actually looks like, you can check out some of my Knoxville engagement photography here.
You Get to Know Your Wedding Photographer Before the Wedding
This part is easy to overlook when you’re planning a wedding.
Your photographer is going to be around you for a LOT of your wedding day.
I’ll be there while you’re getting ready, during portraits, through family photos, at your ceremony, and probably somewhere nearby while someone is desperately searching for a missing boutonniere.
It’s nice when your wedding day isn’t the first time we’ve actually spent time together.
Emma and Mitchell are getting married in October, so their Botanical Gardens engagement session gave us the opportunity to work together before I photograph their wedding.
Now, when their wedding day arrives, we’re not starting from scratch.
They already know how I photograph and how I guide them, and I’ve already had the chance to see what feels natural for them as a couple.
That familiarity can make wedding portraits feel SO much easier.
That’s one of the reasons I include an engagement session with my wedding photography packages.
Your Wedding Portraits Usually Feel Easier
Wedding days move fast.
You would be amazed at how quickly “we have plenty of time!” turns into “okay, we have seven minutes before the reception entrance.”
Even with a great wedding timeline, your couple portraits might happen between family photos, your grand entrance, dinner, speeches, or the last few minutes of golden hour.
Your engagement session is different.
We have time.
We can walk around. We can try something. If it feels weird, we laugh and try something else. Nobody is waiting for us to cut a cake.
By the wedding, you’ve already done this once.
You don't have to spend the beginning of your wedding portraits figuring out how I work because you already know.
Instead, you can spend more of that time actually enjoying the fact that YOU JUST GOT MARRIED.
Which is kind of the whole point.
Engagement Photos Can Be an Actual Date
Please don’t turn your engagement session into another stressful item on your wedding checklist.
Make a date out of it.
Emma and Mitchell chose the Knoxville Botanical Garden, which gave us plenty of space to explore and absolutely gorgeous light as the sun started going down.
That’s exactly the kind of experience I want my couples to have.
Pick somewhere you actually want to spend an evening.
Go out for dinner afterward. Bring a picnic. Grab coffee beforehand. Walk around after we're finished.
You’re allowed to enjoy the location you picked instead of spending the entire day thinking, “THE PHOTOS ARE AT 6:30.”
Your engagement session can be part photoshoot, part date night.
And yes, you’re absolutely allowed to reward yourselves with tacos afterward.
I support this decision.
You’ll Have Professional Photos Before Your Wedding
Of course, there’s another pretty great benefit.
You actually get engagement photos.
You can use them for:
Save-the-dates
Wedding invitations
Your wedding website
Guest books
Prints for your home
Reception decorations
Social media announcements
Gifts for parents or grandparents
But you also don’t need an excuse to have them.
Your engagement is its own little season of your relationship.
Someday you’ll have hundreds of wedding photos, vacation photos, blurry phone pictures, screenshots you forgot why you saved, and approximately 4,000 photos of your future children or pets.
It’s pretty special to have photographs of just the two of you during the time when you were simply excited about getting married.
Where Should We Take Engagement Photos in Knoxville?
Knoxville has so many beautiful options for engagement photography, and the Knoxville Botanical Garden is definitely one of them.
Emma and Mitchell’s session is a great example of why I love photographing couples there.
There’s enough variety that we can move around and create different looks without spending half of your session getting back into the car, driving somewhere else, finding parking, getting back out of the car...
We came here for engagement photos, not a Knoxville transportation tour.
And when we get that beautiful golden-hour light, even better.
But your engagement session doesn’t have to be at the Botanical Gardens.
We can choose gardens, parks, open fields, downtown locations, mountain views, or somewhere that actually means something to the two of you.
I photograph engagement sessions throughout Knoxville, Maryville, and East Tennessee, and I’m always happy to help my couples choose a location based on the season, lighting, outfits, and overall look they want.
What If We Really Don’t Want an Engagement Session?
Then don’t force yourself to have one.
I recommend engagement sessions, but I don’t believe you need to check every traditional wedding box just because Pinterest has decided you do.
If an engagement session genuinely isn't important to you, that's okay.
We can still create beautiful wedding photos.
I’ll guide you through your wedding portraits whether we’ve had an engagement session together or not.
You might just need a little more time at the beginning to get used to being photographed and learn how I direct you.
And I promise I will not arrive at your wedding disappointed that you didn't spend an evening frolicking through a field with me six months earlier.
We're good.
So, Do You Need an Engagement Session Before Your Wedding?
Need one? No.
Would I recommend one? Absolutely.
Not because you need another collection of pretty photos, but because the experience can make your wedding photography feel so much more familiar.
You get to practice being photographed together without wedding-day pressure.
I get to learn how you interact.
You get to learn how I work.
And we all figure out what to do with the hands.
Emma and Mitchell’s Botanical Gardens session was exactly that: a beautiful evening, gorgeous golden-hour photos, and a chance for us to work together before I photograph their October wedding.
Now when their wedding day gets here, we’ve already done this once.
If you’re planning a wedding in Knoxville, Maryville, the Smoky Mountains, or anywhere around East Tennessee and you’re looking for a Knoxville and East Tennessee wedding photographer, I’d love to hear what you’re planning.
Engagement sessions are complimentary when you book your wedding photography with me, so we’ll have our own little practice run before your wedding day.
And yes, I’ll tell you what to do with your hands.
The Best Photo Locations in Maryville & Knoxville, Tennessee
Because choosing where to take your photos should be part of the fun.
You booked the session.
Now comes one of my favorite questions:
Where are we going?
And no, the answer doesn't always have to be “some field somewhere around sunset.”
East Tennessee has SO many beautiful places for photos. We have historic homes and gardens, downtown streets, bright studios, huge trees, open fields, beautiful architecture, and plenty of places where the kids can actually move instead of being asked to stand still and smile for an hour.
The location you choose can completely change the feeling of your photos.
A downtown session feels different from a garden session. A studio gives us something completely different from a park. And sometimes the perfect location isn't the fanciest one at all. It's simply the place that feels most like you.
As a Maryville photographer serving Knoxville and East Tennessee, I've definitely collected a few favorites.
So whether you're planning family photos, celebrating your pregnancy, newly engaged, updating your portraits, or just finally getting everyone in front of the camera, here are some of my favorite photo locations in Maryville and Knoxville, Tennessee.
Broadway Avenue | Downtown Maryville, TN
For the “let's do something different” people.
Give me sidewalks, storefronts, brick, interesting architecture and two people walking around downtown like they have somewhere important to be.
I LOVE the personality a Downtown Maryville photo session can have.
Instead of staying in one spot, we can walk around Broadway Avenue, find interesting little corners, use the buildings around us, and create photos that feel a little more editorial while still being relaxed.
It's especially fun for couples because the session can feel less like taking pictures and more like wandering around downtown together while I happen to be following you with a camera.
Perfect for: couples, engagement sessions, maternity and portraits.
And since you're already downtown, you're surrounded by plenty of reasons not to go straight home afterward.
Maryville College | Maryville, TN
A little bit of everything without leaving Maryville.
Maryville College is one of those locations where we can turn around and suddenly have an entirely different background.
Big trees? Yep.
Open green spaces? Yep.
Beautiful architecture and pathways? Also yep.
That's exactly what makes Maryville College photo sessions so versatile. We can create a gallery with plenty of variety without spending half your session getting back into the car and driving somewhere else.
For families, there's room for kids to move.
For maternity sessions, we can go soft and natural or dress things up a little.
For couples and engagements, we can walk around campus and let things happen naturally instead of constantly stopping for another pose.
Perfect for: families, maternity, couples, engagement sessions and portraits.
Bicentennial Park | Maryville, TN
Green, relaxed and made for movement.
If you have little kids who consider standing still a personal attack, this might be your place.
Bicentennial Park in Maryville gives us greenery, trees, walking paths and room to actually do something.
Walk together. Chase the kids. Cuddle up. Explore.
I don't need everyone staring at my camera for an entire session. Some of my favorite family photos happen when everybody forgets they're supposed to be taking pictures in the first place.
It's also beautiful for maternity and couples sessions when you want something outdoors that feels simple and natural.
Perfect for: families, maternity, couples and relaxed portraits.
The Holmstead Studio | Knoxville, TN
One location. So many possibilities.
This one has my heart.
The Holmstead Studio in Knoxville gives us beautiful indoor spaces, natural light, fields and multiple settings that can make one gallery look like we went to several different locations.
Want something soft and intimate?
We can do that.
Want to step outside and chase the evening light?
We can do that too.
It's especially beautiful for Knoxville maternity sessions and engagement photos, but it works wonderfully for couples, families and bridal portraits too.
If you love photos that feel romantic, warm and just a little more elevated, put this one on your list.
Perfect for: maternity, engagement, couples, family and bridal portraits.
Studio rental fees apply.
Knoxville Botanical Garden | Knoxville, TN
For when you want... everything.
Can't decide between flowers, greenery, stone, architecture and open spaces?
Good.
You don't have to.
Knoxville Botanical Garden gives us so much variety that it's easily one of my favorite outdoor photo locations in Knoxville.
Instead of planting ourselves in one spot, we get to wander.
And that's exactly what I love about it.
Walking gives couples something natural to do, gives kids something to explore, and gives us those little in-between moments that often become the photos you love most.
Depending on the season, the garden can also look completely different from one session to the next.
Perfect for: family photos, maternity, couples, engagement sessions and portraits.
Professional photography fees may apply.
The Bleak House | Knoxville, TN
This is your excuse to dress UP.
Some locations practically ask for the pretty dress.
Bleak House in Knoxville is one of them.
Historic architecture, beautiful columns, gardens and an elegant setting give photos a timeless feeling that's completely different from a traditional outdoor park session.
I especially love it for Knoxville engagement photos and bridal portraits because it gives us that little hint of wedding-day romance before the wedding even arrives.
But don't count it out for maternity or couples portraits either.
If your Pinterest board is full of romantic, classic, slightly more formal photos, I would absolutely consider this one.
Perfect for: engagement, bridal, couples, maternity and formal portraits.
Professional photography/location fees apply.
The White Room Studio | Knoxville, TN
Simple can be SO good.
Sometimes we don't need flowers, fields or a dramatic background.
Sometimes all we need is beautiful light and you.
The White Room Studio in Knoxville gives us a bright, clean setting where the people in the photos become the entire focus.
It's especially beautiful for maternity sessions because there aren't a million things competing for attention. It's also a great choice for couples, smaller families and portraits when you want something modern and intimate.
And there's another little bonus:
Tennessee weather can do whatever it wants.
We'll be inside.
Perfect for: maternity, couples, families and portraits.
Studio rental fees apply.
Sequoyah Hills Park | Knoxville, TN
Give me the golden light.
Big trees. Open spaces. Room to walk. Beautiful evening light.
There's a reason Sequoyah Hills Park is such a good Knoxville photo location.
Nothing about it needs to feel complicated.
For families, kids have room to run and play.
For couples, we can walk, talk, cuddle up in the grass and let the session feel more like an evening together.
For maternity photos, the greenery and golden-hour light create that soft, natural feeling that photographs beautifully.
Bring a blanket and this one can easily turn into a little picnic when we're finished.
Perfect for: families, maternity, couples and engagement sessions.
But here's the thing...
Your photo session doesn't have to be the whole plan.
This might actually be my favorite part.
You're already getting everyone ready.
You've picked the outfits. Your hair is done. Somehow all the kids are clean at the exact same time. Or maybe it's just the two of you and you're dressed nicer than you have been in three months.
Please don't immediately go home and put sweatpants on.
Okay, you can. I'm not the boss of you.
But you could also make a day out of it.
Many of these Maryville and Knoxville photography locations are close to restaurants, parks, coffee shops, downtown areas and other places you can enjoy before or after your session.
Have the picnic.
Make the dinner reservation.
Grab coffee before we meet.
Let the kids pick an ice cream place afterward.
Turn your engagement session into date night.
Take your maternity photos and go have one of those quiet dinners together before life gets a whole lot louder.
Your photo session doesn't have to feel like another appointment on the calendar.
Let it be the reason you made plans.
Because years from now, I don't just want you to remember what you were wearing.
I want the photos to bring back the whole day.
The restaurant you tried afterward.
The way the kids ran around the park.
How excited you were about the wedding.
How close you were to meeting your baby.
How good it felt to actually slow down and spend some time together.
That's when a photo becomes more than a pretty picture.
It becomes attached to a memory.
And if none of these locations feel like you?
That's completely okay.
Your backyard. Your family's property. Your favorite coffee shop. Downtown. Your home. A field you drive past every day. The place you had your first date.
I'm always open to somewhere new.
As a photographer based in Maryville, Tennessee and serving Knoxville and East Tennessee, I'll help you choose a location that works for your session, your people and the way you want your photos to feel.
You don't need to know exactly where you want to go.
Tell me the feeling you're looking for, and we'll find the place that fits.
Ready to plan your session?
Whether you're looking for a family photographer, maternity photographer, couples photographer or engagement photographer in Maryville or Knoxville, let's make your photos something you actually have fun creating.
Pick the location. Make some plans. Let's make a day out of it.
Emily & Michael’s Engagement Session at The Holmstead Studio
Some love stories just feel like they’re exactly where they’re supposed to be. Emily and Michael’s is one of them.
These two met at church, and their faith has been part of their relationship from the very beginning. They share a love for their church, for life, and most importantly, for each other. And on July 31, 2026, they officially started a brand-new chapter together when Michael asked Emily to marry him at Melton Hill Park.
And can we talk about the ring for a second? Because he did GOOD. It is absolutely beautiful, and of course we had to make sure it got plenty of attention during their engagement photos.
Not long after their engagement, we met at The Holmstead Studio for their engagement session. We photographed inside the beautiful glass house, and the evening could not have given us better light. The entire space was bright and glowing, and somehow it matched these two perfectly.
From the moment we started, Emily and Michael were so easy together. There were plenty of laughs, little looks at each other, and those moments where you almost forget there’s a camera in the room. They didn’t need to pretend to be in love for their photos. You could see it.
That’s one of my favorite parts about engagement photography.
Yes, we’re taking the pretty ring photos and the photos you’ll share when you announce that you’re getting married, but we’re also documenting this tiny little in-between season.
You’re not dating anymore. You’re not married yet. You’re right here, planning a wedding and dreaming about the life you’re about to build together.
And Emily and Michael are SO ready for it.
The beautiful light inside The Holmstead Studio, their personalities, their laughter, and the excitement of being newly engaged made this one of those sessions that just felt happy from beginning to end.
Years from now, when the wedding has come and gone, and July 31 feels much farther away, I hope these photos bring them right back to this version of themselves: newly engaged, completely in love, and standing at the very beginning of everything that comes next.
Your Engagement Story Deserves to Be Remembered, Too
And maybe you’re in this season right now. You’ve stared at your new ring approximately 400 times today, you’re starting to talk wedding dates, and saying “my fiancé” still feels a little funny.
This part goes by quickly.
An engagement session gives you a chance to slow it down for an evening, love on each other, laugh a lot, and document who you are together before the wedding day arrives.
If you’re newly engaged and looking for an engagement photographer in Knoxville, Maryville, or East Tennessee, I’d love to photograph this part of your story. Take a look around my website, see more of my couples and wedding photography, and when you’re ready, let’s get your engagement session on the calendar.
