Proposal versus Engagement Pictures | Las Vegas Engagement and Wedding Photographer

Ready for a beautiful sunrise engagement session at the Venetian in Las Vegas? Me, too! Karly and Stephen reached out to book an engagement portrait session to celebrate their new relationship status, and it reminded me of a question I get all the time from people interested in professional portraits: What’s the difference between a proposal session and an engagement session, and which one should you book?

What are proposal pictures?

A proposal portrait session centers around documenting your actual proposal to your partner. Usually, the person being proposed to is not involved in this process at all (sneaky!) and we do lots and lots of planning and preparation beforehand to keep everything a surprise. Proposal sessions are candid, documentary- or journalistic-style photos aimed at memorializing the moment, the immediate authentic reaction from both of you, and all the emotion-filled aftermath — plus some romantic portraits right after.

What are engagement pictures?

Engagement portraits are always scheduled some time between your proposal and your wedding. These more formal portraits are a celebration of your time as an engaged couple—and a truly underrated escape from the stress of wedding planning! Engagement pictures are also excellent to use for practical purposes, like invitations, announcements, and decorations during pre-wedding celebrations. While your session will still be free-flowing and focused and telling the story of your love in an authentic way, we are a bit more purposeful with our posing and itinerary than a spontaneous proposal session.

Which type of session should I get?

The answer here comes down to whether or not your want your proposal documented along with some “official” portraits. Some couples choose to keep their proposal private and celebrate afterward with a fun outing in front of the camera. Others want to relive every second of it when they look through their beautiful album. Engagement sessions also allow you to throw in an outfit change or two (we can do as many as our time together allows!), while a proposal session can involve some tricky planning to be sure your partner is a dressed in a way they’ll be happy with when looking back on the photos. Trust me, this is a common snag when planning a surprise proposal! Spend some time thinking about which session is right for your plans, and consider having a conversation with your partner about which they’d prefer, too.

If you have more questions about a Las Vegas Proposal or a Las Vegas engagement portrait session, I am always happy to help!

Amber is a Wedding and Elopement Photographer who is available in Las Vegas and beyond for travel for elopements and weddings. Send in a contact form through the link above to schedule your free consultation.