Include your children in your pre-wedding portraits

family walking on beach at Mersea Island

If you and/or your partner already have children, we wholeheartedly welcome them to join your engagement photography session. Including your little ones is a beautiful way to capture not only your relationship as a couple but also the special bond between your family. The wedding day can be overwhelming for some children so meting the photographer and having a practice run themselves can help ease the nerves.

We typically start with around 20 minutes dedicated to capturing some adorable family portraits. Whether it’s playful moments or those sweet, candid interactions, these photos perfectly showcase the love and joy you share as a family. After this, we’ll move on to taking pictures of just the two of you, focusing on your engagement portraits.

To make this transition as smooth as possible, we kindly ask that you bring along an adult who can look after your children for the remainder of the session. This allows you to relax, focus on each other, and truly enjoy this time together without distractions.

family portrait in the park

When it comes to photographing children, the best approach is to keep things relaxed and go at their pace. If you get cross with them, they’re more likely to push back, and the photos won’t be as natural or joyful. Keep calm and leave it to me – kids often respond better to strangers! I’ve got plenty of tricks up my sleeve to get those smiles and giggles flowing. And if all else fails, well… who doesn’t love a little bribery? A promise of a treat at the end usually works wonders! But most importantly, let’s approach the experience as a fun day out rather than a formal photoshoot and let the kids be themselves.

We understand that keeping little ones entertained is key, which is why we suggest choosing a location that offers something fun for them to do. Places like Westlands, Highwoods, or Chantry Park are perfect options as they all feature play parks nearby. This means your children can happily play while we continue with your couple portraits, ensuring everyone has an enjoyable experience.

family portrait at the beach

Bringing your children to your engagement session doesn’t just make for adorable photos – it beautifully represents the life you’re building together. If you’re considering including them in your shoot, let’s chat about the best way to capture your family’s unique story. We’d love to help you create memories that are as heartfelt as they are beautiful.

Written by Eleth Mageehan, (c) 2025, all rights reserved.

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01206 632200

info@maephotography.co.uk

Eleth Mageehan

Eleth is an extremely talented photographer with a natural ability to capture the relationships between people.

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