A pre-wedding shoot is an engagement session with a few extra touches. It’s the same session, but couples who call it this are usually planning a longer one, with a change of clothes partway through, and photos that tie into something specific at the wedding.
I photograph these in New York for couples who live here and are marrying abroad, and for couples coming into the city to shoot before a wedding at home. Here is how they work.
What the photos are usually for
The most common answer is a slideshow or video that plays at the reception. That means the photos have to carry a few minutes of screen time in front of a room full of people, many of whom have never been to New York.
That single fact drives most of the planning. It is why these sessions tend to run longer than a standard engagement session, why outfit changes are normal, and why the location list leans toward places that read instantly as this city.
How long to book
Anywhere from two to six hours.
The number depends on three things: how many locations you want, how many outfit changes you want, and whether those changes involve hair and makeup as well as clothes.
Travel between locations is real time, and it has to be budgeted alongside shooting time, so I put these together as custom proposals rather than selling a fixed block. Tell me where you want to go and what you want to wear, and I will tell you what it takes.
For reference, a recent session of mine in DUMBO was two hours of shooting, two outfits, with a full hair and makeup change in the middle. That change is why the booking was longer than the shooting.
What people wear
Formal wear is common. Plenty of couples wear their actual wedding attire, and plenty rent something for the day, so gowns and tuxedos on a New York sidewalk are not unusual at all. I like shooting them. A dress in the middle of the city looks like exactly what it is, which is the point.
Two looks are the most common pattern I see, often one relaxed and one formal.
Where you change, which is the part people forget
This is the logistics question that decides whether your day runs smoothly, and the answer depends entirely on where you are shooting.
If you are staying in a hotel, you already have your base, and a lot of couples lean into that and make a staycation of the whole thing. If you live in the city, your apartment works. If your hair and makeup artist has a studio, that works too.
DUMBO is the case where none of those apply. There is nowhere to duck into, so for a recent shoot there, we rented a small studio on Jay Street through Peerspace and had the hair and makeup artist work out of it. It was a few blocks from everything we wanted to photograph, with somewhere warm to sit between looks. If you are shooting DUMBO with a change, solve this before the day rather than on it.
Which locations
When the audience for these photos is in another country, the brief shifts toward places that are unmistakably New York.
Central Park, the Flatiron Building, DUMBO. Those read immediately to someone who has never been here, which matters when the photos are playing to a room in Manila or Mumbai or Seoul.
The exception, and often the best part of the session, is a stop in the neighborhood where you actually live. That is the part your family abroad has never seen, and it is the part that will mean the most to you in ten years.
For location details, my DUMBO guide covers that neighborhood thoroughly, and my guides to locations by neighborhood, skyline spots, and Bethesda Terrace cover the rest.
When you get the photos
If your photos are feeding a video, somebody has to edit that video before your wedding. Your gallery date is a real deadline, not a nice-to-have, and you need to set it before you book.
I turn work around quickly. The DUMBO session went out in a week, which is normal for me, and I do not charge extra for a fast turnaround unless you need it overnight.
Tell me your wedding date and who is building the slideshow when we first talk, and we will work backward from there.
Frequently Asked Questions: Pre-Wedding Photos in NYC
What is a pre-wedding photoshoot?
A photo session before the wedding, much like an engagement session, usually a bit longer and usually with a change of outfits. The photos often serve a specific purpose at the wedding, such as a reception slideshow, save-the-dates, or prints displayed at the venue.
Is a pre-wedding shoot the same as an engagement session?
Yes, with different shading. Couples who use the term are usually planning a longer session, more often with formal wear and a change of clothes, and usually with a use for the photos at the wedding itself. Book either name, and you are booking the same thing.
How long is a pre-wedding photoshoot?
Two to six hours, depending on the number of locations, the number of outfit changes, and whether hair and makeup are changing too. Travel between locations counts, so these are quoted as custom proposals.
Can you wear your wedding dress to a pre-wedding shoot?
Yes, and many people do. Others rent something for the day. Gowns and tuxedos on the street in New York are completely normal for these sessions.
Where do you change outfits during a pre-wedding shoot in NYC?
Your hotel if you are staying in one, your apartment if you live here, or your hair and makeup artist’s studio. In DUMBO, there is no obvious option, so renting a small studio nearby through something like Peerspace works well. For a recent DUMBO session, we used a space on Jay Street and had the hair and makeup artist work out of it.
Which New York locations work best for pre-wedding photos?
If the photos are going to be seen by people who have never visited, the recognizable places do the most work: Central Park, the Flatiron Building, DUMBO. I also like adding the neighborhood where you actually live, which is usually the part your family overseas has never seen.
How many outfits should you plan for?
Two is most common: one relaxed look and one formal. More is possible; it just adds time, especially if hair and makeup changes along with the clothes.
How quickly do you get the photos back?
I work quickly. I delivered a recent DUMBO pre-wedding session in a week. If your photos are feeding a slideshow or video that plays at your wedding, tell me the date up front so the gallery lands with room to spare. I do not charge extra for speed unless you need something overnight.
Can you do a pre-wedding shoot in NYC if the wedding is in another country?
Yes, and that is the most common version I photograph. Couples who live in New York and are marrying abroad want the city in the photos their family will see at the wedding.
Do you need a permit for a pre-wedding shoot in NYC?
Not for the kind of walk-up session described here in public parks and on public sidewalks. Some specific locations and interiors have their own rules, so ask before you build a shot list around one.
When should you book a pre-wedding shoot?
As early as you can, since the date has to fit around your wedding, your travel, and the time needed to edit whatever the photos are feeding into.
The short version
Work out what the photos are for before you book, because that sets the length. Plan two looks, and decide where you are changing before the day. Pick locations that read as New York to the people who will see them, and add the block where you live. Tell your photographer your wedding date and who is building the slideshow.
If you are planning a pre-wedding shoot in New York, get in touch, and we will put the timing together.
