Engagement session in Sausset-les-Pins: why do a couple session before your wedding

What is an engagement session for?

Nancy and Lucas are getting married soon, and like many couples, they chose to add an engagement session to their collection. A simple option, but one that changes quite a bit. In my view, a couple session before the wedding answers two distinct needs.

First, it gives you genuine photos of the two of you, in a light-hearted moment, without the pressure of the wedding day itself. Casual images, full of complicity, that look like you in everyday life, far from the protocol of a wedding day.

Second, it's a first rehearsal in front of the camera. The wedding day goes by fast, there's little time for couple portraits, and standing in front of a camera doesn't always feel natural. An engagement session lets you get used to it beforehand, in a relaxed setting, so you arrive on the wedding day more at ease.

Sausset-les-Pins, a setting between rocks and the Mediterranean

For this session, we headed to Sausset-les-Pins, on the Côte Bleue. The white rocks dropping into the sea create a bright, mineral backdrop, quite different from Provence's usual wedding venues: more raw, more natural, with the Mediterranean as a backdrop.

We planned the session for golden hour, that hour before sunset when the light turns soft, golden, almost horizontal. It's the most flattering time to photograph a couple: the light skims the skin, wraps around faces, and softens everything.

The swim, a standout moment chosen by the couple

Nancy and Lucas had a clear idea in mind: swimming fully dressed in the sea. They had taken the time beforehand to gather inspiration for this moment. The result: a series of photos among my favorites from this session, spontaneous, full of laughter and connection.

This is exactly what I love offering during an engagement session: stepping outside the classic posed portrait and building, with any couple who wants it, an original moment that reflects who they are. A swim, a walk, a meaningful place, a personal ritual: every idea is worth exploring.

Outfits: aim for casual, without overdoing it

For an engagement session, I always recommend light, pastel-toned, flowing outfits. The idea is to stand apart from everyday clothing, without going as formal as the wedding day itself. We're looking for a middle ground: elegant, yet relaxed, comfortable enough to walk on rocks, sit in the sand, or jump in the water without a second thought.

What we actually work on during the session

In a photograph, everything is frozen. A posture that feels natural in the moment can look stiff or unbalanced in the image. That's why we often need to "cheat" a little to build a beautiful photo: the basics of posing, how to stand, how to walk together without stepping on each other's feet, where to place your hands, when to look at each other and when to look away from the lens.

Nothing mechanical about it: I guide, I correct, we adjust together until it feels right, natural in the image and comfortable to experience. This is exactly the kind of work that gets rehearsed during an engagement session, so that on the wedding day, these reflexes are already second nature.

What to expect from a couple session

A couple session usually lasts about an hour, delivering around thirty to forty photos. That's enough to explore several moods (posed portraits, candid moments, a highlight like a swim) without it becoming too long or tiring.

Planning your wedding in Provence and still unsure about an engagement session? Let's talk about your project, it's often one of the simplest and most joyful parts of the whole planning process.