For some couples, the very thought of a camera raises their blood pressure more than the seating chart and the number of aunts who “just want to say hi for a moment” on the wedding day. That’s exactly why a love story before the wedding is often the best thing you can do for yourselves—not because it’s trendy, but because it helps you relax, get to know the team’s way of working, and finally be who you are in front of the camera.
If you’ve ever thought, “We’re not made for posing,” the good news is—you don’t have to be. The most beautiful pre-wedding stories don’t happen when two people act like they’re in a movie, but when they genuinely spend time together, and the camera simply captures it honestly.
Our Couples Branka and Dragan decided on a pre-wedding photoshoot in Tuscany.
What Is a Love Story Before the Wedding
Here, that term is used for photographing or filming a couple before the wedding itself, most often a few weeks or months in advance. It can be a short photoshoot together, a video session, or a combination of both. The point is not to get another formal album, but to capture your relationship outside the wedding rush, makeup that has to be preserved, and a schedule that doesn’t allow for delays.
It’s a space without protocol, without guests, and without that feeling that someone is constantly waiting for you. Because of that, the emotion is different—softer, more intimate, and often more genuine than people expect.
Why a Love Story Before the Wedding Really Makes a Difference
The greatest value of this session isn’t just in the photos and videos you receive. The value is in the fact that your wedding day no longer starts with unfamiliar people and an unfamiliar process. You already know what the communication looks like, how we guide you, how much space we give you, and when we step in with a short direction.
That takes a huge burden off couples. On the wedding day, there’s no longer that initial discomfort in front of the camera, no wondering what to do with your hands or whether you should look into the lens. You’ve already been through the experience and realized that we don’t ask you to be models. We ask you to be the two of you.
Another important thing is trust. When it’s built before the wedding, the entire day flows more easily. The couple is more relaxed, reactions are more natural, and the result looks like real life—not a checklist of tasks that needed to be completed.
When This Session Makes the Most Sense
It’s not for every couple for the same reason, and that’s completely normal. For some, a love story before the wedding is ideal because they don’t like the camera and want a pressure-free trial. For others, it’s because they want material for invitations, a wedding projection, or a short video for social media. For some, it simply means having memories from the engagement period that weren’t created in a rush, between meetings and obligations.
It makes especially good sense if you’re planning a larger wedding with many guests and a dynamic schedule. On a day like that, there’s often not much time for a longer, relaxed couple session. In that case, it’s smart to tell part of that story earlier, when you have more time and less stress.
If you’re planning a small, intimate wedding, this session can still be a perfect choice. It gives you an additional layer to the story—not just the event itself, but also how everything started to feel like “this is it.”
What Does a Good Love Story Before the Wedding Look Like
A good session doesn’t start with a location. It starts with a conversation. First, we want to understand how you function as a couple. Are you calmer and more reserved, or loud, fast, and full of inside jokes? Do you love the city, the mountains, coffee at your favorite spot, a drive with no plan, or a walk with a dog who realistically runs the show?
Once we know that, it’s easier to choose a setting that suits you. Sometimes it’s sunset and an open space, and sometimes it’s an ordinary afternoon in the city that feels a hundred times more genuine. There’s no universal formula—only what feels natural to you.
The flow of the session should be easy and relaxed. We don’t work on the principle of “stand here, now smile, now look into the distance like you’re advertising perfume.” Of course, we’ll guide you when needed—light, framing, and rhythm still require experience—but the goal is for everything to feel unobtrusive. Good direction in this kind of work is the kind you barely notice.
The Most Common Mistake – Trying to Make Everything Look Perfect
Couples sometimes come in with the idea that this session has to be a spectacle. Multiple outfit changes, three locations, a drone, smoke bombs, props, Pinterest expectations—and nerves that only stay hidden for two minutes. Honestly, that rarely leads to the best result.
It’s much more powerful to have one good location, enough time, and a natural pace. When you chase too many things at once, you lose what matters most—presence. And without it, there’s no genuine emotion in either photos or video.
The perfect shot isn’t the one where everything is flawlessly arranged. It’s the one where you recognize yourselves. Sometimes it’s a look, sometimes the way you laugh, sometimes a small detail no one but you would notice. Those are exactly the details that end up meaning the most.
How to Prepare Without Overcomplicating
Your outfit should be yours, just a bit more considered than what you’d wear for a casual coffee in the city. You don’t have to look like you’re heading for a magazine cover, but it’s important to choose pieces you feel confident and comfortable in. If you’re constantly adjusting, tightening, or worrying about something, it will show during the session.
Don’t choose the location based on what’s currently popular, but on where you can behave naturally. Some people thrive in open space and calm, others in urban energy. If you have a place that means something to you, it always adds extra weight to the story.
Timing is also important. The most beautiful light often comes early in the morning or in the evening, but not every couple is the same. If we know you’re more relaxed later in the day and need time to “warm up,” that becomes part of the plan as well. A good result isn’t just about aesthetics, but also about psychology.
Photos, Video, or Both
That depends on what you want to keep. Photos capture moments you can revisit for a long time. Video preserves movement, voice, laughter, and that energy that’s hard to explain with a single image. When those two formats come together well, you get a fuller story.
If you want something to share with family and friends before the wedding, a short video often creates a special atmosphere. If a quiet, timeless keepsake for an album or your wall matters more to you, photos can be completely enough. There’s no wrong choice—it’s just important to know why you’re choosing something.
For couples who want a complete experience, it’s most practical when one team leads the entire process. That way, there’s no passing responsibility around, no clashing styles, and no need to explain your vision to multiple people. This is especially important when, alongside photos and video, you also want short formats tailored for social media.
Is This the Same as an Engagement Shoot
It can be, but it doesn’t have to be. If you see this session only as a trial before the wedding, you’ll miss its more meaningful side. This isn’t a technical test where you check how you look in front of the camera. It’s a real memory from a special period in your relationship, before everything shifts into organization, final arrangements, and that familiar sentence: “How is it possible that the wedding is already in two weeks?”
On the other hand, the practical benefit is very real. We get to know each other more easily, you gain confidence, and we get a better sense of how to guide you on the wedding day. That means less stress and more room for spontaneous moments.
Who This Story Suits Best
It benefits most couples who want a natural result but feel a slight sense of nervousness. And those who don’t like staged scenes, but still want to look good in photos and video. Those two goals don’t cancel each other out—they just require a team that knows how to balance a documentary approach with subtle guidance.
If you want everything to look like you, not like someone else’s idea of romance, then this session makes sense. If you want your relationship to be captured without stiffness, even more so.
At Angels35 Studio, we always see these sessions as part of a bigger story, not as an optional add-on. Because what happens before the wedding often determines how freely you’ll feel on the day itself.
In the end, a love story before the wedding doesn’t need to be a big production to be valuable. It just needs to be genuine, well guided, and truly yours. When you get that right, you don’t just get beautiful shots—you get the feeling that someone has truly seen you, exactly as you are.