My wife once asked what I got her for our anniversary, and I told her a photo session. She said that was not romantic. I told her it absolutely was, because I was giving her a professional reason to make me hold still and adore her for two hours straight. Reader, she booked it. So if you landed here trying to decide between an engagement session and an anniversary session, you are in good company, and the answer is simpler than the internet makes it sound.
The short version: an engagement session celebrates the promise ahead of your wedding, and an anniversary session celebrates the years you have already built together. Same relaxed, guided style, just a different chapter of your story. Here in Kitsap County and around Tacoma, couples book each one for different reasons, and plenty of couples book both.
What is an engagement session?
An engagement session is a couples photo session after you get engaged and before you get married. Its main job is to celebrate the engagement, help you feel comfortable in front of the camera well before the wedding day, and give you images for save the dates, guest book signs, and your announcement. For most couples in Western Washington, it happens six to nine months before the wedding so the photos are ready in time to mail save the dates.
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Real Kitsap and South Sound price ranges for every line item, so you can build your actual budget instead of guessing from national averages. We will email it to you so you have it when you need it.
If you are booking a wedding with us, here is some good news: an engagement session, which we call the Anchored Hearts session, is already included in our Anchor and Legacy Voyage wedding collections. It doubles as a relaxed practice run, so by the time your wedding day arrives you already know how we work and how good you look when you are simply being yourselves.
What is an anniversary session?
An anniversary session is a couples photo session that celebrates your marriage, usually on or around a milestone year. Its main job is to document who you are now, together, without a wedding to plan around. There is no save the date deadline and no pressure. It is simply a chance to be photographed as the couple you have become, whether it has been one year or forty.
Anniversary sessions are one of the most underrated things a married couple can do. Most people have beautiful wedding photos and then, years later, nothing but phone selfies. An anniversary session fills that gap. It also makes a lovely tradition to repeat every few years, especially as your family grows and your story keeps adding chapters.
Anniversary session vs engagement session: the quick comparison
If you only skim one thing, skim this. Both are couples sessions shot in the same warm, guided style. The difference is timing and purpose.
| Engagement session | Anniversary session | |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | Six to nine months before the wedding | On or around a milestone year |
| Main purpose | Celebrate the engagement and prep for the wedding | Celebrate the marriage you have built |
| Deadline | Yes, for save the dates | None, book it whenever |
| Photos are used for | Save the dates, signs, announcements | Wall art, albums, a yearly tradition |
| Included with a wedding | Yes, in our Anchor and Legacy Voyage collections | No, booked on its own |
| The feeling | Excited and looking ahead | Settled, grateful, and present |
Do you need both?
Honestly, no couple needs both, and I will never pretend otherwise. Here is how I help couples decide. If you are engaged and planning a wedding, start with the engagement session, and remember it is already included if you book the Anchor or Legacy Voyage collection. If you are already married and it has been a few years since you were photographed together, an anniversary session is the one for you. And if you eloped or had a small wedding and never did an engagement session at all, an anniversary session is a wonderful way to finally get those relaxed, just the two of you images you missed.
What a couples session actually looks like with us
Whichever one you book, the experience is the same, and it is built so you never have to wonder what to do with your hands. It starts with a planning call where we choose your location, plan your outfits, and build a custom mood board so everything works together. Our couples sessions carry a 299 dollar session fee and run up to about ninety minutes, with gentle prompts and real direction the whole way, so you get natural laughter instead of stiff say cheese smiles.
About two weeks later, we meet again for a personal reveal, where you see your images for the first time and choose the prints, wall art, or album you love. There is no minimum to buy. You only take home what speaks to you. That reveal is also where an anniversary session earns its keep, because these are the images that deserve to live on your wall, not buried on a phone.
Where we photograph couples in Kitsap and Tacoma
You do not have to know a single location. We will pick one together on your planning call. That said, here are a few of our favorites and who each one is best for.
- Chambers Bay, University Place: wide open sky, dramatic concrete ruins, and some of the best sunset light in the South Sound. Best for couples who want a bold, editorial feel. Note that sessions happen in the public Chambers Creek Regional Park, not on the golf course itself.
- Manchester State Park, Port Orchard: a historic brick torpedo warehouse, forest, and a quiet beach in one spot. Best for couples who want variety and a little romance without a long drive.
- Point Defiance Park, Tacoma: the Rose Garden, gardens, and waterfront in one park, with a free public area. Best for a lush, classic backdrop.
- A Kitsap Peninsula beach: driftwood, saltwater, and Olympic Mountain views. Best for a laid back, barefoot, golden hour feel close to home.
What if we feel awkward in front of the camera?
This is the number one thing couples tell me they are nervous about, and it is exactly why our sessions are fully guided. You will never be left standing there wondering what to do with your hands. I give real prompts and gentle direction the whole time, little movements and moments instead of stiff poses, so the photos capture the two of you actually laughing and leaning into each other. Most couples loosen up within the first ten minutes and forget the camera is even there. You do not need to be models. You just need to show up and be into each other, and I will handle the rest.
What should you wear?
Plan on two coordinated outfits, one relaxed and one a little dressier, and we will make sure they work with your location and with each other on your mood board. Skip the neon and the tight matching, and lean into solids and soft jewel tones that photograph beautifully against our evergreen and gray Pacific Northwest backdrops. Want the full breakdown? Our what to wear guide walks you through it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an anniversary and an engagement session?
An engagement session happens before your wedding to celebrate the engagement and prepare for the big day, while an anniversary session happens after you are married to celebrate the years you have built together. Both are relaxed, guided couples sessions in the same style.
Do you need engagement photos if you are already married?
No. If you are already married, the session you want is an anniversary session. It gives you the same relaxed couples images without any wedding deadline attached.
How much does a couples session cost in Kitsap County?
Our couples sessions have a 299 dollar session fee. At your reveal about two weeks later, you choose the prints and products you love, with no minimum purchase required.
How far in advance should we book engagement photos?
Six to nine months before your wedding is the sweet spot, so your images are ready in time to send save the dates.
Can we bring our kids or our dog to an anniversary session?
Absolutely. Many anniversary sessions naturally grow into a family session, and a well behaved leashed dog is always welcome. Just let us know on the planning call so we can plan the flow.
Where is the best place for couples photos near Tacoma?
Chambers Bay and Point Defiance Park are two of our favorites near Tacoma, and Manchester State Park is a short trip across the water in Port Orchard. We will help you pick the one that fits your style.
When is the best time of year for couples photos in the Pacific Northwest?
Any season works here, and each has its own look, from summer golden hour to moody green winters. The bigger factor is time of day, so we aim for the hour before sunset for warm, flattering light. If you are shooting engagement photos for save the dates, just book far enough ahead of your wedding to leave time for the reveal and printing.
What should we do with our anniversary photos once we have them?
This is where the reveal comes in. These are the images that deserve to live on your wall, in an album, or as gifts for family, not buried on a phone. We help you choose the right prints and sizes at your reveal, with no minimum to buy.
Ready to celebrate your chapter? Whether you are planning a wedding or marking a milestone year, let us plan a couples session that feels like you. Reach out here and we will pick a location, plan your outfits, and make it easy. Many of our favorite spots are Washington state parks, so grab a Discover Pass if we shoot at one. Very respectfully, Ben.
Fully guided sessions, a professional editing team behind every image, and a private reveal where you choose finished artwork for your walls. That is the difference between hiring a photographer and booking an experience.
Let’s bring your vision to life! Fill out the form below to ask any questions, share your story, or start planning your session. I’m here, ready when you are.
