Getting to Know You Engagement Session With Patken Photographer
At Patken Photographer, we build every experience around you. To start, we use our signature Getting to Know You engagement session—the session that influences everything we create on your wedding day.
Many studios focus only on the wedding day itself. However, we start earlier on purpose. Through your engagement session, we learn your style, your comfort level, and the connection you share as a couple. As a result, your wedding photos feel personal, natural, and effortless.
Why Our Engagement Session Is Different
This isn’t a “quick shoot.” Instead, your Getting to Know You engagement session is a guided experience designed to remove stress later and build confidence now.
For example, during your engagement session, we focus on:
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how you like to be directed (or not directed)
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what feels flattering and comfortable
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whether you love candid moments, editorial portraits, or a blend
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what you want your photos to feel like
Ultimately, we create images that look like you—not a template.
Our Goal Isn’t to Create a Picasso
Here’s the truth: our goal isn’t to “turn you into someone else” or create some over-stylized version of you. In other words, we’re not trying to make a Picasso.
Rather, we’re learning you—including the things you don’t love about photos of yourself. In fact, nearly everyone has something: a side they prefer, an angle they avoid, a smile they feel self-conscious about, or a feature they want handled gently.
That’s exactly why the Getting to Know You engagement session matters. Specifically, we use it to learn:
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what you love seeing in photos
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what you never want repeated
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what helps you feel confident quickly
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what pacing and guidance works best for you
Then, when the wedding day arrives, we don’t guess. Instead, we already know how to create images that feel like the best version of you—consistently.
Full-Time Professionals Dedicated to Your Story
Consistency matters, which is why our team is made up of full-time photographers and videographers. Because of that, your experience stays cohesive from start to finish.
Full-time means:
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consistent quality
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consistent communication
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consistent workflow and editing standards
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a true team (not a rotating group of freelancers)
As a result, your engagement session and wedding day feel seamless.
Learning What Makes You Feel Your Best
Everyone has preferences—and social media has made that crystal clear. For instance, some people love one side more than the other. Similarly, others prefer a certain smile or a stronger jawline angle. Meanwhile, some couples want softer, more romantic shaping.
Your Getting to Know You engagement session helps us uncover what makes you feel your best. In addition, it tells us what to avoid, so we don’t repeat anything you dislike on the wedding day. That’s how we create perfection—not by changing you, but by understanding you.
It’s Your Style, Not the Photographer’s Style
Many photographers apply one signature look to every couple. In contrast, we match your taste.
So, we tailor your imagery toward what you’re drawn to:
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classic and timeless
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candid and documentary
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fashionable and editorial
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modern and bold
Most importantly, your engagement session is where we test, refine, and perfect that style. That way, your wedding gallery feels like you.
More Than Just a Vendor
A great photo experience starts with trust. Because you photograph better when you feel comfortable, relationship is a core part of our process.
The Getting to Know You engagement session builds comfort and rhythm. Over time, it turns “a photographer” into someone you actually enjoy being around. As a result, you get real emotion: subtle glances, shared laughs, quiet moments, and natural intimacy.
Why This Creates a Better Wedding Day
Your wedding day has no redo. So, when we invest in your engagement session first, the wedding day becomes easier.
For example:
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you already know how we guide you
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we already know what works for you
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therefore, you feel relaxed the moment we arrive
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and, we move faster with better results
In other words, we protect your timeline and create images that feel effortless—because we’ve already learned what “perfect” means to you.
Engagement Locations We Love
If you’re deciding where to shoot, these are iconic options we love in Florida and New York—each linked with a quick note.
Florida engagement session locations
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Vizcaya Museum & Gardens — Miami waterfront estate with grand architecture and romantic gardens.
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Harry P. Leu Gardens — lush botanical oasis in Orlando with dreamy greenery and shaded paths.
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Bok Tower Gardens — sweeping gardens and a timeless, elevated look.
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Downtown Winter Garden — charming streets, local texture, and a clean editorial vibe.
New York engagement session locations
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Planting Fields Arboretum — Gold Coast estate feel with gardens and greenhouse beauty (permits may apply).
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Old Westbury Gardens — mansion + formal gardens with a classic Long Island look (permits required).
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Hempstead House at Sands Point Preserve — dramatic historic mansion atmosphere overlooking the water.
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Engagement Gallery — see full engagement storytelling and style variety.
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Contact Patken Photographer — start planning your Getting to Know You engagement sessionboardwa
