How many photos do you deliver for an engagement session?

I am usually in the "less is more" camp. I like to narrow it down to the best images, as I think it results in a stronger set overall.

I'm rethinking this for engagement sessions, though. My thought is that this session is really useful for finding out what kinds of photos the couple likes best, so that I'm as prepared as possible for their wedding. Is it better therefore to include more images that are also good but, in my eyes, not the best?

I tend to be the other way around. I probably give too many for a wedding (typically 600-700) but am more restrictive with enagement shoots (about 40 for a one hour shoot).

Reason being that a large portion of images come from the reception and the group shots: all the people, the action, the different expressions, etc. I want to leave the client with a lot of choice for these images. Engagement shoots are generally more stylistic and articitically driven. And to the extent that I take multiple exposures of each shot, it's easier to bring it down to the one best version than it is for a family shot at the alter with 25 people.

Never more than 50 for sure, and on average 30ish

All depends on the couple, the venue, and how it all went, but still, I stand by the "never more than 50" approach ... that's mega shots for an average couple who probably have 4 images of them as a couple over the last 5 years together.

Jim..

I usually deliver about 100 images, sometimes a bit more depending on how many set-ups/locations. My count tends to go up when shooting sequences intended to go into a signing book or be used in a slideshow.

Depends on how many good shots I get.
They get what I get.
Minimum seems to be 50 and the most was 139. That is their posted galleries, on the disc generally they get 100 to 150, quite a few of the extras are just different version of the same shots, different processing and crops.
I tend to like to look at photos several different ways and then pick my favorite, but realizing that my favorite may not always be the clients favorite I will put some extras on the disc.

Philco wrote in post #10069858
I usually deliver about 100 images, sometimes a bit more depending on how many set-ups/locations. My count tends to go up when shooting sequences intended to go into a signing book or be used in a slideshow.

co-signed... i do this same thing too

The last one I did the couple got 24 images.

Thankfully, I don't do them very often though; but I don't ever state a minimum/maximum for number of photos.

Philco wrote in post #10069858
I usually deliver about 100 images, sometimes a bit more depending on how many set-ups/locations. My count tends to go up when shooting sequences intended to go into a signing book or be used in a slideshow.

Add my signature, too.

Like Shockey stated, it depends on how many turned out, how long the shoot was, and the actual couple themselves. Some couples photograph really well, and we have a great time, so I tend to shoot longer with those, resulting in more photos. I have such a hard time narrowing down photos....But my return can range anywhere from 40 photos to 130 shots