What to wear for your engagement session

Your engagement photos will be long-treasured past the wedding Save The Date cards that get sent out, so choosing what to wear is an important aspect in making your photos as beautiful as they can be.  Here are my top 10 tips for your engagement (or any) photoshoot!

 

1. Be Comfortable

First and foremost – be comfortable in what you wear! This is of primary importance when choosing your outfit. If you are uncomfortable, it will show in the photos. Wear what makes you feel good about yourself and something you would want to show off, this doesn’t necessarily mean jeans and a t-shirt, but we will go more into that later!

 

2. Couple Outfits

I’m not talking matching jumpsuits, don’t worry.  Coordinating your outfits allows you to complement one another, rather than contrast. Make sure that if you are going dressy, you BOTH are wearing nice outfits and find colors that complement one another – maybe he has maroon pants and you are wearing white pants with a maroon plaid shirt.

 

3. Switch it up

Consider doing a casual jeans-and-boots outfit and then a nice dress or skirt for some other photos! Think cocktail dress, suit, and high heels (if you’re comfortable wearing that). If you don’t want to go buy another expensive dress, consider finding your dream dress on Rent The Runway or Le Tote and then simply return it when you’re done! You want your outfits to go beyond your everyday look and remind you of your special time together.

 

4. Hair and Makeup

This is definitely not necessary, but it is important to note that a high-quality foundation can make your skin look less shiny and greasy in photos.  Consider getting it professionally done and if you would rather not, use a matte foundation.

 

5. Patterns

Be careful with patterns!  If the shirt you are wearing has narrow stripes, it probably won’t photograph well, however this doesn’t mean you need to wear a plain white blouse. Consider a floral scarf that complements your skirt and his shirt or if you have a patterned dress, have him wear a more subdued shirt.  You can make it fun without overdoing it!

 

6. LAYERS

This may not be an option in the summer, but if you are doing a winter engagement shoot (which I HIGHLY suggest), add layers like a scarf, blazer, hat, etc. to your outfit to add depth, dimension, texture, and personality!

 

7. Pastels, Cool Colors, and Neutral Tones

Depending on the look you are going for, pastels tend to work really well in the mountains.  The light blue of the mountains accentuates and complements the light blue or pink in your skirt.

 

8. Statement pieces

I touched on this in the layers category, but statement pieces look GREAT on the camera!  Find a big, bold necklace and a nice leather belt,and/or bow tie, and watch for your man! Although you may not use the detail shots or close ups on your Save The Date, they are very fun to have!

 

9. Classic Rather than Trendy

You’ve seen your parent’s wedding photos from the 80’s. Let’s try not to go with the current trends and stick to “effortless looks”.  

 

10. Don’t Stress

I started this blog with “be comfortable” and I am ending it on a similar note, don’t stress! Find something that makes you feel beautiful and confident.   It will show in the pictures!

Try not to fret too much, engagement photos should be FUN!  You will find that this is a time for me to get to know you and for you to get to know me.  It also gets you more comfortable in front of the camera before your big day! So think of it as a practice run if that helps, and enjoy your partner in the process. If you made it this far, PROPS TO YOU! I hope this helps as you prepare for your shoot and I can’t wait to create some amazing portraits with you!

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