You have a session coming up and you’re trying to figure out what to wear for your engagement photos. It’s a big stressor for many couples and can be frustrating trying to figure it out without some guidance. I’m here to help! In this post, we’ll go over some do’s and don’ts for making sure your engagement session looks like a million bucks.
What to do when deciding what to wear for your engagement session:
BE COMFORTABLE!
This is the biggest “do” I have for you! If you don’t feel comfortable, you won’t look comfortable. This doesn’t mean you have to show up in sweats and a t-shirt.. Find what makes you feel like the best version of yourself. This doesn’t have to be the fanciest, but the most confident.
If you’re not a dress person, don’t force yourself to wear a dress. If jeans are more your style, that’s totally fine. If your man is more comfortable in cowboy boots than some trendy look, go with it! These are your photos and they’re supposed to be a reflection of your real relationship.
Accessorize and layer!
Sometime an added element can really add a major pop to your photos. For example, you see above the adorable hat one client had for her photos! It was so much fun to play around with the variety you get when adding fun accessories. Layering sweaters, flannels, jackets, etc also gives added dimension to your photos.
My only word of caution is be careful about making it too trendy. Remember those large necklaces that were in style around 2008? Yeah, big trendy pieces will definitely date your photos!
Plan extra outfits and communicate with your photographer.
You can even send photos of what you’re planning to wear to your photographer prior to the session to check in and make sure everything is good. If you don’t want to do that, just pack some extra outfits and bring them with in your car. Your photographer can give you feedback at the beginning of the session as to which ones will work best on camera. It’s better to have too many options rather than not enough!
Think about the location.
This is another thing to touch base with your photographer on. Some outfits just don’t look right in certain locations. I personally don’t think an outdoor woodsy location with a super formal dress reads quite right on camera usually. Ask your photographer about their preferences and what outfit will match which location, especially if you’re going to more than one spot!
What NOT to do when planning your outfits for your engagement session:
Go all matchy-matchy.
It’s best to coordinate instead of match. We aren’t trying to twin or throw it back to the 90s studio portraits. Make sure your outfits don’t clash with each other. Try to keep patterns to a minimum, maybe just one person in a pattern max. When in doubt, go with neutrals – you can’t go wrong with simplicity!
Overthink it.
Please, don’t stress about what to wear! And if it’s causing a fight, then it’s not worth it. The last thing you want is to show up to your session crabby with each other over outfit choices. You want to be present and in the moment during your photos for the best possible experience. Stressing and overthinking will just be a distraction from what really matters, your relationship being captured.
When in doubt, your photographer is here to help you!
I’m here to help my clients every step of the way. Hopefully, this post answered your most common questions, but if you have specific ideas you’d like to run past me, don’t hesitate to ask! Your engagement photos are a special time to reflect upon your relationship and capture your joy together.
For more wedding advice, check out this post on how to plan a wedding on a budget. For more engagement session inspiration, visit my Instagram.
