One of my favorite things to photograph is an engagement session with my couples! It’s such a great way for us to get to know each other better, for you to know what it’s like to be in front of the camera with me, and of course for you to get some amazing photos together! I also know that it can be a bit intimidating to be in front of the camera and for some, this may even be the first time you’ve had professional photos taken. I totally get it! It can be a bit nerve wracking but I promise I’ll make it easy for you.
When preparing for engagement sessions, one of the top questions I am asked from couples is “What should I wear?” Your outfit can definitely help you feel confident and can even add to your photos. It’s also one of the best ways that I can help you guys feel at ease so let’s dive in!
1. Stick to neutrals
This is my top tip for a reason. I always suggest that my couples stick to a neutral color palette when planning their engagement session outfits for a few reasons. To start, neutral colors are very photogenic! Creams, blushes and any sort of muted color like a mustard or dusty blue are going to look great on camera. Brighter or louder colors like neons or pastels can end up looking a bit distracting on camera and we want the focus to be on you, not your clothes! Which is the second reason I like neutrals. We really don’t want people to be looking at your clothes over your faces. We want your outfits to only add to the photo, not be a distraction.
2. Avoid patterns
Along with my first tip, I would recommend staying away from loud or crazy patterns. I typically suggest solid colors in your outfits but certain patterns can be neutral and not too distracting, like a simple small floral pattern that’s in a neutral color palette. It can be overwhelming in photos to have a large pattern taking up the photo when we also have you guys and your background in the photo, so keep that in mind!
3. Dress up
Think about dressing up a bit for your engagement session! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to take these photos together before you’re officially married and that’s a reason to celebrate! Of course I want you to be comfortable but it’s fun to get a little dressier than usual for your engagement photos. You don’t have to go full cocktail dress attire (although you totally can and that’s awesome) but you could have your partner wear trousers and a dress shirt, you could opt for heels instead of flats, etc. Really anything that makes you feel a little bit extra is good by me.
4. Go with the flow
Ok but literally. Think of outfits that will help you move around and will allow some flow. It’s so fun to be able to swing a dress or skirt around in your photos and even gives you something to do with your hands! I always think that having an outfit that allows for movement is going to add to your experience and make for even better photos.
5. Think cohesive
For my final tip, I suggest thinking about cohesiveness rather than matchy-matchy for your photos! That means picking out outfits that look nice together but don’t have to be the exact same. For example, matchy-matchy may mean you both wear blue jeans and a white sweater. Cohesiveness means that your partner may wear dark dress slacks and a maroon button down and you may wear a white dress or even a white sweater and a navy skirt. Think about colors and schemes that look nice together and go from there. Pinterest is a great resource for this as well! There are so many awesome options and color schemes to look at online.
I hope that these tips help you feel confident in picking out your engagement session outfit! As always, I am here to help you guys. Feel free to reach out to me to run any outfit ideas past me or browse my blog to see what other couples have worn for their sessions!
-Liz
