Tips for Engagement Photo Outfits

Your engagement is such a special and unique time in your life, and your engagement photos document that story. You can use your engagement photos in many different ways such as save-the-date wedding announcements, prints for decorating your new home, displaying them on your wedding day, giving them out as wedding favors, or using them on the tags of your wedding favors; so many options! When it comes to planning an engagement photo session, one of the most common questions is, “What should we wear?”  The colors, fashion styles, and textures you choose will help create the overall feeling of your engagement photos. Choosing the outfits that make you feel confident and look great will ensure that you love your photos for years to come. Another important key to having photos you will be happy to share is to choose to coordinate—not match—outfits.

Outfits for Ladies

Your outfit choice largely depends on your personal style. For more casual outfits, choose something that is comfortable and reflects your style. You could pair a casual outfit with some cute sandals, heels, or even sneakers. If you want more of a formal look, dresses, skirts, or pantsuits are the way to go. Long dresses and skirts give your photographer more options for posing and create a dramatic and romantic look. Do you want your photographer to capture different aspects of your personality? Feel free to bring multiple outfits to your session if there will be time for an outfit change or two. 

Outfits for Him

One outfit option for men would be a nice dress shirt with jeans or a suit without a tie. I’d recommend either dress shoes or a nicer pair of sneakers for shoes. We discussed colors earlier in this post because it helps to have a color palette in mind before picking outfits for a couple. If one partner has a strong opinion about what they wear, pick out their outfit first. Then choose the other partner’s outfit to complement their color and style choice.

Outfits With Patterns

One thing to keep in mind as you choose outfits is that patterns can clash with each other or give photos a strange effect. If one person chooses to wear a patterned outfit, it looks best when the other person wears solid colors. Patterns that are smaller than a dime can look unusual in a photograph, so it is best to only choose larger print patterns.

Planning Around Season and Location

The best outfits for your engagement photo session depend on the season and location of your engagement photoshoot. You may look fabulous in your fitted, sleeveless gown, but will you be comfortable wearing it during the cool, rainy season? What about your favorite turtleneck during summer… probably not the best choice if you’re going for an outdoor shoot. Just be aware of the season you have chosen. What about locations? If you’d like action photos that capture your interests, such as hiking, boating, or horseback riding, be sure to wear outfits that, in addition to making you feel self-confident and fabulous, are also comfortable and safe. It is very difficult to look natural in photos and be fully in the moment when you are struggling with the outfit choices you’ve made. 

Ideas for Accessories

Accessories are the final touch to your perfect outfit. There are many options for accessories that really allow your personality to shine. Depending on your style, you may consider scarves, sweaters, jackets, and hats (felt hats are super popular right now and look great in pictures). Don’t forget about jewelry. Whether you love vintage, a funky, large necklace or bracelet, or a simple pair of earrings; jewelry brings your outfit together. I don’t recommend wearing multiple rings because you want that engagement ring to be the main attraction!  

Plan Your Engagement Session

I hope this guide helps you as you select your outfits for your upcoming engagement session. Still looking for a photographer? Let’s chat!