What to Wear for Your Engagement Photos

It’s probably been awhile since you got any professional photos (if you ever have), so let’s help you feel prepared for your engagement photos and look + feel amazing! That way you can focus on snuggling up to your fiance, and enjoy a little time together.

1. Classics

First and foremost, I HIGHLY recommend choosing some timeless and classic pieces that you feel will stand the test of time. Putting away thoughts of trends, look back on the past few years — what has remained in fashion/wardrobes as a staple for years? Do you have any pieces in your closet that are go-to pieces for date night?

This doesn’t mean you can’t wear patterns, but make sure they’re not too busy. Breton stripes or subtle floral print are always classics!

2. Coordinate, Don’t Match

It’s true, you don’t have to match (in fact, you shouldn’t, unless you want to end up in a Huffpost ‘awkward couple photos’ article). Make sure you’re coordinating together, but you don’t have to overthink it. For example, if you choose to wear a pastel or ivory maxi dress, have your fiance wear khaki pants, a neutral button-up shirt, (and an optional sport coat). For something more casual, you can wear colored jeans, and him blue jeans, both with light colored tops. You can find LOTS more outfit inspiration ideas here on my Pinterest board for my couples!

3. Elevated yet Comfortable

Think about your typical date night wardrobe while planning. What would you wear for cocktails or a fancy date night? Absolutely be comfortable and be yourself, but dress it up a notch from your average everyday outfit — something you would wear on a date night to a nice restaurant.

4. Hair + Makeup

This is a GREAT chance to get your hair and makeup done, as a test run for the wedding! You can see what you like, and you can also see how certain styles will photograph, to ensure you’ll love the results of your wedding hair + makeup, too. Plus, it’ll help you feel very confident for the session, you’ll relax, and as a result get photos where your confidence comes across as drop-dead gorgeous.

5. Color Palette

Think about the color scheme that might be fitting based on your environment, your wedding colors, and your personal style! If all of these are very different concepts, choose one and go with it. Collect some inspiration for colors from home design or fashion magazines – they can be very helpful when it comes to color pairings. Pinterest is also your friend when exploring color options. (Pro Tip: Use Pinterest, but don’t get caught up in Pinterest and go overboard with planning exact outfits based on a Pin you find. Make it your own!)

6. Environment/Backdrop

Dress according to your environment and what will be in the background of your images! If you’ll be on a white or very neutral background, then color and some pattern might be great so that you don’t blend into the background. However, if you’ll be photographing on a city street or somewhere with a ‘busy’ (lots of things going on, patterns, textures) background, maybe opt for solid colors instead of patterns.

Make sure to also dress appropriately for the season and temperature, if you’ll be outdoors. If there’s a chance it will be chilly (however you define chilly), be sure to bring clothing layers and different options. If it might be rainy or the ground is wet/muddy/slippery, bring extra shoes and comfortable walking shoes. Additionally, always bring a jacket or coat, if in doubt!

When in Doubt, Ask Your Photographer!

As mentioned above, if you’re not sure, reach out to your photographer! You’ll likely share an inspiration or Pinterest board as part of planning the shoot, so keep those inspiration colors and outfits in mind. If you have a great location in mind, communicate with your photographer and they can help you decide what will photograph well.