Engagement Session Wardrobe Guide (Ten Tips)

I include an engagement session in every one of my wedding collections because I think it is such a vital and important part of the experience. During the engagement session it gives you a chance to get to know me, experience how I shoot and get comfortable in front of the camera. An engagement shoot is a great way to show of your personalities and do something that is true to the two of you. I love shooting them!! It also gives the couple a chance to have a fun photo shoot before the big day. “What should I wear” is probably one of the questions I get asked about the most. Below are a few tips to help you.

1. Coordinate– You don’t have to match each other at all. It’s becoming more of an outdated trend now and you don’t want to look overly matchy matchy for you session. Instead coordinate and make your outfits look like they fit together. Using the same color palette is a great way to coordinate your outfits together.

Also, your level of formality should fit together. For example, if she is in a very nice dress then he shouldn’t be wearing like a sports jersey.

2. Be Bold! – Don’t be afraid to wear color at all! I know black and white is classic but you can use bold colors by using accessories or wearing patterns. You can Choose a piece of clothing that is a pattern and then draw from the colors from it to coordinate together. You can wear different pieces like chunky necklaces, scarves and cute shoes to make your session unique.

3. Empty Your Pockets– Prior to the session remember to empty out your pockets. This is more of a tip for the men. If you have your cellphone and wallet in your jeans, it will show in the photos. I usually will tell my clients to take them out before the session too.

4. Comfort– Being comfortable and confident in what you wear goes a long way! The better you feel in what your wearing, the better you’ll look in your photos. Also, a tip for the girls is if you are wearing a super low cut top then it will restrict what angles I can shoot you at. Just something to keep in mind.

5. Clean the ring– At every engagement shoot I will do some shots of your stunning engagement ring. I usually do this while you switch outfits or towards the end of the session. The cleaner your ring is, the better!

6. Get Fancy!– You will probably only get engagement photos done once in your life. So I say pull out all the stops for your session! Pick out a dress that you’ve been dying to wear or there are even shops you can rent really amazing dresses from too. There is usually enough time to switch outfits, so you can do one casual and one fancy outfit for your session.

7. Hair + Make up– If you have already booked your make up artist and hair then this would be a great day to use your trial run. You can see how it will look in photos prior to the big day!

8. Location– Pick a location that is true to the two of you. If you two go for walks in a particular park all the time then incorporate that into your session. Or even go back to the spot you two had your first date at. Don’t shy away from any crazy ideas! I’ve shot engagement sessions in all kinds of different spots before. If you can’t think of a spot then your photographer would definitely be able to give you a few suggestions as well.

9. Be On Time– I am a natural light photographer and so it’s essential to arrive on time. I plan my sessions shortly before the sunsets to take advantage of the best lighting. If you arrive 10-20 mins late then your session will end up being shorter because we only have so much of the day light left to work with.

10. Relax– You don’t have to be a pro at this at all! I’m here to help you along the way and just have fun together. Use this time together and maybe even plan to go out on a date afterwards

For more inspiration and examples of photo-ready outfits, take a look at Pinterest Board I have put together!  It might give you some outfit ideas that would be perfect for your own engagement shoot!