What Should You Wear for your Engagement Session?

5 Tips from a Photographer on Dressing for your Shoot

You're engaged? Congrats! Is it time for your engagement shoot and you have no idea what to wear or how to prepare? Fear not, I am here to help! Below are some suggestions and things to think about when planning for your engagement photography session.

First thing first, are you going casual or dressing it up?

There is no wrong or right answer to this question, it totally depends on your own style and the overall look you want to achieve. My two pieces of advice for this are:

Make sure it’s practical for the terrain you will be shooting in.

Coordinate with your significant other to make sure you are dressed in the same level of formality.

Think about the weather and surroundings, you don’t want to be uncomfortable or it will show in the pictures (more on that below). Just like ladies may opt for pants over a skirt in colder months, guys may want to forgo suit jackets and ties in the dead of summer. Whatever you decide, make sure there is continuity between you and your partner.

Comfort is key

While I accept that one must suffer a little for fashion, I can also attest that if you’re uncomfortable (cold, self conscious etc.) it will come across in the photos. Wear something that makes you feel amazing, confidence is a good look on anyone!

Be sure to test it out before the day of the shoot. Try it out, wear it to dinner. Sometimes you don’t notice right away that a strap keeps slipping or something doesn’t sit right.

If you’re doing the shoot outside, chances are you’ll be doing a bit of walking. Make sure your shoes are comfortable and if they’re not, consider bringing a pair of flip flops or ballet flats to change into.

Maxi Skirts are Your Friend

If you’re going to wear a skirt or dress I recommend something flowy, preferably in a midi or maxi length. Why? Short or tight skirts and dresses are hard to sit in, and thus limit the poses you can do. This is especially true if you are doing the photos outdoors, where you may want to sit on the ground.

Why flowy? Aside from it being super forgiving (and comfortable), the movement of the extra fabric looks amazing on camera. You can hold it out, twirl a little, swish it as you walk…bonus points if it has pockets! Not sure what to do with your hands in pictures? Problem solved if you have pockets to put them in, or a lovely skirt to hold daintily.

Not a dress person? I feel you! You can get similar benefits from pairing skinny jeans or leggings with a duster length sweater or coat.

Color

Typically, I recommend sticking to darker, neutral colors because they are slimming and won’t compete with the colors in the background. Why not white? White grabs a lot of light and can easily become distracting in photographs. Plus, you’ll be wearing white in all of your wedding photos, so why not switch it up a bit?

If you decide to go with a bolder color choice remember that the colors you wear will become part of the color palette of the images, so choose wisely. If you already have a color scheme for the wedding, or your save the dates, try to pick colors within this scheme, or a color that compliments it.

This also applies to you and your partner. Make sure you coordinate so your color choices compliment each other.

Hair & Make Up

If you’re not handy with hair and makeup 🙋‍♀️ and you can spare the cost, I highly recommend outsourcing that headache to someone who knows what they’re doing.

Professional hair and makeup makes a huge difference. Pros know what techniques and products to use for the best results in photos, which isn’t always the same as your everyday in person look. It’s also an opportunity to check out a vendor you might want to hire for the wedding day, or see how those false eyelashes will photograph.

Even just a blowout and a quick trip to your local makeup counter can make all the difference in how you look and feel.

Final Thoughts

Pay attention to the details. How are your nails? Is your shirt wrinkled? Shoes dusty? Elbows or knees ashy? Things you would barely notice in person can get amplified in still images.

Stay true to your own style. I can’t stress enough how important it is for you to feel comfortable in what you're wearing. You should look like the best version of you, not a different person.

Thanks for reading! Remember to have fun, trust your photographer, and don’t take it too seriously!

Looking for some inspiration? Check out my Engagement Session Pinterest board of looks I love here.