You’ve said “yes” to the love of your life. You researched wedding photographers in your area and chose your dream photographer to capture this exciting time. Now it’s time to take your engagement photos! It’s important to plan your engagement photos carefully and choose the perfect locations and outfits for the occasion. Here is my best advice on what to wear for engagement photos as a wedding and engagement photographer.
What to Wear for your Engagement Photoshoot
Choose Neutral or Pastel Colors
Neon, bright colors don’t photograph well. Instead, go with light pastels or neutral colors that flatter both of you. I recommend light or pastel versions of blues, greens, and pinks. Mix these colors with neutrals (black, white, navy, or khaki), and you’ve got a great palette!
Be Classy and Comfortable
I recommend 2-3 outfits for your engagement photo session. Choose one set that’s dressy and one that’s casual for variety in the look and feel. For example, most of my brides will wear one dress and the second outfit will be jeans and a fun top. This allows for two completely different looks. Be sure that all your outfit choices are a little fancier than you’d wear every day. It is your wedding after all!
You need to be comfortable and feel good in what you wear. Clothes should give you confidence! Also, wear something that you can move a little in! If you love candid, romantic photos, your photographer will ask you to move a bit. Therefore, you don’t want to wear something too restricting.
Mix it Up!
When it comes to nailing photo shoot attire, the key is to vary patterns and colors so the tops and bottoms don’t match. For example, if your fiancé is in a plaid shirt, your top should be solid. If you’re wearing jeans, have your fiancé wear chinos or denim in a different wash. Your shirts shouldn’t be the exact same color. You don’t want to match exactly.
Be sure to have your outfits follow different formulas. For example, avoid having both of you wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Instead, mix jeans and t-shirt with a casual dress, skirt, or linen pant. Layers really help provide variety. Throw on a jacket or vest. Men can layer a sweater over a collared shirt. Mix it up and have fun!
Get inspired by your wedding
When selecting outfits, it can help to try to coordinate with the vibe of your wedding. You may not have every detail nailed down, but you likely know your venue! If you’re having a destination wedding on the beach, maybe opt for breezy outfits in cotton and linen. A historic venue downtown may call for classic outfits like a black suit and a dress with heels. Others like their outfit colors to provide a preview of their wedding color palette. This isn’t necessary, but it can help you narrow down what to wear for engagement photos!
What to Wear for Engagement Photos by Season
Now that I’ve broken down my best advice for engagement photo outfits, let’s look at some specific outfit ideas for each season.
Engagement Photo Outfits for Spring
Spring calls for florals! This is a great time to lean into feminine touches like small floral patterns, ruffles, or puffy sleeves. As a reminder, keep any patterns subtle rather than large and distracting. Then, men can stay in something neutral and crisp.
Outfit idea:
- Men: Solid collared shirt, chinos
- Women: Floral dress & heels
Engagement Photo Outfits for Summer
Summer is perhaps the easiest time of year for outfits because you don’t want too many layers! This is a great time to find a “wow” summer dress and keep your partner in something more simple.
Outfit idea:
- Men: Short sleeve linen shirt, khaki shorts or pants, boat shoes
- Women: Dress, heeled sandals
Engagement Photo Outfits for Fall
Bust out your favorite sweater! I love neutrals for fall engagement photos since there is already color in the leaves and foliage around you. Go for navy, cream, tan, or gray and let the fall colors be a focal point.
Outfit idea:
- Men: Collared shirt, sweater layered over, chinos
- Women: Jeans, solid sweater, and boots
Engagement Photo Outfits for Winter
Layers will be your best friend for winter engagement photo outfits! You can wear a dress and tights, pants and a sweater, and a great coat can be an amazing focal point to your outfits. Be sure to avoid wearing the exact same color as your partner. For example, try to avoid you both wearing black coats.
Outfit idea:
- Men: Dress pants, a sweater, and a neutral peacoat or a full suit
- Women: Dress and a fancy coat
Favorite Stores for Engagement Photo Outfits
It’s hard to narrow down places to shop for engagement photo outfits, because everyone has a different style, and there are so many wonderful places to shop online. However, here are some brands and stores I often see my clients use.
I love a good deal when it comes to shopping, so I also love recommending Poshmark to my clients for photo outfits! If you love a designer look, but not the price tag, you can often find gently used items for sale on Poshmark for fractions of the normal cost!
Conclusion
There is a lot to consider as you choose what to wear for engagement photos, but overall, choose something that you feel amazing in and isn’t distracting for the camera! If you feel good, you will look good and be comfortable in front of the camera! You can see more example engagement photo outfits in my Engagements archive. Need more help with engagement photos? Reach out to me here!
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