What Do We Wear To Our Engagement Session?

The question I get the most often is, “what do we wear?”

To help out with all those engagement outfit woes, I put together 10 tips that will help you find your perfect outfit for your engagement pictures! Be sure to check out the bonus tips as well!

1. Most of my couples choose 2 outfits for their engagement session. One outfit is usually on the dressier side and the other is a little more casual. Just keep in mind that the more outfits you have, the less portraits you will have. 

2. Don’t be afraid to dress up: High heels, cocktail dresses, long, flowy dresses paired with ties & dress shoes for the guys. How many times do you go to a party dressed in your best and you want pictures of you and your fiancé… well lets make it happen during your engagement session! There is no such thing as being “too dressy” for your engagement pictures! 

3. I’m sure you don’t want portraits where you and your fiancé both are wearing a white t-shirt and khakis… so coordinate instead of being too “matchy”. Pair colors that go well together while still showcasing your individual personalities. Tying outfits  together with a color scheme can be really helpful! 

4. If you are in a cocktail dress, your fiancé probably shouldn’t wear jeans and a t-shirt. You want to match in terms of how dressy the outfit is.

5. Does your guy wear a lot of plaid? Include it! Patterns can be great, but the bigger the pattern the better as it typically photographs better than smaller patterns. The camera can pick up smaller details from far away so in that case, it would be better to choose a solid dress shirt 🙂 Plus, anything too busy can act as a distraction from what the photo is about, and we don’t want that! 

6. I love accessories; I wish I accessorized more myself. Necklaces, scarves, belts, and cute dangly earrings, watches for the guys can really add to a photo!

7. Layers! Blazers and Suit Jackets for the guys look so sharp in pictures! They add the perfect amount of dimension in portraits and really enhances the overall look of your engagement pictures! In the summer when our humidity is intense, we can start with this outfit so that your groom to be can shed some layers as we go.. and we won’t keep him layered for long! 

8. Wear something you feel confident in. Something that flatters your figure, hair color, skin tone, etc. For me, even in high school when my arms were more toned, I didn’t particularly love how they looked in pictures. If you are self-concious about your legs, I probably wouldn’t choose a mini skirt or a short hemline, instead opt for a longer, flowy dress! If you don’t like what an outfit looks like on a normal day, chances are, you won’t like it in your engagement pictures. Choosing something you feel comfortable in is far more important and for your own benefit because if you are not comfortable in your outfit, it will show in your pictures. Plus, long, flowy dresses are so romantic! Another example, have you ever been told a specific color looks good on you? For me, it is pinks/purples. To look your best wear what you feel confident and comfortable in because confidence compliments! Bonus Tip: Cobalt blue looks so good on women. Why do you think so many news reporters and news anchors wear it?

9. Light, Neutral colors and/or pastels photograph so well and actually help give you that bright and airy feel in portraits, even if we shoot your engagement session on a cloudy day. 

10. Go through your old photos!! I have done this ample of times with my own portraits. Go through your old photos of you and your fiancé (photos together and photos of you each individually). What outfits did you like the most in those pictures? How can you tie them together? 

BONUS Tip #1 from a 2020 KBP Bride: Anna says, “The best tip I got before our engagement session was to just stick with our own personal style when it came to clothing. That goes for both genders. Don’t force a certain style or go out of your comfort zone when it comes to your outfits, because you want your pictures to reflect who you guys really are as a couple!”

Bonus Tip #2 from hairstylist, Catherine Beyers and KBP client: “Schedule a blow out!” And she is so right! Most engagement sessions are right in the middle of our most humid months and hair can get frizzy or fall flat. Schedule an appointment with an established hair stylist that knows exactly how to style your hair so that you feel and look your best from the start of the engagement session to the end! Same can be applied to makeup! You could utilize the makeup appointment as your test run for wedding day! Test runs for hair and makeup are just as important as trying your dress on after alterations! Ps. who doesn’t want to get pampered?? If you are looking for a hairstylist for your Huntington/Charleston WV wedding.. or just in general.. check her out here!

View other wedding and engagement tips HERE