What To Wear For Your Engagement Photoshoot

After the question should we have an engagement photoshoot? the most common thing I get asked is what do I wear for my engagement photoshoot? I get asked this a lot. The answer is really quite simple. Something that makes you feel good. If you are in clothes you like and that fit well then you will be more confident through the engagement shoot and we will get better results together. That being said there are some things I would suggest, based on past experience, that may help you choose your outfits.

SOLID COLOURS RATHER THAN PRINTS

Whilst prints can look great, I would usually suggest that you go for clothes that have solid colours because bold prints can often be distracting and people looking at your portrait may be more drawn to your clothes than you.

COLOUR IS YOUR FRIEND

Bright, rich colours look great in photos as they really stand out and make you pop from the background. Lighter coloured brights stand out well too and aren’t too distracting (i.e. no neon greens and yellows). White looks fresh, can look great and never goes out of style.

THINK BEFORE FOLLOWING STRONG TRENDS

Everyone has that photo that they look back on and say “what was I thinking when I wore that?”. trends come and go, so think carefully before you dress bang on trend for your engagement photoshoot. Engagement photography, like wedding photography, will last a lifetime. Classics will never go out of style, whereas what’s bang on trend today is tomorrow’s “why did we wear that?”

HOW MANY OUTFITS SHOULD I BRING?

You could bring a change of outfit for your engagement photoshoot, but with most locations, changing clothes is not always that easy. It can be nice to have different outfits, but with an engagement shoot, the best way to do this is to use layers that can be removed to give a different feel.

CO-ORDINATE 

Co-ordinating your outfits shows that you belong together. Let’s be clear though, this doesn’t mean you should all show up in matching jumpers, that just looks weird. Instead, think about the style of clothes and try to co-ordinate that. If you feel like going dressy, then make sure you are both looking sharp. Likewise, if you are going for a more natural look, then both wear something casual.

A good tip is to pick a few colours and match them throughout your clothing. If you are wearing a blue dress with a grey top, then your partner could pick up that blue in their checked shirt. The obvious example of this is that you both wear jeans for example. There are different cuts and varieties, but it just gives that feeling of togetherness in your engagement photos without going to the trouble of making sure your shell suits match.

COMFORT IS KEY

Your shoot is an hour long and you will most likely be standing up for a lot of that time and I will be getting you to move around a bit so make sure that whatever you wear, you are comfortable. If you’re comfortable, you’ll feel more confident and it will show in your photos. Get the look you want, dress up if you like, but don’t wear something if it makes you self-conscious or you know you’re going to have keep adjusting it during your shoot because you just don’t feel right. Remember, the more relaxed you are, the better your engagement photography will be. 

On the subject of comfort, dress for the season, especially if we are shooting outdoors. The temperature will be a factor you need to think about as being too hot or too cold during a shoot is never fun.

LASTLY, BE YOURSELF

This is the most important advice I can give you. This is all about you. It’s your engagement shoot and your engagement photographs, so do whatever you need to do to let your personality show.