Have engagement photos coming up and are low-key freaking out because you don’t know what to wear? I know it can be pretty daunting but I’m here to give you a few guidelines to guide through!

These guidelines and tips are just what I’ve noticed work best with my shooting and editing style!

Weather

Let’s talk about how your location and the weather can give you a baseline on what you will want to plan on wearing. If we’re hiking, you’ll want to bring hiking boots but if we’re shooting at a beach or river, it’ll look funny if you’re wearing shoes.

Snow and wintery months are not great for heels and short dresses. You can always add layers, wear cozy socks and wear breathable clothing so you don’t get the pesky armpit stains if you’re too warm.

Neutrals! Neutrals! Neutrals!

Picking out colors can always be a little challenging… but I will always be a sucker for neutral outfits because they really do look good in any type of photoshoot environment! But that doesn’t mean you have to just wear black, cream, and white. You can throw in some tans, olive, rust, or gray in the mix as well!

Pops of Color

There’s always a neutral option for every color (burnt orange, mustard yellow, forest green, navy blue). Those colors are very much encouraged! Anything that isn’t too harsh on the eyes is a win. Don’t wear anything that’s bright or fluorescent. I always recommend staying away from pinks and bright oranges unless you have darker or olive skin tones.

Patterns

Don’t be afraid of a little bit of patterned material if that’s your style! Patterns can be beautiful when worn correctly to complement each other, but they can also be super distracting when not worn right.

When choosing a patterned shirt or dress, go for subtle or small patterns. Try to stay away from patterns that are large or loud. This keeps the focus on your beautiful face and not the clothes you’re wearing!

Another quick tip is to avoid matching or both people wearing patterns. If one person is wearing a plaid shirt or floral dress, the other person should wear a solid complimenting color.

Don’t forget to iron everything beforehand so there’s no distractions with wrinkle lines too!

Props & Accessories

Spice up your photoshoot with different props and accessories! Okay, to be honest with you, the word prop makes me gag. It makes me think of the cheesy wooden signs with quotes. But this doesn’t apply to all props! I’m talking about beers or drinks, pizza picnics, hot chocolate and blankets by the campfire, your motorcycle or jeep, etc.

Think of anything the two of you like to do together to help bring out your true personalities in your engagement photos! You want to be able to look at these photos and say “that is so us!”

Props are definitely not necessary though so whatever makes your session unique to you, do that!

Movement

Chances are you’ve seen my work, so you know how much I love movement. This is where the importance of feeling comfortable comes into play. You want to feel comfortable not only with the temperatures but also to be able to move around! If you’re in restricting clothing or uncomfortable heels we can be restricted with what we can do for photos… and we definitely don’t want that!

Shoes and Accessories

Shoes are one of the most important things when it comes to your session! During your session with me, you can expect a lot of movement and running around, therefore, uncomfortable shoes or heels might not be the best or you will at least want to bring a pair of back ups.

When it comes to accessories I am always down for anything!! Hats, sunglasses, jean jackets, etc. Anything that might be special to you, go ahead and bring! We can incorporate them into your photos, even if it’s not for the entire shoot!

That wraps up all of the tips I have for you! But remember that these are guidelines, not rules. I want you guys to feel like and look like yourselves. So, don’t feel like you have to go on a shopping spree to make these photos good! You can definitely use what’s already in your closet.

Ready to book your engagement photos? Fill out my contact form and let’s chat!

Want to see more engagement photo outfit inspiration? Head over to my Pinterest!