An engagement session is the perfect time for you and your partner to show off your connection and uniqueness. It is also a time when you get confused about what to wear during the session. Below is a great start, it’s an engagement session clothing guide to help you feel your most confident self! Everyone has a love story, but more than that, you have special reasons why you have stayed together. Mine? Robert and I loved Survivor {the TV show} and from there we jumped into other shows and movies. We are both competitive but fun and that has helped us keep our spark alive.
What to Wear, a Ladies Guide
Colors
First rule of thumb for your engagement session: do not match 100%. Nothing screams 1985 than wearing white shirts and blue jeans in an effort to coordinate. Unless you are doing this as a sarcastic gesture, and in that case, may I suggest a button down white shirt? But in all seriousness, coordination is the key. Start with yourself, and choose colors that make you feel good about yourself. My photography style looks best when you wear shades of white, cream, light pink, light purple and lighter shades of blue and green.
As well, an excellent rule of thumb is to not go too bright, as you want the focus to be on you and your partner. Instead wear softer shades of your favorite color and pair it with some neutrals. It will look soft and romantic. If you do want to have a pop of color, I encourage it with the shoes and accessories {or props!}
Style
For your engagement session it’s up to you, but my preference is dressy. This is the warm-up to your wedding day and there is a good chance you will be sending an image out on a save the date card or getting it printed to display at your wedding. This is why I am not recommending jeans as the part of your core look. Dresses and skirts flatter the female body, plus when you incorporate dancing and movement with them, the images truly come alive. So if you have been eyeing a tulle skirt or a certain dress, I am 110% encouraging you to buy it and wear it! The more flowy and movement the dress has, the better, as it captures well on-camera. Let’s have some fun & make you feel beautiful.
Finishing Touches
Jewelry and shoes! This engagement session clothing guide loves jewelry and shoes! I have this Kendra Scott necklace I love, it sits in the perfect spot on my neck and it glitters. But it’s also small, and I notice in pictures it gets lost. And that is my fun story as to why your jewelry needs to be a bit bigger and flashier for your engagement session. When I capture you, I will be photographing your neckline, your jewelry and a necklace with some size to it adds visual interest without taking away from the ring. In fact, consider it a glittery backdrop for your ring!
Shoes are another area you can play in. If your outfit is neutrals, you can have blush shoes to match, but you also can have shoes with bright pops of color or be a bit trendy. I personally love these shoes from Loeffler Randall and had a past bride of mine wear a pair during her session. Not only are they trendy, they are romantic and perfect for an engagement session.
Props?
This is one of the areas that allow you to get creative! Props let you show off your personality, and it doesn’t have to be over the top either. Plus props don’t have to be kitschy, flowers are a totally valid lifestyle choice! And flowers make your images feel more “bridal”, which is perfect. Some couples include their pet as a “prop” and I freaking love it. One couple had me over to their place and we put flower collars on their cats and it was amazing. See the picture below for that wild ride!
But what if you do want to add some stronger pizzaz to your images? I say keep the props in theme with your love story or shared passions. If you have read any of my previous blogs or follow me on Instagram, you know I love Harry Potter, and will find any reason to incorporate it into my daily life. So me encouraging the use of wands and magic in your session should come as no surprise. But there are other things you can do, and if you do it in a subtle and classy way, your pictures will be fun and timeless.
So what do you think about this engagement session clothing guide? Are there things in here that you never thought of? Are you going to use any of these tips? Let me know in the comments!
More Wedding Tips:
What to Wear for your engagement session–for men
How to Have an Unplugged Wedding
Top 5 Ways to Have amazing wedding pictures
Book me for Your Wedding!
Love my work? Want me to capture you and yours? Let’s talk!! It’s easy, my email address is Christine@swishnclick.com. Let’s have a heart-to-heart, get excited about the possibilities of your wedding or session and come up with a plan that is uniquely you! I want to hear from you!
