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What to wear for your engagement session

Congratulations on your engagement! I am so excited for this next chapter of your life as you plan your wedding with the love of your life. But before you decide on place settings and floral arrangements, we’re going to plan an engagement session for you to celebrate this beautiful occasion. Most of my couples have a few questions, of course, there are the basics: location, time of day, etc. But then there’s the fun one: what to wear? Here are a few things I’ve learned from working with my sweet couples over the years and seeing (and posing) them in their favorite outfits. So let’s answer the age-old question “what to wear for your engagement session.

winston salem engagement photographer
winston salem engagement photographer

Before Your Shoot

Before your shoot, make sure you’re looking and feeling your best! You will want your photos to reflect the joy of your engagement and capture the tenderness of this special time in your lives. There are a few things you can do prior to your photoshoot to prepare for a fun and successful photo session. Ladies, I encourage you to get a manicure and pedicure if you have open-toed shoes or at least have someone else paint those nails for you. This is your engagement session – pamper yourself! You may also want to get a haircut and style if time allows, but if not, opt for something that’s easy to maintain and don’t venture away from your norm before your photoshoot – trust me.

Choose your outfits, accessories, and props at least a week in advance of your photoshoot. Try them on and make sure you feel confident wearing them. You don’t want to venture so far from your everyday outfits that you’re uncomfortable in your own skin. The more comfortable and confident you are in your outfit choices, the better your photos will turn out. Planning in advance will also help you find a better fit if your original outfit choices aren’t quite doing it for you. You’ll also want to get your engagement ring cleaned before the photo session. You want to be sure it sparkles, so we can capture those beautiful and intricate details.

winston salem wedding photographer
winston salem wedding photographer

Planning your outfits

I typically suggest two options—one a little more dressy, one a bit more casual—just to add some variety to your session. One thing you’ll definitely want to take into consideration is the atmosphere of where we’re shooting! If we’re traipsing in the Blue Ridge Mountains, then I would steer clear of heels. If it’s a hot and humid day, something flowy and loose will work best.

Want some solid guidelines to follow? These tips come from years of photographing with my incredible couples.

Avoid small prints — they can be both distracting and hard to photograph. You can’t go wrong with solid colors!
Avoid pure white (ivories/creams are totally fine), any intense reds/pinks/oranges, as well as super skinny stripes.

Jewel tones are also always a good option! Sapphire, emerald, topaz, and ruby just to name a few!
• Most of all, make sure you are both wearing something that makes you feel AWESOME. That confidence will definitely come across in your images!

When working with my couples, I always ask them to send me their outfit choices beforehand if they want any of my help. This also helps me plan accordingly for their photo shoot. Also, if they have a Pinterest board of ideas for outfits/poses/styles, we collaborate there too. That really helps me visually.

what to wear to your engagement session
what to wear to your engagement session

What to Bring To Your Session

As you get excited about your upcoming engagement session, it’s important to think about not only what to wear for your engagement session, but also what to bring. Here are some things I ask my couples to consider:

  • Bring those accessories! Your favorite hat, a light jacket, a bottle of champagne, champagne glasses, chalkboard (and chalk marker), eco-friendly confetti; to name a few. I’m down for popping a bottle of champagne for the camera. Bring two glasses to ‘Cheers’ after with what’s left. If you have any other creative ideas, let’s do it!
  • If you want to wear heels for part of your session, I recommend bringing a pair of comfortable flats to change into as we walk from one spot to another at our location.
  • Do you have a dog? Bring him/her! I LOVE pups (and cats!) I highly recommend bringing someone along with you to watch him/her when they’re not partaking in the photoshoot.

You’re Ready for your Engagement Session!

Now that you have a few tips, you’ll be feeling your best and looking beautiful for your engagement shoot. Don’t worry about feeling awkward, I’ll be there hyping you up and helping you feel most comfortable in front of the camera. A few small details like jewelry, clothing, and accessories can make the biggest difference for a great photo session! What was your favorite tip for what to wear for your engagement session?

If you’re looking for a photographer for your engagement session and/or wedding I would love to connect with you. You can reach out here.

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