You’re engaged, and you’re really excited about the idea of doing engagement photos, but you have so many questions like what are you both going to wear, where should you get them taken, or how will you pose for the photos? Here are all of my top tips on how to make sure you’ll love your engagement photos!

Style

Deciding on what to wear is on the top of the list of being the most stressful, so here are my top five tips for what to wear for your engagement photos:

Tip #1 Your Clothes Need to be Comfortable

I know that saying this may seem obvious, but there are many couples who buy all new clothes for their engagement photos online because they like the way they look on the models, but never try them on or wear them for a day or two to see if they actually feel comfortable enough to move around in. I’ve had clients come to their session with the tags still on the clothes! You don’t want to discover that the sleeves are too tight or too long or that your fiancé’s jeans are too big and you forgot to bring a belt. That kind of surprise only brings on more stress.

Tip #2 Stay True to Your Style

Your engagement photos should look like you. Now is not the time to re-invent your style and try a new look. If you’re both traditional, don’t try and copy a BOHO look that you have drooled over on Pinterest. Your pictures won’t be authentic, and your friends and family will realize that too. Now it can be fun to experiment a little with accessories like hats, scarves, shoes, or jewelry, but just be sure everything still stays true to who you are.

Tip #3 Avoid Noisy Patterns

Stay away from loud and bold patterns that will look distracting in your engagement photos. The focus should be on the two of you and how much you love each other. So bright and big striped dresses or shirts or checkered patterns are definitely a no-go. If you want clothing with some pattern, stick with florals and other less obvious textile designs.

Tip #4 Engagement Outfits Shouldn’t Match

The temptation is there to choose outfits that match, but when you do that, your engagement photos end up looking too posed and orchestrated. Look for coordinating colors or different shades of one color. For example, if you wear a floral dress, have your fiancé wear a shirt that has one of the colors in your dress.

Tip #5 Have One Casual & One Dressy Outfit

Both of you need to have at least one outfit that includes your most favorite pair of jeans. If they’re a little faded and worn, you can always dress them up with a blouse or other shirt. We usually feel most comfortable in a great pair of jeans, and when you feel comfortable, your engagement photos will reflect that. I always like my couples to have at least one dressier outfit. It can be a dressy cocktail dress or pantsuit for you and dress pants, dress shirt, and blazer for your fiancé. I don’t limit how many outfits my couples can bring, but I do like to see one with jeans and one with a more formal outfit.

Location

Next on how to make sure you’ll love your engagement photos is to pick a location. Choosing the right location to have your engagement photos taken can be difficult as well. Here are some ideas to help you discover some perfect spots:

• Is there a unique place that means a lot to the two of you because it’s where you first met or where you went on your first date? Don’t be afraid to think outside the box a little. An example might be doing part of your session in front of the arena or stadium where you had your first date. 
• Where do you both spend a lot of time together? Do you have a favorite outdoor location to work out together or favorite park to walk your dog? These areas could all potentially be great places for your engagement photos.
• Don’t rule out where you live. Obviously, your home is the place where you would feel the most comfortable so brainstorm ideas to do pictures there. Do you both like to cook together? Or consider casual romantic snuggling on the couch as one part of your session.

Be Relaxed

Lastly on how to make sure you’ll love your engagement photos is to be relaxed. If you or your fiancé are somewhat introverted or if you feel that you never like how you look in pictures, these can be deal breakers for even deciding to do engagement photos at all.

This is where having a photographer who is skilled at helping you relax is so important. When you are relaxed, your interactions with one another will be more spontaneous rather than overly posed. I work with my couples to get to know them before their engagement session to be able to place them in realistic situations. Then as I talk and engage with them, I find that their true personalities eventually come out and I’m always ready to shoot those authentic and real emotions as they happen.