Recently engaged?! CHEERS, babe 🥂 This is such a special season in you and your boo’s life, so please, before you do any kind of wedding planning – CELEBRATE! But if you’ve popped enough champagne to last a lifetime and you’re ready to get down to business, you’ve come to the right place. One of the first things that couples do is plan for their engagement session. Unfortunately though, it’s no secret that planning what you’re going to wear is tough. Luckily for you, babe, I’ve gotcha covered with the ultimate engagement session outfit guide.

Engagement Session Outfit Tips

Earthy Neutrals, Baby

If you’ve done any kind of browsing on Pinterest for some outfit inspo, you know that neutrals are where it’s at. Spoiler: there’s a reason for that. If you aren’t familiar with the term “earthy neutrals”, let me fill you in. Earthy neutrals are colors or tones that are often found in nature – burgundy, forest green, deep brown, mustard yellow, warm oranges. Try to avoid neon colors like lime green, hot pink, highlighter yellow, etc.

Earthy neutrals are my favorite for many reasons, but here’s a couple:

1. They look good on every skin tone. Find what color works best for you!
2. They don’t take attention away from you and your lover. You are the focus, not your clothes.

You can check out some outfit inspo HERE on my Pinterest board! 🎉

Patterns Aren’t Off-Limits

Contrary to popular belief, you can wear patterns for your photos! My best suggestion is to stick to only one pattern, preferably a subtle one. Perhaps you want to wear a floral skirt; opt for a solid color top. And your lover should also try to dress in a solid. I typically encourage my clients to avoid mixing patterns. Sometimes, mixing patterns looks great in reality, but they might not photograph very well. Patterns can cause images to appear fuzzy and less focused if the print is too busy.

Consider Your Location

When planning your outfits, think about where your session will take place. Sticking with earthy neutrals is important no matter where your session is. But, make sure you’re not going to blend into the background. For example, if you’re taking photos deep in a forest of pines, wearing a dark green top might not pop as much as you want it to. Opt for a burgundy or rust – something contrasting to the environment. If you’re not 100% sure where you’re taking your photos, ask your photographer for some advice!

Options, Options, Options!

I don’t know about you, but options are where it’s at! Depending on your photographer and engagement session duration, most couples wear 2-3 outfits. This really allows your photographer to capture the different styles you and your lover have. Mix it up a bit by doing a casual outfit, a dressy outfit, and maybe an outfit that highlights a passion of yours. I love when couples bring football jerseys or t-shirts from their favorite band. After-all, your engagement session is about telling the love story of you two– nobody else.

Make sure to communicate to your photographer that you plan to do some outfit changes, that way they can help plan where you’ll change. Be sure to also be cognizant of time; if you only have an hour for your session, make sure your outfit changes don’t suck up too much of your time.

Coordination > Matching

Focus on coordinating your outfits rather than matching. Rather than both wearing a black top and blue jeans, mix it up a bit! Maybe you are wearing an olive dress with a black leather jacket and black booties. Your partner could wear some jeans with a black top and brown shoes. If you have a hard time trying to coordinate your outfits, pick a “main” color for you each to wear. You then each incorporate that color into your own outfit. Easy!

Elevate Your Fave ‘Fits

Don’t be afraid of layering! If you have a favorite soft t-shirt that you love to wear, elevate it with a chunky sweater or a chic blazer. Maybe your soon-to-be hubs has a hard time leaving his flannel at home. Elevate his look with a classy belt, some leather boots, and a sweatshirt under the flannel. Not only will you look incredible rocking those fun accessories, but you’ll feel comfy wearing your fave ‘fits (just with a little more flare)!

Your Photographer = New BFF

Something that is really easy to overlook when selecting your outfits for your engagement session is your photographer’s style. Personally, my style is very warm, vintage, soft, and creative. Other photographers may have a lighter, brighter style. Your photographer is an expert in what photographs well for them, don’t forget to ask them (and look at their portfolio).

Do’s and Don’ts: Engagement Session Outfits Edition

If you take one thing away from my ultimate engagement session outfit guide, let it be this: the best thing you can wear is something that feels like you. If you aren’t confident in what you’re wearing, your photos will show it. I just know you are going to look INCREDIBLE in your fave pair of jeans and tried-and-true sweater you snagged last Winter.

Looking for some more tips and outfit inspo? BINGE THE BLOG HERE🥂 Make sure to follow me over on Instagram (@sierrabrookphotography) to get a first glimpse at all the lovely couples I get to hang with.