The best engagement photos will, in a word, feel like you. First and foremost, choose outfits that feel authentic to you and your partner. Pick something that is stylish but fitting with your normal look and vibe. If you love dressing up, then get fancy! If you prefer a more casual look, that's fine too! The key is to wear something that makes you feel comfortable, but also like a slightly souped-up version of yourself.
2. Avoid Distracting Logos and Text
Large logos, brand names, and written text on clothing can pull attention away from what truly matters — you! So go with solid colors or subtle patterns to keep the focus on your connection and expressions.
1. Be Comfortable and Feel Like Yourself
3. Coordinate, Don’t Match
Matching outfits can feel silly and contrived, so I recommend coordinating your colors instead, which will make your photos feel polished and more cohesive. Here’s how:
4. Fitted, Pressed Clothing is More Flattering
Although it might be tempting to hide behind oversized sweaters or loose clothing, form-fitting outfits actually are more flattering and photograph a lot better! Flowing fabrics and structured pieces help define your shape in a pleasing way. So try to avoid bulky layers; instead go for well-fitted tops, dresses, and pants that highlight your natural figure.
Also, be sure to iron or steam your outfit before the session!! There is nothing worse than seeing large wrinkles or fold marks in your clothing in an otherwise beautiful image. Clothing that looks crisp and well-kept will photograph much better than something with noticeable creases from being folded or stuffed in a bag.
I highly recommend bringing along a lint roller to your session — especially if you have pets! Animal hair, dust, and lint can show up in photos more than you’d expect (especially on dark clothing), so a quick touch-up before shooting will help keep your outfit looking fresh and polished.
5. Layering Adds Depth and Interest
Even if it’s not freezing outside, layers can enhance your look and add a lot of great variety to your images. Consider things like jackets, cardigans, and scarves. Layers also give you options to quickly switch up your look throughout the session without taking the time to make a full outfit change.
10 wardrobe tips for your engagement photos
- Choose a color palette instead of matching exact colors. Think soft neutrals, earth tones, or jewel tones (rich colors like emerald green, sapphire blue, ruby red, and amethyst purple). You can find lots of color palette inspiration on Pinterest.
- Consider your location — if you're shooting in the mountains, earthy greens, browns, or deep blues will look great. If you're near a river or lake, soft blues, greens, and neutral tones can complement the natural water reflections. For forest sessions, rich jewel tones or warm earth tones (like mustard, deep red, or burnt orange) will pop against the green foliage.
- Limit busy patterns — small floral prints or subtle textures are fine, but avoid large, distracting patterns.
