What to wear for your engagement shoot
As soon as couples book their pre wedding shoot or engagement shoot with me, their first question is usually "what do we wear"?
The advice I give MY couples is always "flat shoes and whatever is comfortable".
I have my couples moving around A LOT and if they've followed me a while they kinda know they are going to be running and dancing around.
Here are some things to consider
when choosing your outfits for your engagement shoot:
location
weather
type of shoot
your usual style
the photographers style
your vision [if you have one]
Let's go through these points in a little more depth.
The location
Is your shoot in the woods? Sounds like common sense but if so definitely avoid flip flops. Likewise, if you are venturing to the beach - leave the high heels at home.
Many years ago I met a couple in the woods and the lady came in cream, suede heeled sandals - needless to say they were ruined...
The weather / season
Dress appropriately for the weather.
If it's winter, wear a coat!
I've had people turn up in December with no coat, as they want a certain aesthetic. But they end up shivering for an hour and wishing it was over so they can get back in the warm.
Your usual style
What type of clothes do you usually wear? What are you most comfortable in? If you don't normally wear dresses, chances are, if you wear one just for "nice photos", you will feel uncomfortable and therefore, look uncomfortable. So sticking to your regular style will best reflect you.
Your photographer's style
My couples shoots are pretty high energy. I have couples running around, giving piggy backs and dancing. This is shown clearly in my images, so my clients usually turn up prepared in flat shoes and trousers as they know what's coming.
So wearing something that reflects the type of shoots your photographer does is key.
Your vision
You probably have an idea of how you want your images to look and if this is important to you - then choosing your colour palette will help bring this to life.
A lot of people go for nude / beige colours to feel more timeless. Denim always looks great at the beach. I would try to avoid clashing patterns - so not one of you in flowers and one in stripes. Unless that's your jam - then go for it.
MY ONLY HARD RULE IS - NO ILLUMINOUS SPORTSWEAR
I once did a family shoot and the dad turned up in a bright orange goalkeeper shirt. It reflected orange onto anyone's skin tone who stood near him and your eye was drawn to his shirt in every image.
I think they regretted the shirt choice afterwards.
Below is some inspiration courtesy of a few of my awesome clients.
Really cute for a nice spring morning at the beach. Denim jeans, plain tops.
Perfect example of one pattern and one plain outfit.
Spring vibes. Charlotte braved white trousers at the beach which complimented Toms dark jeans beautifully.
The cream looked great at the beach.
Sue wearing all white in her pre wedding era.
Perfect for a summer evening at the beach and Dave complimenting her in blue.
A great example of both partners wearing dark colours. Looks great in the woods - especially in autumn. Aaron wearing plain and Evie in a pattern.
Classic example of two plain outfits but complimenting each other beautifully.
"I recommend flat shoes and a sports bra"
—Shell O'Toole
Thanks for reading and I hope you found this blog useful.
Check out my other blogs here for more tips.
