Deciding what to wear to your engagement photos can be stressful! Should I wear my new dress? Should I buy another new dress? Will my arms look fat? Maybe I should just wear all black….ever been there? Yah, me too! That’s why I’ve created an all encompassing photographer’s guide to take the guess work out of what to wear for your engagement photos.

If you follow my easy recipe, I can promise you, you’ll look and feel amazing in your engagement photos. So let’s dive in!

And to start out, I want to debunk three outfit myths I hear time and time again.

1. Avoid neutrals, they will wash you out.
2. Wear black because it will make you appear slimmer.
3. You have to match outfits.

All of these couldn’t be further from the truth when it comes to taking photos! Neutrals actually tend to be the most flattering colors in photos because they are light and airy and don’t weigh down the photo like a heavy black outfit would. Especially, when it comes to my light, vibrant, energetic style of photography, black is a total buzz kill. And for the love of God, please don’t take me back to the early 2000’s when every single person in a photo wore a white shirt and jeans at the beach. BORING! Let’s add a little diversity and balance to a photo. Think coordination, not matching.

So, what should you aim for when searching for outfits:

1. First and foremost, what do you feel comfortable in and feel the most flattering in? I get it, we all have our insecurities. And, highlighting them in a photo isn’t the way to go. But, know your body and work with what God gave you. If you hate your arms, wear something that has sleeves. If you think you have cankles, wear something that covers them. Flowy skirts and dresses, tend to be the most flattering on almost any female body type. They come in all different colors, patterns and varieties. Find the best one that suits your style and body type.
2. Alternate heaviness in a photo. Since we are aiming to coordinate with our significant other and not match, think about how you can balance out the photo with your outfits. If your fiance is wearing dark pants, I wouldn’t recommend you also wearing dark pants or skirt. Maybe he wears navy pants and a white collared shirt and you wear a light blue sundress. The outfits coordinate perfectly, but they aren’t the exact same.
3. When searching for outfits, colors that tend to be amazing in photos are blushes, tans, light pinks, faint blues, light minty teals, creams, grays and whites. Neutrals. If you really want to add a pop of color in your outfit, alternate the brightness (just like the heaviness in a photo) and avoid bright reds, oranges and neon colors that could cast unflattering color reflections on your skin tones. Another great outfit example, if you want to wear a colorful floral patterned dress, maybe have your fiance wear a white shirt and khakis. Are this all starting to make sense? Good! For more outfit ideas, browse my Pinterest board with engagement outfit inspiration.

Are you getting excited about your engagement photos yet?! YAY, ME TOO! Check out these other helpful blog posts like Embracing The Wind during your engagement session or Sunrise vs. Sunset Engagement Photos…which is better? And if you’re ready to book your engagement session, then hell yes, let’s do this thing! Inquire HERE!