WHAT TO WEAR for your engagement session – Springfield VA Engagement Photographer
You’re ENGAGED! It’s an awesome time to celebrate the two of you, and the planning begins! But now all of these choices are going to arise, because the first thing to hit is your engagement session! Where will it be? What suits the two of you?
WHAT WILL I WEAR?!
Well I’m here to help you figure that out with a few tips to help you decide. The number one thing I hear when couples talk about their engagement sessions and wedding day images is they want it to “look like themselves.”
Of course we want a more dressed up version of ourselves (instead of us laying in bed with ice cream?), but still we want something true to ourselves to celebrate what makes us unique. So before we begin my number one tip is don’t try and do what’s trendy on social media right now. Do what feels right, what makes you feel like you. So with that cute little disclaimer being said, lets move on.
Tips for WHAT TO WEAR for your engagement session:
1. Define your style – and exaggerate it
You know what’s fun? Shopping for clothes you’ve always wanted to wear and now have an excuse. Well for me it is. What’s the dress in the boutique you’ve always wanted but never had anywhere to wear it? What you wear helps define how people read you. Didn’t we choose it based on what we want it to say about us?
Just choose what screams YOU and makes you feel like yourself. I don’t want to say always choose what makes you feel comfortable, because for me beauty is pain and I’ll always try and pop on a heel. But that’s definitely in my comfort zone!
What words could you use to describe yourself? Here are some examples:
Are you more boho? More classic, or casual?
Maybe you’re really extra (like me) and need to show that in your outfit choices.
Pick something you like that tells the visual story of who you two are!
2. when in doubt: choose one casual, one dressy
Okay so maybe you just don’t know and you don’t think that hard about that stuff. That’s pretty normal too!
I would recommend 1 casual outfit and 1 “dressed up” outfit in that case. Casual can be a shorter dress or romper, and more dressy can be a maxi dress or some other kind of higher end looking piece.
You can also do one “regular” outfit and one more “themed” outfit. By themed I mean like beachwear, or fitness, or a more vintage style look.
3. look for visual inspiration!
- Things I don’t love – being given a pinterest board of poses to copy.
- Things I do love – getting visual inspiration for what photographs well, and what I’m drawn to!
I love pinterest and other ways to find inspiration during the planning process! This can really help you visualize what your session could look like and give you ideas on what to wear and what locations you love too.
If you are feeling stumped on what to wear, why not give yourself a little boost and go on a pinning spree. You can even buy many clothing items from the inspiration links online.
4. Details Matter!
We are going to take photos of all kinds, from the wide angles of where you choose your location, to closeups of the two of you snuggling.
That means I AM going to see your nails closeup, so hopefully you have them looking how you want them! And don’t let anyone wear tennis shoes…
I think it’s always GREAT to bring along an accessory or prop that helps tell your story. It doesn’t need to be in every image, but it’s such a cute way to add variety and personality! It helps if it’s an item that’s personal to you both.
TIP: It’s a great idea to pick out an accent piece of jewelry or order a flower crown to add to your final look!
5. Don’t be afraid of patterns
You don’t have to stick with a dress or shirt that’s one color, especially in Hawaii!
Floral patterns are always a great bet, and work well to add to a tropical look in your images. For guys he can even wear a patterned Hawaiian style shirt, as long as one of you is wearing a singular color and the other is getting exciting.
** TIP: Other patterns I love are stripes to give a more vintage feel
6. Guys need to look good too!
It’s so much fun to shop for women’s items because we have so many different styles to choose from. We don’t want the men to feel like an after thought, but instead be complimentary. Usually most guys have a collared shirt they can use, such as white or light blue, which are always safe bets to bring along.
** The best tip I have for the guys is that his pants and shirt fit him well, and have a “tailored” look to them. That’s the best way to make men look like they have their life together 😛
Well there you have it, some of my favorite tips for what to wear for your engagement session! Congratulations on your engagement, and have fun planning!
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