Choosing what to wear for your engagement photos can be overwhelming or intimidating AF.
And I know most blog posts all say the same thing—wear white or neutrals, shoot for golden hour, stand in that classic pose where your foreheads are touching (IKYK)—but if you don’t want your photos to feel like all of your high school friend’s engagement photos, you’re in the right place.
This blog post is packed full of my best (and fun) advice about what to do and what to wear for engagement photos as a wedding and engagement photographer of over seven years!
Scroll Pinterest for Inspiration
Listen, I know most engagement photographers DON’T recommend scrolling Pinterest for inspiration. BUT, I do becauseee it can help you get a better idea of what you want your engagement photoshoot to look and feel like (or NOT look or feel like), and give you fun ideas for what to wear.
Rather than searching “engagement photos” which will you give you a bunch of generic results, try searching Pinterest for a theme or vibe that you might want to go for, like:
- Engagement photos 70s
- Engagement photos punk rock
- Engagement photos disco
- Engagement photos food
- Engagement photos dive bar
- Engagement photos library
And if you need more general inspo, try searching these on Pinterest:
- Engagement photos ideas fun
- Engagement photos ideas colorful
- Film engagement photos (these photos tend to be way more creative and cool!)
- Engagement photo ideas theme
- Engagement photo activities
There are no rules about what to wear (or do) when it comes to your engagement photos, so getting a good idea of what you two might have fun doing or dressing up in from perusing Pinterest is a great place to start.
Choose a Theme That Shows Off Your Personality
Once you’ve got a good idea of what you’re liking or not liking after perusing Pinterest, my best freaking advice? Pick a theme. Because not only is a theme fun as f*ck, but also it helps you figure out everything else about your engagement photoshoot, from what to wear in your photos to where to take them!
(I LOVE a sick theme, as an engagement and wedding photographer, when a couple wants to use their engagement photoshoot to go for a fun theme with a clear aesthetic it’s my favorite thing ever.)
When it comes to picking a theme for your engagement photoshoot, it’s all about picking something that lets your personality shine through. And your theme could revolve around something that you two do all the time together or be a ridiculous, out of the norm theme you just WANT to do.
One of my engagement photography couples went for a 70s vibe with throwback engagement outfits and rented an old, Volkswagen van.
Another of my engagement photography couples were artists who went for an “artsy” theme, sketching each other with charcoal during their engagement photoshoot because, you know, artists, duh!
Another one of my couples wanted to have a lowkey, outdoorsy theme, so they wore super casual clothing, rented a canoe, and had a picnic with champagne.
Engagement sessions are an excuse to do something fun so the only “should” here is to choose a theme you guys are pumped about. Think about what you two enjoy doing together that will show off the dope people and couple you are.
Pick a Place (or 2) That Fits the Vibe
Once you’ve got your theme nailed down, you can pick a location (or two) that fits your theme. And that might be anywhere.
If your engagement photoshoot theme is 70s vibes, you might want to hit a bowling alley, a roller skating rink, or a diner.
If you two want to lean more into a punk rock engagement photo vibe, maybe head with your engagement photographer to a dive bar, pose on the street with your motorcycles, or take some photos in a record store.
Or if you want your theme to be more lowkey, maybe you take your engagement photos at your house. (I’ve had couples do their engagement photoshoot on their farm and in their own kitchen while baking stuff together!)
Oh, and by the way, if your engagement photographer is cool with it, you can always start at your house and go somewhere else cool to take more photos.
Wear Something On-Theme and Comfortable
Most of my clients want candid, documentary-style engagement photos, which I LOVE shooting. But if you’re hyper-aware of what you’re wearing—fixing twisted straps, pulling down a short dress, worrying that your buttons are gonna pop off—it’s hard for your engagement photographer to get those beautiful in-the-moment photos.
While it might sound cheesy, the best damn advice any photographer can give you about what to wear for engagement photos is to select outfits and accessories that make you feel kick-ass and confident. It will show on camera!
And don’t be afraid to lean into your theme! (That’s why I advise picking your theme first!)
One of my couples brought their motorcycle to their engagement photoshoot, so they dressed up in leather and boots. Makes sense. (It would have been weird if they were wearing super formal attire… although it could have been hilarious if that matched their personalities.)
If you’re struggling to decide on what to wear for your engagement photos, consider bringing two outfit options: one casual/themed (for activities) and one formal/more traditional(for portraits). Going with the super-stylized personality idea works well with two outfits, so you get the cute and fun pictures alongside more traditional couples portraits.
Don’t forget about the weather
Of course, the weather has a say in what to wear for engagement photos and can totally change depending on the season you’re going for.
Spring and fall tend to be the most popular seasons for engagement photos because of the gorgeous colors. (Especially in places like Philadelphia!) And, during those seasons, you can honestly get away with wearing whatever you want because you’re not freezing OR sweating your ass off.
I like fall and winter shoots because you can play with layering without completely changing your outfits. Adding a coat or scarf to your outfit, along with swapping out accessories, makes for an awesome variety of looks.
Summer in Pennsylvania is tricky… It’s hot and you’ll sweat. I had a couple that only lasted 20 minutes into our one-hour shoot because they got too damn hot and felt over it. Luckily, I had a pretty good gallery already, so we called it, but it’s something to be aware of.
While I like winter because you can layer your engagement photoshoot fits, it can also be a challenging time of year.
I had one couple say they wanted snowy photos, but the logistics were too hard to work out because you can’t PLAN on snow for your engagement photos.
If the stars had aligned, it would have been such a fun engagement shoot, but they decided it made more sense to have a set day and time for their pictures.
While you can’t control the weather (and sometimes bad weather, like rain, makes for amazing photos if you’re able to stay in the moment!), it’s something to be mindful of when planning the time of year you want to do your engagement photoshoot.
If you’re looking for an engagement photographer…
…who lives for making sure you two are having a blast and will take dope-ass, styled and documentary-style engagement photos of you two doing your thing, I’m the photographer for you.
And if you want engagement photos like this:
FAQs About What to Wear for Engagement Photos
Are you supposed to wear white in your engagement photos?
You don’t have to wear white because you can wear whatever the hell you want to wear! Screw the supposed tos! These are your engagement photos. In my book, there’s no wrong answer for what you should wear.
How do you not be awkward during engagement photos?
Comfort is key—what you’re wearing, the setting, and the photographer you chose should all make you feel confident and comfortable. I personally encourage a lot of moving around to get candid shots you’ll love.
(You won’t catch me placing your hand on your partner’s shoulder and telling you to tilt your chin at an 85-degree angle while you both smile your faces off. But I will have you dancing, laughing, piggy-backing each other, or whispering your favorite breakfast cereal in a funny accent into each other’s ears.)
How do you prepare for an engagement photoshoot?
Think about the vibe/theme you want, and match your outfits, hair, makeup, accessories, and props to it.
How long is a typical engagement photoshoot?
My engagement photoshoots run for an hour. Some engagement photographers might shoot for longer or shorter, but an hour is pretty average! (Sometimes we’re done earlier than an hour if I feel I have a good gallery to work with!)
