What to wear during your engagement session 2019
What to Wear for your Engagement Session
So I have been blogging with 4 years now…I love sharing stories, weddings and engagements, and the occasional recipe. Well this year I am focusing on educating my couples and providing some blogs of encouragement (along with some fabulous weddings and my clients sessions).
I was speaking with one of my couples the other day, and they were quite focused on what to wear…this is a question I get often and I even cover a section on what to wear in my Jennifer B. Wedding Guide for my brides. It is completely understandable...It may take me some time to determine what I will wear for my family’s yearly photo session (not to mention trying to figure out what my kids will wear…as they fight to not wear dresses…or anything pink). Some may say I freak out a little…just ask Lewis and he will quietly lower and shake his head. So I was determined to put together a blog on what to wear! Here it goes…
First I'd like to say this post is meant to a guide…a tool that you may find useful for planning your outfits for our engagement shoot! Take the tips that apply to you but don’t feel like you have to follow everything I write.
So here are my TOP TEN tips for what to wear for your engagement session!
1. Do plan for two outfits.
One outfit is normally on the dressy side and one is more casual. You can start with either, although I encourage my couples to take this opportunity for a date night after our session! Just make sure your outfits are equally dressy…If she is wearing a flowing maxi dress, her man should probably avoid jean shorts and sneakers.
2. Be yourself!
Wear something that shows me who you are. If you look at these images and think “that’s not me…that’s not my style”…that’s ok!If you have a unique style, wear it! Some of my favorite couples have incorporated their own style. I had one groom with a cowboy hat…it was so him and she even wore it for a few…I love them for it!
3. Do coordinate your attire, but there is no need to match perfectly.
Wearing the same color tops may photograph as one big color across two people. Feel free to wear a different shade in the same color palette.
4. Choose your colors wisely.
Wear bold colors if you want bold, vibrant images. Neutrals such as blush, tans, link pinks, faint blues and teals, creams, grays and whites will always result in more of a light and airy look to your images.
Both have their benefits and can show off your personality as well. If one of you is wearing something with a lot of color, it may be best to have the other person wear something more neutral.
5. Don’t stress too much over what to wear!
I know, I know...you want to choose the perfect outfit since these are often times your save-the-dates. But remember that this is supposed to be fun and my goal is to capture the connection and love you share. Plus some of my favorite outfits have been when the girl wears a simple flowing dress and the guy is just wearing a simple button-down or crew top and slacks!
6. Be aware of patterns.
If you’re wearing plaid, the bigger the better!!
Larger patterns photograph better than tiny little ones, which may mess with the camera, causing a slight magenta hue (it’s called chromatic aberration).
7. Show me some details! I love details!!
There’s nothing that brings it all together like accessories! Fun necklaces, earrings, shoes.... I am in heaven! These details add so much to an outfit! My favorite detail?! The ring! Please clean your ring…I will be photographing your gorgeous diamond while you change outfits! This means that this would be a perfect opportunity to have your ring cleaned so that it’s clear of dirt and other build up that may be visible through a macro lens!
8. Hair and makeup…
yeah I know this is not what you are wearing, but it goes hand in hand.
Feel free to splurge a little! If you were considering getting your hair and makeup done, this is the perfect opportunity to treat yourself!
9. Ask for his input.
Some of my grooms are quite okay with this decision being made for him. But others may want some input into the day. If he has a color that he loves to see you in, consider wearing it.
10. Finally and probably most importantly…wear attire that you are comfortable in.
One that suites your figure. I know you may be thinking, “of course, Jen! That’s a must!” I know, I know…but time after time, I will choose clothing that I am not comfortable in and I have seen it in some couples…so please take this tip to heart. There are certain outfits that work well…while others may not. For example... I am self conscience of my arms…no matter how much I workout before my shoot LOL I don’t like how sleeveless shirts look on me…but I do it anyway and then look back feeling aggravated. I’m also a fair skinned blonde…so I have learned to avoid pale yellow tops for my sessions. So the truth is if you don’t like the way you look in certain types of clothes, you’re not going to love the way you look in your images that I take. Bottom line, make sure you wear something that you’re comfortable in and you will feel more confident…and you will LOVE your images!
Well, There it is! My 10 tips to what to wear! I hope you are put some of these tips to use before your engagement session!
Click here for more engagement prep tips!
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Jennifer Beeman
Jennifer B. Photography.
Wedding and Portrait Photographer of the Carolinas