What to wear for your Engagement Shoot

Engagement photoshoots offer a chance for a couple to capture one of the most romantic times in their life for posterity – which is wonderful, but also involves an element of pressure.

This, after all, is the photoshoot you will look back on for the rest of your life; the first official portrait of you and your intended as a couple – so you’re going to want the photographs to be as good as they possibly can be.

To do this, you have to make a series of good decisions. You have to select the right photographer; somehow who you trust to capture your relationship perfectly. You also have to select the right location, and focus on the element of your engagement photoshoot we’re going to focus on in this piece: your outfits. If you are struggling in this regard, the tips below may help you find the perfect outfit for you and your spouse-to-be…

What to wear for your Engagement Shoot

#1 – Wear matching outfits with extreme caution

Many couples are tempted to wear matching outfits for their engagement photoshoot – but this is an idea you should approach with caution. Matching outfits can be fun, but they can also be cliched. If you do opt for matching outfits, make sure you have considered the decision over a period of time – matching outfits are a very bold choice, and one you need to be 100% sure of before the photographer takes their first picture.

#2 – Reflect the season

Engagement photoshoots seek to capture a moment in time, which means the best photoshoots tend to reflect the season in some way. This does not need to be particularly overt – you don’t need to wear Christmas jumpers if your photoshoot is in December, for example! – but a gentle nod to the season can really help make your photoshoot more individual. The colours you wear are usually the best way to achieve a subtle, but significant, acknowledgement of the season:

Summer photoshoots, wear bright, warm colours.
Spring photoshoots, choose pastels or even floral patterns.
Autumn photoshoots, opt for warm, rustic colours such as red or brown.
Winter photoshoots, choose sharp blues or deep berry colours.

What to wear for your Engagement Shoot

#3 – Avoid trends

Opting for clothing that is extremely on-trend may help to enhance the feeling of capturing a moment in time, but it does mean that your photographs will date incredibly quickly. While all engagement photoshoots will date eventually, it is preferable to at least have a couple of years before this happens!

If you do want to use on-trend elements in your photoshoot, then it’s best to use smaller pieces such as shoes and accessories to achieve this.

#4 – Wear clothes you would normally wear

Engagement photoshoots offer something different to the photographs you will take on your wedding day. They can be more laid back, more personal; less about capturing “official” photographs and more about creating a moment that reflects you and your spouse-to-be as a couple. As a result of the unique nature of engagement photoshoots, it’s important that you are comfortable and feel like yourself throughout the shoot. This, for most people, is best achieved by wearing the kind of clothes that they would normally choose to wear.

It’s important to note that this does not mean you can’t purchase a new outfit for your engagement photoshoot if you wish. However, you will usually feel at your best if you buy an outfit that you would normally pick anyway.

What to wear for your Engagement Shoot

#5 – Keep a destination in mind

When choosing the outfits for you and your spouse-to-be, it can be beneficial to repeatedly ask yourself the same question: “are these people going to the same place?”

For example, if the bride-to-be will be wearing a light summer dress, the prospective groom should be outfitted in a relaxed, summer-friendly outfit also. Alternatively, if the groom is wearing a three-piece-suit, the bride should ideally be wearing a formal gown rather than a tee-shirt and jeans. By ensuring that the outfits look like they are being worn to the same event, you can be sure of a sense of cohesiveness to overall photographs.

What to wear for your Engagement Shoot

#6 – Match a single element of your outfits

As we have discussed, outright matching outfits are likely something that you are going to want to avoid. However, there are ways and means of creating a sense of cohesion between your outfits without going full-on matchy-matchy.

For example, if you are wearing a red shirt, your spouse-to-be could wear red shoes. This kind of arrangement allows for a sense of unity to your chosen ensembles but avoids going over-the-top in terms of matching with one another, and the overall impact of such a choice can be stunning.

What to wear for your Engagement Shoot

#7 – Be subtle

Many couples choose to incorporate elements into their engagement photoshoot outfits that reflect them as a couple or showcase something that unites them. However, it is best to be subtle with this. As an extreme example, two scientists may wish to wear outfits that reflect their mutual scientific interest. This may lead to the temptation to both wear lab coats and goggles, but this is a touch too “dress up” for most people’s tastes.

Instead, be subtle; using the example above, you could wear t-shirts with emblazoned with the atom symbol. It’s possible to find a way of showcasing a shared love or passion without crossing the line to appearing to be in costume, so opt for subtlety and you won’t go far wrong.

It is tempting to spend hours trying to find the perfect outfit for your engagement photoshoot. However, it is important to remember that in years to come, it’s highly unlikely you will look back on your choice of clothes with a critical eye. You may roll your eyes at the fashion choices, but you’ll ultimately be focused on how happy you and your partner look as you contemplate spending the rest of your lives together. So while the outfit is important, try not to let the decision cause too much stress; ultimately, capturing this wonderful period in your life is by far the most important facet of your engagement shoot.