I am not going to ramble on about my life or things that you guys don’t really want to hear about. I know y’all are coming to see what I would recommend to wear for an engagement session and maybe pull a few tips as well. So I will start with sharing some tips I’ve learned along the way and then I will provide some shoppable links to dresses or menswear that I think would look great!
Engagement Session Tips For Her:
Dress For You
Don’t buy something that you don’t think YOU would love. Think about what outfits (I will ALWAYS recommend a formal dress along with a more casual outfit for engagement sessions) you feel the most beautiful in! Think about what insecurities you have. We all have them. You snap a pic with your bestie and then you catch yourself saying “OMG look at my _______”. For example: after three babies my most insecure area is my midsection, so I like to find clothes that are looser fitting in that area or maybe that are flowy from the waist down. If your arms are where you have insecurity, try a dress with lace sleeves or long sleeves or flutter sleeves. I am not trying to say that because an area of your body does not look like a VS model you should hide it and be ashamed. I am simply saying that you want to feel beautiful. Being aware of where you are insecure and dressing to flatter that area will only make you more comfortable and confident during your session!
Dress It Up
Yep. I ALWAYS recommend a more formal dress for women during an engagement session. No, not prom style. You will see my ideas below! Dresses are just SO flattering for everyone, especially on camera. Long, floor length dresses are always fun because they add some movement and texture to images. Obviously this is not something you HAVE to do, but man! It makes for some beautiful images! This is the ONLY engagement session you will have in your life. You might as well rise to the occasion. My brides and I will often schedule the engagement session when they have their trial hair and makeup done. That’s one less thing you have to worry about and makeup artists have a way with getting people photo ready. They just know how to make everything pop for the camera!
Bring Some Style
I encourage people to bring something to help style the session. This can be a hat for your casual outfit, a fresh bouquet, cool balloons, any accessory that you could hold with your hands or would add something unique to your session!
Engagement Session Tips for Him:
Dress For You
Long, fitted pants with closed toe shoes create the most flattering look for men. When I take your photos, you are my main focus. Your relationship. Your beautiful faces. When skin is showing below the waist on men, eyes are drawn to it. In order to keep all of the attention on you guys, it’s best we don’t draw attention away from your faces! Solid colors like navy, black, or grey compliment most women’s outfits. I tend to recommend staying away from distracting patterns or logos.
Dress It Up
When is the last time you walked into a high-end store that sold men’s fashion? Well next time you do, pay attention! Every mannequin is wearing a layered look. Don’t be afraid to add a jacket, vest, or blazer to your look. Adding that extra layer will add some dimension and visual interest to your outfit! This is a great time to add a piece to your wardrobe that you might use later (ahem, rehearsal dinner). Even if it is warmer outside, looking like a million bucks for images that you’ll have forever is worth at little discomfort (in my opinion)!
Bring Some Style
Small details and accessories are not just for the ladies. Brown leather shoes will compliment almost any outfit. Bow ties, pocket squares, colored socks, belts, tie clips, suspenders, etc. are all things that you could add to complement any outfit! Feel free to mix and match any or all of these!
For the Classic Couple:
Dress ONE | Dress TWO | Dress THREE | Nude Shoes | Black Shoes | Earrings | Necklace | Belt | Tie | Men’s Outfit Inspo (All clothing is from Banana Republic)
For The Adventurous Couple:
Dress ONE | Dress TWO | Dress THREE | Ankle Strap Sandals | Nude Shoes (Great reviews and half the price of the ones above!) |
Necklace | Earrings | Men’s Jacket | Men’s Shoes
I LOVE Lulus for women’s dresses! They have so many options, so many colors, and everything has so many great reviews! For men, you can’t go wrong at places like J. Crew or Banana Republic!
*Some of these links are affiliate links, which means I receive credit if you shop through them. Your support means so much to me, and I can justify the time I spend putting these posts together by the commission I receive! Happy shopping 🙂
