Engagement Photo Outfit Ideas and Tips!
Photos by Daniel Christopher Photo
My Outfit:
Jerry’s Outfit:
All photos are taken by Daniel Christopher Photo (who I highly recommend, if you’re Nashville based!)
So one of my most frequently asked questions since we got engaged has been “I just got engaged too! Do you have any suggestions on what I should wear for engagement photos?”. And I’ve been planning on writing this post for a while, but honestly being the procrastinator I am, I didn’t know what I was going to wear until literally the day of. Do as I say, not as I do. I definitely like the way everything came together, but if I were to do it again I would for sure plan a bit ahead of time to save myself some stress! SO, that being said, here are my tips on planning your engagement photo outfits, along with some outfit suggestions!
Engagement Photo Outfit Tips:
Avoid trendy! You will have these photos to look back on for years, do you really want to look back and think “wow, what was I thinking with that outfit?” No, you don’t! Stick to classic styles that will always look good to keep your pictures from looking dated down the road.
Avoid anything that will make you look boxy! I LOVE comfy, chunky sweaters and think they are SO cute for fall, but as cute as they are in person, in pictures they run the risk of making you look boxy and shapeless. This isn’t to say all sweaters are bad, but it’s definitely something to look out for! Cardigans can also be fine, as long as whatever you’re wearing underneath has some shape to it!
Go with something that gives you shape, but is forgiving! I chose this dress because it is form fitting and universally flattering! The way the skirt wraps seems to make everybody’s legs look longer, and the ruching hides imperfections so you’re not constantly worrying about sucking in!
Choose something versatile! I knew we wanted two different looks, but since we started our shoot later in the day, I knew we weren’t going to have a ton of time to completely change outfits! I brought a couple of extra cardigans and this blanket scarf, and then we brought Jerry an extra sweater. We just switched our top layers halfway through to give some of the pictures a slightly different look!
Layer it up! For both you and your guy, layers will instantly make an outfit look more thought out and put together! For the guy, you can never go wrong with a nice button down! Throw a vest, sweater or even just a tie on top and you have a completed outfit! For girls, if you’re wearing a dress I’d suggest a cardigan, scarf or kimono, depending on the season, if you’re wearing jeans then maybe a cami or a cardigan! The possibilities are endless, but three different elements to your outfit will make you look more put together and coordinated!
Don’t forget to accessorize, but keep it simple! Leave your statement jewelry at home— this goes hand in hand with tip #1. You don’t want your jewelry to date your pictures, so keep it classic and simple! I chose to go with a simple necklace and pair of stud earrings to add a little sparkle without going overboard!
Outfit elements can be props, too! I went with a blanket scarf as part of my outfit because I loved the idea of us wrapped up in it together! Euler was supposed to be wrapped in it too, but he wouldn’t cooperate so we played tug of war with him instead. lol
Last but not least, don’t forget to make sure your nails look nice! This seems so obvious, but I totally almost forgot! Chances are you’re going to want a couple of pretty ring shots, so make sure your nails (if nothing else, at least the ones on your left hand! haha) look nice!
Okay, now that I’ve given you some of my favorite tips, here are a few outfit ideas!
For her:
For him:
For her:
For him:
For her:
For him:
I hope this post was helpful for anyone planning engagement photos (or even Christmas card photos!). If you’ve already taken your engagement photos, I’d love to see what you wore!
XOXO,
Olivia
