I’m often asked what to wear for engagement photos. My main answer is always to wear something that is comfy and makes you feel good – if you feel comfortable, you will look relaxed and your photos will be gorgeously natural. This means dressing for the weather – choosing summery clothes to stay cool on hot days or wrapping up warmly for winter weather (as it’s hard to look relaxed while shivering!). What you choose to wear can impact the feel of your images – romantic elegance to bright casual. You may want to consider what to wear for engagement photos together with where you choose to do your engagement shoot – relaxed clothing for at home shoots, smarter options for wedding venues – flats for long walks or heels for a single location. You may want to choose 2 different outfits so you can create a range of photos with different feels – or even themed outfits for quirky or seasonal engagement photos! Here I’m sharing inspiration for what to wear for engagement photos from some of my favourite shoots…
Something special – if you love clothes & dressing up and want elegant engagement photos then it’s the perfect opportunity to choose something special, whether that’s a skirt or dress, suit or blazer – luxurious fabrics, beautiful cuts & jewellery. Rachel looked stunning in a silk dress when I photographed her and Danny at their beautiful wedding venue Ashridge House. Meera & Raj chose smart outfits for photos at St Paul’s Cathedral to contrast with their more casual look in their Hampstead Pergola & Hill Garden images. Natalie & Wayne wanted a movie style look for their Westminster engagement photos – choosing a sharp suit & floor length silk dress. Pranav & Sonakshi started with elegant outfits, a long pink dress & tartan suit for engagement photos around Chelsea.
Bright summer colours – on sunny summer days, bright colours can really pop and let you create fun, relaxed engagement photos. Changing part way through their engagement shoot, Pranav & Sonakshi opted for a summery look changing into a crisp white shirt & a vivid orange dress for engagement photos in Battersea Park. Lizzie’s bright pink cardigan helped to make her Thame’s walk engagement photos with David really pop. Claire looked stunning in a bold turquoise jumpsuit for her & Joe’s summer engagement photos in Epping Forest and Lauren & Chris included brightly coloured sunglasses in their South Bank engagement shoot.
Warm winter options – I actually love winter engagement photos and chunky knits, wool coats, cozy scarves and hats make for gorgeous shots as you snuggle together for warmth! Dana rocked a bobble hat for her winter lakeside engagement photos with Eoin, and Fern opted for a beret to go with a wool coat for her & Ben’s winter beach engagement shoot. Cat and Chris started cozy at home with their cat, then added coats for photos at their local microbrewery.
Casual clothes – perfect for engagement photos at home or on a walk, you can feel comfortable and have photos that reflect your usual look – for a contrast with your more formal wedding portraits.
Calum & Richard opted for checked shirts for their relaxed dog walk engagement photos, and walking round their favourite spots in Cambridge for photos, Aly & Hugh chose trousers & flats. Nikki & Tom opted for shorts & sandals for summer picnic photos in the park. Marta & Marcus wore navy knits for their Cambridge college engagement photos and Kate & Kilian opted for a summery dress & shorts for their woodland engagement photos.
Traditional clothes – perhaps you’d like your culture to be shown in your engagement photos – wearing traditional clothes or colours can be a lovely touch. Ai Yun opted for a red qi pao for her photos with Gary.
Themed outfits – perhaps you’d like photos to use on your Christmas cards – either with some mistletoe or Christmas jumpers – or you have a specific record cover look in mind perhaps against some London graffiti. Jo & Ali wanted to create some festive engagement photos as part of their engagement shoot, while Lisa & Nick had a unique vision for their quirky London engagement photos!
Wedding Clothes – whether you’re already married, but want more wedding photos, or you’d like beautiful portraits to display at your wedding, wearing your wedding outfit can make for super special engagement photos. Ai Yun & Gary brought a small bouquet for their London skyline engagement photos, while Katie & Simon chose St Dunstan in the East for their additional wedding portraits.
If you’re still not sure about having engagement photos then check out 5 reasons to have an engagement shoot. If you now have ideas of what to wear for engagement photos, or if you want to talk through options to create a collection of gorgeous images, please send me a message and we can make a plan!
