My couples ask me all the time what they should wear to their engagement session, so here are a few things I like to tell them!

HOW MANY OUTFITS:

Most often, my couples like to have one casual, everyday outfit (think: date night) and then one outfit that is dressier! This will give your shoot two totally different “looks.” I recommend beginning with the dressy outfit first!

PROFESSIONAL HAIR & MAKEUP:

I highly recommend doing your hair and makeup trial right before your engagement session! This will not only ease the stress of you having to do it yourself, but you’ll get to see how the hair and makeup you want for your big day will actually LOOK in photos. It also gives you a way to use the trial for your session! Win, win!

CHOOSING COLORS:

When choosing colors for your outfits, I recommend selecting lighter tones and more muted shades. By avoiding ultra-bright, bold colors, it will help bring all the attention to your faces and let the eye focus on the way you feel about each other. Soft pinks, muted blues, and light neutrals like heather gray, creams, leather brown and white all work wonderfully

SKIP CASUAL CLOTHES:

I know flip flops and graphics tees are perfect for everyday wear, but trust me, long pants and closed toe shoes look way better and photograph wonderfully! You can do it, it’s just for one hour… then you can go back to your most comfortable attire. Instead…

DRESS IT UP:

Have you ever wanted to rock a sequin dress, or a long flowy maxi dress? Maybe you’ve dreamed of wearing a floral crown, or wearing a tulle skirt. THIS is your chance! Especially for your dressy outfit, I typically recommend a long, flowy A line dress that cinches at the waist. This is typically most flattering on most body types! If a dress isn’t for you, opt for a suit or nice pants and a suit jacket with a button down for your fancy outfit. No matter what you wear, try it on first and wear it for a bit to make sure you will be comfortable during our session!

FLATTER YOUR FEATURES:

Keep in mind which features you want to flatter and which features you want to hide when picking outfits! For example, if you want to hide your arms, (my personal area of insecurity) choose a top with sleeves and skip the spaghetti straps. If you want to minimize your bust, choose a dress with a higher neckline and skip the strapless dress. If you opt for a low cut dress, it will minimize the amount of angles I can shoot!

SKIP THE SPRAY TAN:

Even though it seems counterintuitive, I highly recommend skipping a spray tan altogether, even if it’s a few days out from your session. Spray tans tend to photograph more orange than they appear and will make you appear more orange than tan!

Photos by Sydney Jai Photography, Northern California Engagement Photographer