A big part of your engagement photo aesthetic is not only the location you choose, but also what you wear! What colors are best? Are prints okay to wear? Should you match your fiancee? Billie-Shaye of Billie-Shaye Style Photography is sharing some insight on what to wear for you engagement photos so you can be super happy with the outcome! See what she has to say below!
Are there any rules of thumb couples should know before choosing their engagement attire?
Billie-Shaye: The first thing I always encourage my couples to do is be comfortable in any and all outfits that they plan to wear. If the outfit doesn’t fit well or not something you would wear ordinarily then don’t pick that outfit. Remember, we want to create timeless and beautiful. I encourage my clients to always bring more outfits then we will actually use.
If we are doing downtown, urban city vibe I think heels, knee length tea-party style dresses paired with dress slacks and a button down shirt are always a fun and classy way to show off your personality downtown. For my clients that are wanting more of an open field county-side vibe I always encourage long and flowy dresses paired with jeans and a button down to make you both feel more relaxed while still looking dressy/casual. Clothing movement is also a huge factor in creating romance and drama.
Are there certain clothing colors that show up best in engagement photos?
Billie-Shaye: Colors will mostly depend on the time of year and location of where your session takes place. As a photographer who tends to be more of a dark and moody style photographer, I typically welcome all colors. I just advise clients on patterns and pattern mixing.
How important is it to “match” your fiancee?
Billie-Shaye: Personally, I do not like matchy-matchy. If the guy is wearing a suit jacket that is plaid and there is a thin line of green in that plaid, I like for the girl to bring out that line of green using her outfit. I feel the days of matching shirts and jeans are over. Fun outfits like the “hubby” and “wifey” shirts are excluded from this as they create a playful vibe for your session and also make great thank you cards for after the wedding.
Are prints okay to wear?
Billie-Shaye: I welcome prints, but I like for just one person to wear a print while the other does a solid color that compliments the colors in the print. Again, I feel it also plays a factor in where your session takes place for what to wear and when.
Does clothing choice really depend on the background/where the photos will be taken?
Billie-Shaye: Absolutely! In virtually all of my sessions my couples change multiple times, sometimes putting the same outfit on that they already wore in another location because I feel that the outfit will look good, maybe even better in that particular background.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about engagement photo attire?
Billie-Shaye: Lighting is the number one most important element in creating breathtaking photos! If lighting is the number one factor for great photos, location is probably number two! We do most of our sessions outdoors.
You’d never know that so much goes into making engagement pictures so perfect because Billie-Shaye Style Photography makes it look so easy! We love this advice and hope it helped you in deciding what to wear for your engagement photos!
