YAY! You’re engaged, and it’s time to celebrate with beautiful photos! In this article, I’ve compiled the best tips for what to wear for your engagement photos.
As a Colorado-based engagement photographer, I’ve worked with many couples in various settings and seasons. I love helping newly engaged couples decide what to wear for photos that represent their unique styles and love for one another for an authentic and fun session.
Below, I’ll share helpful ideas for engagement photo outfits, inspirational pictures, and answers to common questions.
Outfit Ideas for Engagement Photos
When deciding what to wear for your engagement photos, you’ll want to consider the following:
- Dress for the season
- Choose a color palette
- Be mindful of patterns
- Wear accessories
- Consider a timeless outfit
- Dress for comfort
- Wear functional shoes
- Complement each other’s outfit
- Use your location as inspiration
- Do an outfit change
Dress for the Season
Let the season inspire your engagement photo outfits, especially if you’re doing an outdoor engagement session.
For example, if you’re taking engagement pictures during winter, you might wear a cozy jacket and chunky boots. In spring or summer, you might incorporate a seasonal pop of color. Light, neutral colors are ideal in fall to let the foliage stand out.
Choose a Color Palette
Having a color palette in mind can help create a cohesive feel when tying your engagement session and wedding together. That said, you want to choose colors that don’t come across as harsh on the camera or clash with your partner’s outfit and the setting.
I usually recommend wearing neutral colors because they look good on camera and work well in natural settings, which I love taking photos in. Neutral colors are muted shades like cream, black, brown, beige, or olive.
If you want to include a brighter color in your photos, I recommend a pop of one color or soft pastels.
Be Mindful of Patterns
Solid prints usually work best on camera, but it’s also okay if you’d like to tie in a pattern for a fun look.
I recommend only one person wearing a pattern and the other person wearing a solid to ensure your outfits aren’t clashing and your photos aren’t too busy.
Like in the dress below, a simple pattern with neutral colors is perfect. These outfits work beautifully with each other and the setting.
Wear Accessories
If you’re wearing a solid, neutral outfit, consider dressing it up with accessories.
A fun hat and scarf are ideal for winter or hiking gear if you’re doing an adventurous engagement session. Accessories are also easy to remove and change out to switch up your look in different settings, like in the photos below.
Consider a Timeless Outfit
While wearing trendy outfits for your engagement photos may be tempting, timeless ones age better. Consider what you want your pictures to look like when you look back at them in 30 years.
Trendy sneakers and oversized sweaters are fun to wear in our daily lives, but I recommend more timeless outfits for your engagement photos – like the ones below with neutral colors and simple yet beautiful outfits.
Dress for Comfort
To be honest – the best outfits to wear for your engagement photos are whatever you’re comfortable in. You want your engagement session to feel and look authentic, so your outfits should reflect this.
If a casual fit is more your style, it’s okay to tie that into your engagement photos. If you like dressing up or wearing colors, let that show through.
Engagement sessions also usually last an hour or two and involve various poses, so you want to feel good during that time.
Wear Functional Shoes
Functional shoes are also incredibly helpful for comfort, especially if you’re having an outdoor shoot or adventure session.
I recommend wearing your shoes for a little while before the day of your photos to ensure they’re broken in and comfortable. You can also bring a change of shoes if you want two different looks.
Complement Each Other’s Outfit
While you don’t want to wear matching outfits, you do want to complement each other.
Don’t wear patterns or colors that clash. If one person wears a pattern or pop of color, the other should have a more minimal, neutral look. You also want to aim for similar colors and styles that go well together.
Use Your Location as Inspiration
The location of your engagement shoot can be your biggest outfit inspiration. Consider the scenery, whether it’s inside or outside. The weather and time of day can also inspire your outfit.
For example, you might wear a cocktail dress and suit if you’re taking pictures inside a fancy hotel or bundle up if you’re taking engagement pictures outside in the cold. If you’re outside during summer, you might wear a flowy, colorful dress.
The outfits in the photo below for a Garden of the Gods engagement shoot look stunning next to the red rock formations.
Do an Outfit Change
Changing clothes during your session is a fun way to capture various looks. You might wear one outfit, then bring another to change into midway through. One look could be more formal, while another is more casual.
If you don’t want to switch outfits or are working with limited time, a simple way to change your look is by adding and removing accessories.
In the photos below, this couple did their engagement shoot near Denver and changed outfits between locations.
What to Wear for Your Engagement Photos: FAQs
For more engagement outfit ideas for a look and photos you’ll love for years to come, check out answers to common questions below.
What is the best color to wear for engagement photos?
As a photographer, I typically recommend wearing neutral colors for engagement photos. White, beige, cream, black, and olive look great on camera and work well in various settings.
That said, it’s best to wear colors that suit your vibe and the location. For example, if you’re taking engagement pictures during winter, a pop of color usually works well.
How many outfits do you wear for engagement photos?
Most couples wear one or two outfits for engagement photos. You can change your outfit midway through your session if you’d like or use accessories to change up your look.
Do I have to wear a dress for engagement photos?
You definitely don’t have to wear a dress for engagement photos. It’s best to wear an outfit you love and feel comfortable in – whether a dress, pants and a top, or a two-piece skirt and shirt set.
Should you wear your hair up or down for engagement photos?
You can wear your hair up or down for your engagement photos – whatever looks best with your outfit and feels comfortable for you. When I work with couples, I’m always happy to make recommendations based on the setting, outfit, and vibe couples are going for.
Book Your Engagement Session in Colorado
If you’re planning a Colorado engagement session, I’d love to help you! There are endless places to take stunning photos year-round, whether you’re looking for a winter wonderland experience, lush green mountain scenery, or a romantic indoor setting.
My Colorado engagement packages include a one-hour Foothills adventure session or a two-hour mountain adventure session with a personalized location guide.
I can help you choose your dream location, make outfit recommendations, and take stunning photos to celebrate this special chapter!
kinsley + caden
“Brooke was the perfect choice for our wedding day! We had a micro wedding at Sapphire Point in August. I had never been to Sapphire Point and Brooke was so helpful suggesting vendors, picture locations, parking, marriage license info etc. She was so kind and helpful before and during the whole process and was a large part of why the day went so smooth. She does so much more than just show up and take pictures, Brooke will truly go out of her way to make your wedding day perfect! The photos are gorgeous and I keep getting so many compliments! I truly cannot recommend her enough!”
"Brooke was a large part of why our day went so smooth and will truly go out of her way to make your wedding day perfect!"
We chose Brooke to capture our Colorado elopement and she did exactly that and more. She made it easy to plan our day out with locations and timelines so that we could focus on ourselves. We decided last minute to change our afternoon/evening elopement to a 6am sunrise one so beat the heat of the day. Brooke accommodated us without hesitation and even created a new timeline for us so that we knew where to be for the perfect sunrise. She was kind and understood what we wanted in terms of our elopement and we are so grateful to have her capture the day. Our photos turned out beautiful and truly helped us relive the day. I would recommend Brooke to anyone wanting their special day photographed.
"Brooke accommodated us without hesitation and even created a new timeline for us so that we knew where to be for the perfect sunrise."
erica + stacy
kirstie + colin
Brooke not only photographed our mountain elopement beautifully, but she put so much thought into the details and knew all of the answers the questions I didn’t even know to ask. She really puts a lot of thought into each photo and brings her expertise while still remaining very open to what we wanted and ideas we had. She even helped pick the perfect spot for us and advised us on the logistical details like securing a reservation at the mountain lake where we wanted our ceremony. She is SO easy to work with and very friendly and chill. My husband and I are super awkward in front of a camera but she made it so natural and easy - and the shots came out better than we could have imagined.
"She really puts a lot of thought into each photo and brings her expertise while still remaining very open to what we wanted and ideas we had."
amanda + jace
Brooke is many things; talented, calm, flexible, experienced/ knowledgeable, patient, incredibly responsive, organized, resourceful in a pinch, supportive, creative, professional yet a blast to work with, and goes above & beyond w her clients. Our wedding was a spectacular dream and we couldn't be more grateful that she made that single day last forever. Whether she's photographing nature or an intimate event, her pictures tell a story of peace, love, whatever your vision may be. We couldn't recommend her more and we look forward to booking with her for all of our vow renewals, seasonal and family pictures for as long as she'll have us.
"Whether she's photographing nature or an intimate event, her pictures tell a story of peace, love, whatever your vision may be."
linden + brent
Working with Brooke was a dream come true! Before we even met, my husband Brent and I were impressed by her portfolio. After meeting, we were even more convinced that her photography skills and knowledge, and her fun and easygoing personality were exactly what we were looking for in an elopement photographer. Brooke was able to take our vision and facilitate everything so that it worked out beautifully, especially when it came to finding the perfect location (the incredible mountains surrounding Ouray). Throughout the entire planning process, she was honest and flexible, and made it clear that her goal was for us to be 100% happy. In the end, her creativity and our happiness totally shine through in every single photo.
"Throughout the entire planning process, she was honest and flexible."
lauren + branden
I can't begin to express my gratitude for the intimacy and beauty behind Brooke's photographs. In capturing our wedding day, she went above and beyond to document our story, our families, and the depths of our love in ways that I'll forever be grateful for. Brooke has an eye for not only capturing the adventure and magic of your love, but deeply connects with your personal story, understands your relationship, and then gives that back in the most incredible way. She is truly an artist and tells your story in an authentic and creative way for you to look back on for years to come. We are forever grateful to Brooke for spending the time to get to know us, our story, and capturing the memories that we'll relive for years to come.
"Brooke deeply connects with your personal story, understands your relationship, and then gives that back in the most incredible way."
heather + jedd
“If you're contemplating which photographer to go with, THIS IS YOUR SIGN TO CHOOSE BROOKE!!!! She is so so so talented and was able to capture our elopement exactly how I pictured and wanted! We eloped in Ridgway, CO this past September and she was so helpful figuring out picture locations, recommendations of timeline for the day, and just made the whole day feel so smooth. She schedules multiple check ins, phone calls, etc., leading up to the big day to ensure everything is as you want it. Brooke has such a calming, down to earth presence and is one of those awesome people you feel like you've known forever after just the first time of meeting."
"Brooke has such a calming, down to earth presence and is one of those awesome people you feel like you've known forever."
christy + austin
Brooke is the absolute best. She truly went above and beyond for my fiancé and I to be able to get our engagement photos taken with the fall colors. Brooke is so sweet, fun, personable and incredibly talented. We could not be more in love with our engagement photos! Our engagement session with Brooke was such a special experience and a memory we will cherish forever.
"Our engagement session with Brooke was such a special experience and a memory we will cherish forever."
