What to Wear To Your Engagement Session {From a Photographer’s Perspective} // Guest Post by Kati Hewitt Photography

I may be a little biased, but 

A few weeks ago I asked one of my all-time favorite wedding photographers to help me with a special blog post to share with my sweet couples (and all of you!) While I may be a little biased, who better to ask for advice than my own wedding photographer, Kati (now, Jennings!) of Kati Hewitt Photography!

The winter engagement season has come to a close, and soon enough these newly engaged love-birds are going to be booking their engagement sessions with their wedding photographers. While finding the perfect outfits to wear for your engagement session can seem like an impossible task, it doesn’t have to be. See what Kati has to say below on what to wear to your engagement session! The best part? You’re getting advice straight from a photographer’s perspective!

Getting engaged is a whirlwind.

The first few weeks are filled with congratulatory phone calls, showing off your ring, excitement that your Pinterest board can finally come to life, and A LOT of planning. If you’re not familiar with the wedding industry, you may find yourself asking, “Now what?” You are excited to be engaged to the love of your life, but you have no idea how to start your wedding planning. My suggestion? Schedule engagement photos!

Once you decide on a wedding photographer and schedule your engagement session, there is one question that always seems to plague the mind of a bride-to-be: WHAT DO I WEAR? I always suggest that my couples bring two outfits- one casual and one dressy. But if you’re stuck on which outfits are perfect for your shoot, here are my 4 foolproof steps to putting together the best complementary engagement outfits!

How to Choose the Perfect Outfits

Step 1: Don’t Panic!!

The focus of an engagement session is the love between you and your fiance. Sure, you want to look great, but genuine smiles and laughter with your fiance are more valuable than any new outfit you could buy.

Step 2: Go Into Your Fiance’s Closet!

This is what I did to prepare for my own engagement session. Girls usually have much more clothes than guys do, so it is easier to base the girl’s outfit off of the guy’s outfit. Also, girls tend to like shopping more than guys. So pick out your fiance’s favorite three button-down flannels, and then compare them with the clothes you already have in your closet.

Step 3: Create Complementary Outfits!

This step is important! Try to aim for complementary outfits rather than matching outfits. For example, if your guy has a navy and green flannel, wear a gray sweater with a navy necklace. You don’t want to both show up in matching navy and green flannels! Or, if your guy has a solid red shirt, wear a white shirt with a red plaid scarf.

Step 4: Choose 1 Dressy and 1 Casual Outfit

I recommend bringing two outfits that you love. Dressy outfits can include a dress and wedges for the girls and a button-down and dark wash jeans for the guys. Casual outfits can include jeans, a flowy top, a comfy sweater and scarf, etc. for the girls. Guys can wear their favorite flannel, fitted v-neck, or a sweater depending on what month it is. Of course, these are just some suggestions.

What Photographs Well

Textures and Layers

Both textures and layers add more interest to your photos and give your images a little more depth to them!

Pops of Bright Colors

Think scarf, pair of heels, or fun necklace!

Plaid or Patterns

Don’t be afraid of patterns! If one person is wearing a flannel or a plaid scarf, it adds interest to the photos without being overly distracting.

Accessories

Your engagement ring, class rings, jewelry, a quilt to sit on or blanket to wrap up in, a tulle skirt, or a floppy hat!

Colors Best Suited for Your Skin Tone

I have never been able to get a tan in my life, so I know better than to wear a pale yellow shirt for photos. I would be better suited in something navy or green!

Clothes That are Not Wrinkled

This one seems obvious, but sometimes we are in such a  hurry that we forget to think about the details. While I can edit minor wrinkles to make a photo picture perfect for your Save the Date, you don’t want to rely on post-processing to take out wrinkles. I’m not embarrassed to admit that an iron can do a better job at that than me! (Confession: I was speed ironing my fiance’s shirt before we walked out the door for our own engagement session. Oops!)

Clothes That you Usually Wear:

I’m not saying you should wear the sweatpants you lounge around in to watch Netflix, but make sure you choose outfits that you are not too out of the ordinary for you. I can speak from personal experience when I say I LOVE my engagement photos, but I wish I would have worn my usual boots instead of my brand new ones. This is a small styling detail I wish I would have thought about before my photos. If you are going to buy new clothes, I recommend wearing them out and about at least once to make sure there are no wardrobe malfunctions (straps keep falling down, neckline becomes too revealing, etc.).

What to Bring to Your Engagement Session

• Hairbrush
• Makeup for touch-ups
• Oil wipes for your face
• A quilt or blanket to sit down on
• A bag with your change of clothes in it
• A change of shoes (if needed) for outfit #2
• The proper undergarments for each outfit

What an Engagement Session Really Looks Like

Engagement sessions are my favorite because I get to know each couple on a more personal level before their wedding day. Each couple has a unique relationship, so that is what we strive to capture on the day of your session. It is normal to be a little bit nervous for an engagement session- it’s not everyday you stare lovingly into the eyes of your future spouse, haha! Rest assured that the day of your engagement session will be one to remember. I walk couples through different poses and help them interact naturally in front of the camera.

Besides taking photos, we laugh a LOT, adventure around looking for the best photo spots, and talk about your exciting wedding plans! (Oh, and I get to tell couples my “one joke” that never fails to at least get a pity laugh.) After your session, I highly recommend planning a dinner or date night for afterwards. The two of you will already be dressed up, and there is nothing worse than being dressed up and having nowhere to go! Grab dinner together or hang out at your favorite coffee shop so you can create even more fun memories on the day of your engagement session.

Meet Kati

Kati is a Houston, Texas based wedding photographer (who travels!) for the joyous couple who loves living life together. She’s a coffee enthusiast like myself, a Kate Spade lover, and also a former Texas A&M Aggie. (Side note: We actually graduated together in the same degree program and worked together in the Marketing department as teaching assistants! Needless to say, I miss her dearly.)

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