The Ultimate Engagement Session Style Guide: What to Wear & How to Prepare
Congratulations! Your engagement is such a special time, filled with love, excitement, and of course, plenty of planning. One of the most meaningful ways to celebrate this chapter is with an engagement session - a chance to capture your love story in a relaxed, fun, and authentic way. An engagement session is more than just a photoshoot; it's an opportunity to create beautiful, lasting memories while getting comfortable in front of the camera before your big day. It’s also a great way to showcase your personalities, whether you're going for an elegant, casual, or adventurous vibe.
I know that figuring out what to wear and how to prepare can feel overwhelming, but with a little planning and the right outfit choices, you’ll feel confident and at ease! The most important thing to keep in mind during your shoot, and leading up to it, is to be yourself! All that truly matters is that you show up, ready to have fun, love each other, and make some memories!
So, let’s dive into everything you need to know to make your engagement session a stress-free and unforgettable experience.
Stumped on what you and your partner should wear? Don't worry, you're not alone! That’s exactly why I’ve created this guide.
Choosing the Perfect Outfits for Your Engagement Session:
Colour Palette
Avoid strong, neon colours that can be distracting or create harsh reflections. Instead, opt for pastels, neutrals, and warm earth tones like soft beiges, browns, blacks, and muted greens. These colours photograph beautifully and will help you stand out against various backgrounds. If you love colour, consider subtle, rich shades like deep burgundy or forest green rather than bold and bright tones like neon orange.
Layers & Accessories
Layers look great on camera for everyone in your session. Wearing layers can allow you to get creative with your style approach. They are also a great way to switch up an outfit without having to totally change. This could be as simple as a cute scarf, coat, necklace, hat or blanket. Try different combinations of sweaters, cardigans, jackets, blazers and accessories to layer your outfits with!
Bring a Second Outfit
Having two outfits for your session can bring excitement and variety to it. If you do this, you can choose one WOW outfit and one more casual. If you choose to visit two locations during your shoot, you can change outfits between the spots to get even more variety if you'd like.
Coordinate, Don’t Match
While matching outfits might sound cute, coordinating complementary colors and textures tends to look more natural and stylish. Try to balance tones within your outfits, if one of you wears a pattern, the other should wear a solid color that ties in with it.
Stay away from matching your outfits too much and wearing patterns that are too busy. Keeping outfit colours solid is the safest options, but at times very subtle patterns can provide a nice accent. Play with the colour scheme! If you want to wear a rust coloured dress, adding the same rust hue in someone else's outfit or accessories can be a great way to keep a colour scheme and complement their outfit instead of matching.
Prioritize Comfort & Confidence
If you're strictly a t-shirt and jeans kind of couple, now might not be the time to pull out a beaded ball gown and tux. You want to feel comfortable in the outfits you choose, wardrobe choices that are extremely outside your level of comfort could make you feel awkward. So if you know you want to keep it casual, do that! If you want to dress up, go for it! Or, for the best of both worlds, bring both! Having options gives you flexibility and can add variety to your session.
I also suggest wearing something that allows for movement. You don’t want to be restricted in a dress that’s too tight and only allows you to stand straight. As for shoes, if you plan on wearing your favourite pair of heels, I’m all about it! But make sure to bring a pair of comfortable shoes to walk to different locations or spots during the session.
Your confidence shines through in photos, so wear something that makes you feel amazing. If you’re constantly adjusting an outfit or feeling uncomfortable, it will show in the pictures. Choose something that fits well and makes you feel like the best version of yourself.
Just Be Yourself!
Some people may want to dress as a comfortable, every day representation of themselves, while others may want to treat their session as an opportunity to get fancy. Either way, go for it! Wear whatever makes your image come true, and makes you feel great! Don’t worry about “posing” or “acting” - just be yourself! I’ll give you prompts to help you feel comfortable and interact with one another. Be ready to have fun, be silly, and show off your love!
Tell Your Story
My style of photography revolves around candid, in-the-moment documentation. My goal is to tell your story and capture your memories at this time in your lives! Let’s plan your session to represent you, as a couple and individuals, as much as possible! Do you want to capture a date night downtown? Maybe you'd like to bring along a picnic basket and blanket to your session in the park. Perhaps you're proud home owners, and want to incorporate your place into your session and memories. Let's do it! Your session should be a representation of you, however we can make that happen!
Some ideas for storytelling photoshoots:
Date night in Downtown Detroit
Picnic in the park or on the beach
Dancing, swimming, or playing at the beach
Bike rides
Walking or playing with your pet
Walkerville date night
Drinks at a local bar or café
Baking, cooking, or cuddling together at home
Adventure shoots: hiking, swimming, cliff jumping, kayaking
Browsing a bookstore, record store, or local shop
Just keep in mind that some locations may require special permissions or travel arrangements.
Ready to Book Your Engagement Session?
Your engagement session should be a joyful, relaxed experience that captures your love and excitement for this new chapter in your life. By planning ahead and choosing outfits that reflect your personality and style, you’ll ensure that your photos are not only beautiful but also uniquely YOU!
If you're still searching for the perfect location, check out my guide to the Best Engagement Session Locations in Windsor Essex. Ready to book your session? Click here to secure your date and let’s create something magical together!
Thanks for reading!
-Sarah Nichol Photography
