SS&G’s guide to stylish attire for your engagement session
- Aug, 19 2010
- Engagement Photography
-
So you have your engagement session scheduled, your wedding photography package is booked and things are swimming along with your wedding photographer (who is presumably me if you are reading this blog… and if I am not… then I should be! LOL). The first question out of EVERY bride’s mouth after we put the date on the books is “What should we wear to the engagement photo session?”
It’s an important part of your wedding experience as these outfits and these photos will begin to define your new life together. Often, the engagement photos are the first OFFICIAL pictures of the two of you together and you will see them often over the course of your wedding planning journey. They are likely to pop up on Save the Date cards, Invitations, displays at your wedding, photo guest book and a plethora of other crafty ventures you may choose to create that personalized feel to your wedding day. At any rate, you want the engagement pics to look like something straight out of a fairytale. Be that fairytale romantic and sweet or eclectic and spicy, it makes no difference. There ARE general rules for dressing to make YOURSELF and your engagement pictures look fabulous.
This post will begin a 5 part series on dressing your BEST for your engagement photo session!!! YAY!
As we move through the “rules” to dressing for your engagement session, you will find a suggestion and then an example of a piece that could work inside the rules. We in no way endorse these companies, their practices or bylaws but we do like their style. 
Do not feel the need to buy all new clothing for your engagement session… many of my favorite engagement session attires have come from digging through a closet with one of our brides! Use these tips to apply them to your own style. Don’t feel pressured into being anyone except YOU!
1) Stay Seasonally appropriate. If you are having a fall engagement, don’t break out the sun dress.( at least not without some cute boots, a sweater and a scarf 
) We see tons of fall engagements as it is appropriate to send “Save the Date” notes 6 months prior to the wedding and the majority of our weddings occur in the summer months. Take advantage of the cooler weather. So you have been eyeballing that fabulous olive green Peacoat but you think to yourself… “A black coat is so much more practical…” Throw practicality out the window and go for the gusto! This is the one time in your life when you can wear that magenta ruffled short coat and really make an impact!
A few of our favorites:
2) Dress in Layers. Because we start many of our sessions in the late afternoon or early evening the temperatures can cool quickly. Having a cute cap sleeved shirt might be a great plan until it drops 10 degrees and then you end up with chill bumps all over. Think of cardigans, sweaters, light jackets, scarves and other accessories to warm you and your honey Also, because we shoot on location there may not always be the “perfect” place to change clothing. When we are out in the middle of a field we often have … our minivan and your car so those are your choices for dressing room! If you think in terms of a single pair of pants that can be swapped out with multiple looks on top, it makes for much easier costume changes!
First we start with the basics: A pair of dark skinny jeans and a fabulous pair of camel knee boots:
Dark Skinny Jeans from GAP $69.50
Camel Boot from Old Navy $49.50
A few of our favorites:
Button front yellow rosette sweater by Old Navy $26.50
Olive Green Toggle Sweater by Old Navy- $34.50
Gap Navy Cropped Trench- $44.99
Which will of course need to be popped with a bright tank / print underneath because you are still in your fabulous skinny jeans and camel boots See how easily the look changed?
Ann Taylor Melon Cotton Sateen Ruffle Shirt- $68
3) Throw Matching out the door! Complimentary is all the rage. Yes so there is a place in every engagement session for the matching white collared shirts and khakis… if that’s your “thing”. Otherwise, think of complimentary matching outfits that are not exact copies. You are a woman, he is a man… you should NOT have to wear the same thing! Lets face it… he might be handsome enough to marry but you are still pretty nice arm candy for him! Own it
Complete look can be found at Express for Men:
Or you can choose a more classic shirt and tie look. But if you are going classic… have FUN with it. There are tons of ties out there to make your “stiff” shirt look fun and funky! Locally we have found that the best selection of ties can be found at either Stein Mart or Macy’s. Online our favorite is the Tie Bar.
And then of COURSE your guy needs a jacket. Nothing is better than a structured (or deconstructed) jacket with some grungy jeans and a spiffy tailored shirt. Stay away from black for your session. It is a very harsh color and the point is not to contrast your fiance but to compliment her. Colors like heather gray, chocolate brown, navy… these are all great compliments to a woman’s fall color palette.
A few jackets we love:
American Rag Jacket from Macy’s $59.50
or this for a more polished look:
At any rate, choosing stylish options for your engagement session is not tough. It doesn’t have to be expensive or stressful either. We offer clothing consultations COMPLIMENTARY and encourage, at the very least, that our couples bring 7-10 outfits with them to their session. We can work with accessories from there to create your perfect engagement photo look!