How to prepare for your upcoming engagement session
We want you to have the best engagement session possible, so we’ve put together a quick guide to browse through with information on how to dress, what to expect and how to prepare.
What to wear
Our most commonly asked question when it comes to your engagement session is, "what should we wear?". My first response is always to choose something that you think best fits your personal style and the weather, but also the environment you're shooting in.
Our general rule is to stay as neutral as possible, with as many earthy tones as possible (mixed and matched even). Consider almost blending into your environment, with an element of contrast/color to make you stand out, but not look overpowering.
Example: If we are shooting in a forest, don’t wear bright red or pink; colors that are too opposing can be hard on the eyes.
Consider dressing as if you are going on a nicer date night, or a friend’s birthday party; basically, an elevated version of your daily style.
Consider Practicality.
Dresses: If you're wearing a dress, try and choose something that has a little bit of movement and isn't too short or tight. You will be dancing around, exploring the environment, laughing, sitting down and maybe even spinning, so wear something you can comfortably do all of that in without worrying about feeling exposed.
Shoes: Closed-toe shoes are best (unless you have a cute strapped sandal) to keep your feet safe for any off-trail adventures we might take, and lets face it, feet in photos can be tricky. No need to get a pedicure. We love loafers, Chelsea boots, ballet flats, low heeled boots, but just steer clear of heels and flip-flops.
Color/Pattern: We generally suggest earthy tones (forest greens, terracotta, sandy beige, cream, soft denim blue etc). But we strongly advise against bright red, and tight stripes (think small stripes close together), as both of these render weird on camera sensors. Feel free to include a small pop of color if that feels right for your personality.
Movement: We love clothes that have some extra fabric; flowy dresses, big coats, hair ribbons, layered chore coats etc. Anything that can catch the wind or be used as a connection point can be really great to wear (in the cold consider a beanie or scarf, big fluffy coat, in the heat consider a crop top with a large flowy linen overshirt etc).
Feel confident: The most important thing is to wear something you feel confident and beautiful in. If you wouldn’t normally wear a style or cut of something, don’t stretch yourself to wear it just for your photos; you want to look back at these and feel like yourself.
Before arriving at your engagement session, consider taking some time to connect; go for a coffee or lunch, take a long walk, and ask each other some questions to try and deepen your connection. Showing up in good spirits and feeling well-connected makes a big impact on your photos.