What do I wear for my engagement session!?



Not sure what to wear for your engagement session in Savannah or on Tybee Island? This guide covers outfit ideas, brands, color theory and coordination, so you two show up feeling like yourselves. Looking for places to shoot? See my Savannah proposal and engagement guide, or browse my engagement sessions.

Two people doing simultaneous cartwheels on a grassy field with a dramatic rocky hillside backdrop.
Couple relaxing together on white sand dunes, man embracing woman from behind near beach grass.
Couple lying on a rooftop together with city buildings in the background.
Close-up of couple embracing, woman wearing diamond engagement ring and gold ring on her hand.
Couple holding hands and gazing into each other's eyes at sunset near the water, woman wearing hat and sunglasses.
Man proposing on one knee to woman in blue dress in a lush green garden vineyard setting.
Couple dancing barefoot on a sandy beach at sunset, man spinning woman in a white floral dress.
Couple sitting on front porch steps of a blue house drinking coffee together.
Couple walking hand in hand down a lush green forest path from behind.
Couple embracing on a snowy road surrounded by winter forest, woman wearing a green dress and hat.
Couple sharing a romantic moment together among colorful roses and green vines in a vineyard.
Couple sitting close together on a rooftop ledge with brick buildings behind them.
Couple sharing a tender moment together among lush green grapevines in a sunny vineyard.
Happy couple holding hands and walking along a sandy beach at golden hour near the ocean.
Smiling couple embracing outdoors in urban setting, woman wearing black hat and knit sweater.
Romantic couple sitting closely together on a grassy hillside, sharing an intimate moment outdoors.
Young couple sitting on kitchen floor together sharing mugs of coffee.
Joyful couple dancing and spinning together in a green meadow surrounded by trees.
Playful couple outdoors, man carrying woman over his shoulder in a green hilly landscape.
Couple walking hand in hand barefoot on a white sandy beach toward grass dunes at dusk.
Couple sharing a romantic kiss by a fountain under Spanish moss-draped oak trees in a park.
Couple walking hand in hand along a snowy forest path, smiling at each other in winter woods.

The Basics


My Biggest piece of advice


Pick something you're comfortable in and that feels like you! If 99% of the time you wear more casual outfits then you might not feel totally yourselves in super formal attire and vice versa. Your partner might prefer that you just pick their outfit so they don't have to think about it, or they might want some say in what they wear. Either way, never force anyone into something they're wildly uncomfortable in or that doesn't feel flattering (duh). It will show in the pictures. You can never go wrong with your favorite dress and a neutral colored button down and dress pants!


Where to Shop for dresses


This is your engagement dress it’s okay to splurge a little but most importantly get a dress or outfit that you LOVE that is flattering, and that you feel confident and beautiful in. You can sell your dress afterwards. You can also find a dress you like from a certain brand and then try Google image search to find similar ones or resell options. I am a huge thrifter! My favorite way to thrift is to search for brands I love and narrow down by color, length, and size. Try Depop, Poshmark, Mercari, Ebay, and Thredup. You can also look into a monthly clothes subscription / trial for a more high end dress, bag, accessories, etc. (Nuuly, Rent the Runway, etc.)


Brands:


  • Petal & Pup
  • Free People
  • Anthropologie
  • For Love & Lemons
  • House of CB
  • & Other Stories
  • Selfie Leslie
  • Revolve
  • Meshki
  • Selkie
  • Abercrombie & Fitch
  • Peppermayo
  • Reformation
  • ASOS


Dresses


This is the most popular outfit for an engagement session. They’re flowy and beautiful and make for great photos. However, short dresses and skirts can limit the number of poses we can do and can end up being too revealing in some shots making them unusable so I would always recommend a midi or maxi dress for engagement photos unless you’re okay with doing a lot less movement, lifting, and sitting type of poses. White is the most popular color obviously but you don't have to wear white! Wear your favorite color or a dress you absolutely love. You can wear a super casual dress or something more formal, whatever best matches your location!



Khakis / Dress Pants & a Button Down


The go-to outfit for a polished look. This can also be dressed up or dressed down. A short sleeve button down or polo is more casual, long sleeve even in the summer is more formal. Go with lighter colors in spring / summer and darker in fall / winter.



Shoes:


Stay away from heels unless it’s a location where there’s only flat hard surfaces (an art museum, bar, etc.) If we’re on the beach you can go barefoot for most or all of the session (everyone, really). Go for wedges, ballet flats, etc. Or a short or mid length block heel. In the winter ankle boots,  close toed flats.



Keep it Casual


  • Jeans and White T Shirts
  • Button Down & Blouse
  • Overalls
  • Sweaters
  • Cotton, Linen
  • Jean Jacket


Dress it Up


  • Midi or Maxi Dress (Silk, Chiffon, Lace, Taffeta, etc.)
  • Dress Pants
  • Long Sleeve Button Down
  • Short Heels or ankle booties
  • Suit



Couple walks hand in hand through a scenic volcanic landscape with mountains in background.
Man embraces woman from behind as they lean against a large rock in open landscape.
Couple shares a tender heart gesture beside a large boulder in a rugged outdoor setting.
Couple lies together in green grass holding hands during a romantic outdoor engagement session.
Couple holds hands while walking through a dramatic Icelandic highland landscape with mountains behind.
Couple sitting on a grassy hillside with mountain landscape backdrop.
Couple kissing with arms around each other overlooking a scenic mountain valley.
Couple lying on a green hillside with a river valley and mountains in the background.
Couple holding hands walking on a volcanic black rock path with mountains in the distance.
Close-up of a couple walking on green grass, woman in white dress and ankle socks.

Matching your location and Season


Really think about the location and pick something that matches it!! If you’re wanting an art gallery you can wear a formal silk floor length dress and your partner can wear a suit. But if you’re doing beach engagement photos wear something a little more relaxed. (Not Hawaiian shirts relaxed ha!) Think khakis, a short sleeve button down, a sundress, linen.


Note for beach engagement sessions - You're probably going to get a little wet! We can stay on the sand the whole time but my couples' favorite photos are usually the ones walking right along the water, getting their feet wet, even going a few inches in the water, so prepare for the bottom of your dress or shoes to get a little wet and sandy! I always remind you to roll up pants before getting close to the water. Khakis or pants that easily roll up are helpful for this. Regardless, we'll do this towards the end of the session and only if you're comfortable with getting a little wet!



Layers & Simple Outfit Changes

Layers are an easy way to switch up a look without a full wardrobe change. Think a jacket, cardigan or denim jacket you can add or take off, so you get a second look halfway through. Keep the base outfit simple and everything will work together.


Hailey and Colby


Aerial view of couple lying on white blanket on grass, woman in jeans and glasses smiling.
Couple doing acro yoga on a hilltop meadow, man lying on back lifting woman in the air.
Joyful couple holding hands and dancing in a green mountain meadow, woman laughing with hair blowing.
Romantic couple embracing and kissing in a green mountain meadow under cloudy skies.
Man lifting woman high above his head in a grassy mountain meadow under cloudy skies.

Matching Each Other


Coordination is SO essential! But you don't have to worry about matching perfectly. It's most important to make sure you're not clashing (one of you is dressed way nicer than the other or you're wearing matching but slightly different hues). The simplest way to coordinate is for one of you to pick a button down or top that matches the other's outfit. If the colors are close but not the same it's better for the other person to go with a complementary neutral color like white or cream. If you're wearing white, then almost any button down color will be complementary. Neutral colors are always a safe bet.



Jessie and Trevor


Rachel and


Color Theory


Primary Colors


Red, yellow and blue. Bold and playful, so let one of them be the star of the outfit.


Complementary Colors


Colors that sit opposite each other on the color wheel, like blue and orange. Together they make each other pop.


Analogous Colors


Colors that sit next to each other on the color wheel, like blue, teal and green. They feel calm and easy together.


Courtney and Devon

Two people holding hands walking up a vast sandy desert dune under clear blue sky.
Close-up of couple holding hands on sand, wearing colorful sneakers with heart-shaped shadow.
Young couple sitting together on a sandy dune, leaning on each other under blue sky.
Close-up of two hands together adorned with decorative silver and gold rings and bracelet.
Young couple embracing on a sandy desert dune under a bright blue sky.

Do's / Don'ts


DO'S


  • COMFORTABLE clothes and shoes
  • Complementary Colors
  • Layers



DON'TS


  • NO HATS, period! They create really weird shadows over the eyes, especially in close-up, intimate pictures. (A cowboy hat is the exception. We'll take a few with and a few without.)
  • No sunglasses on the whole time
  • NO Logos!
  • Avoid patterns and prints




Kate and Jack


Matching each other too much is something to avoid!! But in rare cases it looks great. I loved that they wore the same style of shoe but in different colors. The black jeans and white graphic tees also worked so well together. This was a rare example of how having almost the exact same outfit matched perfectly. Point being take all of this advice as a starting point but choose outfits that you love, that you're comfortable in, and that feel like you!



My Pinterest Board for more Inspiration



I've spent hours and hours saving outfit inspiration so you don't have to. And done a lot of in-depth searching by brand, season, locations etc instead of typing in "engagement photo outfit inspiration" and saving the top pins (because you've probably already seen those!) I've organized everything into categories to make it super simple to get great ideas. I hope this is super helpful if you need a little outfit inspiration. I CAN'T WAIT to take your engagement photos. I know whatever you wear, you're going to look amazing!


Pinterest Outfit Board


Ready to book your session? Take a look at my engagement sessions, or see how I work on the experience page. Planning a wedding or elopement too? Have a peek at my weddings and elopements.

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