This is a guide to help all of you look good in your photos, so you can enjoy all the memories that come with a good photo of the happy couple.
What will this guide be covering?
How should we prep for our engagement photos?
What are some specific tips for people who want to look their best?
What are some general rules to follow when getting ready for engagement photos?
Plan ahead and think about the location of your engagement photo shoot
There’s no need to spend the big bucks on a fancy engagement shoot; you can still look like a million bucks at an inexpensive location. When planning your engagement photos, it’s crucial to think about what kind of clothes you want to wear. You’ll want your outfit to work with the location. If you’re going for a beachy vibe or something more classic, figure out what kind of clothes will fit the mood and do some shopping ahead of time.
A great way to save money is to borrow clothes from friends or family who are similar in size (or better yet, take them with you when getting fitted). And don’t forget that second-hand shops are always full of hidden gems that can be tailored for the perfect fit.
If you’re shooting outdoors in winter, layer up—to look your best, avoid unflattering bulky coats! Keep in mind that heavy layers make you look bigger than you actually are by adding bulk around your waist and hips without any extra curves being present underneath. Instead, opt for lightweight fabrics like wool and cotton and keep things simple with classic styles like blazers (which have slimming vertical lines), pencil skirts (which add definition), and outerwear pieces with sleek lines—all of which will flatter any figure rather than making you look boxy or shapeless.
Ask your photographer for suggestions or look at their work for ideas.
We found it was smart to give our photographer, Sean Gaffney, some suggestions about what we thought would look best for our engagement photos. He’s a professional and he wants to do a good job, so we trusted him implicitly. He told us which colors he liked shooting in for couples’ engagement photos and gave us some pointers about how to stand and pose in each of the shots. We were feeling pretty confident about everything when we came up for air.
Look through photos of yourself and consider what you like/don’t like about how you looked in them
You want to look good in your engagement photos, of course, but you also don’t want to look too good. Try not to wear any outfit that is so tight that it shows off your every curve or dimple. Keep the length of your skirt or dress moderate enough to be appropriate for a family gathering. It’s better if you’re not showing more skin than you would wear to an office job, and it never hurts if you aren’t showing as much skin as you’d wear out on a date with your partner.
Always keep in mind that the purpose of these photos is to capture a fun moment between two people who love each other, not just to capture how stylish one of those people happens to look. There are some occasions where the two overlap—for example, when the bride wears a stunning ball gown with an elaborate headpiece—but there are many other occasions where they do not overlap at all. If you’re unsure which side of this line your engagement photos fall on, then err on the side of dressing down slightly from what you may have worn under different circumstances. You’ll still look great and everyone will still love seeing you looking so happy!
Be comfortable
Congratulations on your engagement! Now is the time to focus on how you look in your photos. You’ll want to pick an overall theme for what you wear, so that all of the outfits match and look cohesive with each other. Maybe you want to go with a patterned print or a specific color palette. Maybe you want all black everything.
Maybe you’re okay with wearing whatever, but want to make sure that it doesn’t distract from the important parts of your photos:
- (1) this great guy/girl who’s going to be your spouse and
- (2) any awesome outdoor venues you have picked out!
As far as what not to do, I’m sure we can all agree that it never goes well when a woman wears white in her engagement photos because she thinks it’s more flattering than black/grey etc., and then complains about stains from food and dirt from children when she gets married; or when a man wears cuffed pants with dress shoes because he thinks it looks more stylish for engagement photos than jeans; or when one person is wearing shorts and sandals while everyone else is dressed up in ballroom attire. You get my point! Make sure that whatever outfits you choose don’t detract from your special day by being awkward or inappropriate.
Plan outfits that are complementary to each other
Your photos are the only thing you’ll be able to look back on after your wedding. Do you really want to see yourself in a white dress with a bright yellow blouse and floral print chunky boots? Of course not. In fact, we wouldn’t even recommend it for your first date outfit. Sure, dressing nicely is important, but there’s a lot more to keeping up appearances in the pictures than just that.
First and foremost, the main goal of your photos should be to make you look good. If you don’t feel comfortable or confident, it will show in every photo taken—even ones where you’re standing alone! Part of looking great involves picking an outfit that complements yours as well as your partner’s. We suggest sticking with one color scheme and mixing contrasting patterns within that—for example, a solid t-shirt or cardigan over an interesting skirt or pants. This will create a beautiful flow from one picture to the next without being too distracting from either person’s appearance or causing any unnecessary clashes of colors throughout each shot.
In most cases (unless your fiancée is perfectly content wearing a bracelet for an entire day) avoid stacking accessories on top of each other—this creates cluttered visuals in addition to making it difficult for photographers when determining how best to shoot them (and where). Instead, select pieces that work well together and bring variety without overwhelming the eye with too many colors or patterns at once: this will allow each piece to shine while still allowing both people to appear cohesive throughout every moment they’re photographed together!
Next time: 7 Tips For How To Look Great In Your Engagement Photos II
Pick an overall theme and stick to it
When planning your wedding, the last thing you want to worry about is the pictures. The pictures capture one of the most important days in your life, and they deserve an extra level of thought and attention—especially because many of them will be shared with family and friends on social media.
One of the best ways to ensure that your wedding photos are classy, timeless, and impressive is by putting thought into all aspects of how you look in them.
When choosing outfits for your engagement shoot, it’s smart to pick a color scheme or theme for each outfit. For example: white + ivory for bridesmaids’ dresses, black-tie for guys’ suits or dresses etc. Both styles can give an elegant effect (and make it easier when arranging outfits).
Alternatively, there’s always matching by picking a common element like red shoes or ties/scarves as well!
Once you’ve chosen something that works for both genders (if applicable) try to pick clothing that could work together with different outfits but still remain cohesive as a whole!
For instance: if wearing white + ivory together isn’t possible due to disparate gender options then just make sure that they’re similar colors while still being distinctly different so they match the style you’re going after!
Bring accessories
If you’re engaged, congratulations! You’ve found the person you want to spend the rest of your life with and are now planning a wedding. But it’s time to think about one other big decision: your pictures. Pictures are just as important as your dress or ring, and what you wear is integral to making them look their best.
What will be in each picture? Are you wearing a suit or are you in a dress? It’ll obviously impact what shoes and accessories you put on. What time of day will they be taken? This can affect how great your makeup looks or whether or not you should layer clothes or try something with sleeves instead.
Okay, now that we know that, let’s talk about some tips for looking awesome in photos.
You want to look your best in your engagement photos but here’s how.
To look your best in your engagement photos, it’s important to make sure you’re as presentable as possible. To give you a few helpful tips for looking your best, I’ve broken down the process into three main steps:
- Preparing Yourself
- Preparing Your Clothes
- Preparing Your Environment
Conclusion
A wedding is one of the most important days in a person’s life. It’s a day that brings together two people and their families, with so many things to think about. To help you avoid any stressful situations, here are some helpful tips for how to make your engagement photos look great.
