Fall engagement session season is almost here! This is my favorite time of the year—I love the colors, the crunch of the leaves, and the cool breeze. Plus, as autumn rolls in, the light seems to glow almost all day, making those “golden hour” pictures last even longer.
Looking ahead to the engagement session season, I wanted to compile a quick list of tips and tricks for my couples. After all, everyone has their own style that reflects who they are, but I am frequently asked, “What should we wear?” Well, I’m here to help!
Engagement Session Tip 1: You can wear 2 outfits
You don’t have to limit yourself to just one set of clothes! In fact, my assistant can carry my changing tent for us if there isn’t a place to change nearby. You can always opt to do one casual and one dressy outfit. That way, you can have fun and get adventurous with the pictures if you want!
Engagement Session Tip 2: Don’t match each other perfectly
Your photos will look better if you’re not super matchy-matchy. Choose outfits and accessories that coordinate instead. There’s no need for matching shirts or colors, as long as you complement (and compliment!) each other.
Engagement Session Tip 3: Avoid bold patterns
Solid colors will always work better for photography. You don’t want to be wearing busy, big, or bold patterns, especially because those will often go out of style. These are timeless pictures and you will appreciate being able to look back at them & smile without a fashion critique!
Engagement Session Tip 4: Accessorize
You want to personalize your outfit to fit your style, but I’ve just told you to go simple. What to do? Well, never fear—that’s what accessories are for! Necklaces, scarves, hats, shoes—all of these can reflect your style perfectly.
Engagement Session Tip 5: Splurge!
You know how amazing you feel when you get pampered, so don’t be scared to go that extra mile to get your hair and makeup done. After all, you want to look beautiful in your engagement pictures and any excuse for a little pampering is a good one! This is also a great way to try out a makeup artist. I can help if you need a referral, too!
Engagement Session Tip 6: Pick your colors carefully
While you know your style best, it’s been my experience that you’re going to want to avoid a lot of red, yellow, green, or white. Red and yellow add a color cast to the skin that can be less than flattering, while green can not only have the same affect but might even make you blend into the background! And trust me: you’re not going to want to wear white in your engagement photos when you’ll be wearing white in all of your wedding pictures. You will want to have a little variety, especially when you display these photos side-by-side on your wall!
Engagement Session Tip 7: Be yourself!
With all of that advice being said, make sure you aren’t dressing just to my specifications. You want something that reflects your style, is comfortable, and looks downright amazing! You want your confidence to come across in your images, and I want to see you happy, not uncomfortable!
Engagement Session Tip 8: Relax!
The most important piece of advice I can give you is to relax and enjoy the experience. It will be fun, I promise! Besides, the best smiles come from a place of genuine joy—so have fun with it!
You can check out some engagement outfit inspiration from some of my couples, and feel free to shoot me an email at heatherhughesphotography@gmail.com if you have any questions! I hope this post helps you to plan an amazing autumn engagement session!
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