Before you can plan what you want to wear to your engagement session, you need to pick a location. If you have a special place in mind let your photographer know! Maybe it’s a family ranch, upscale hotel or even an airplane hangar. The sky is literally the limit! We love shooting outside with trees, water, bridges, buildings, sand, etc so if there's something specific you want in your pictures, that will help determine what you wear.

Remember: There is no such thing as “too dressed up” when it comes to your engagement session, so don’t be afraid to have some fun! Other couples love having a great excuse to bring a new permanent piece (or two!) into their closet! Men look most striking in a well-tailored suit. Solid shades of gray or navy are a strong complement to most women’s outfits, whereas pinstripes or plaid patterns tend to distract the eye. Many of our grooms love to mix a suit coat, blazer or sport coat with a different pant color.

When choosing colors for your outfits, we recommend selecting lighter tones and more muted shades. By avoiding ultra-bright, bold colors, it will help bring all the attention to your faces and let the eye focus on the way you feel about each other. The camera loves shades of soft pink and muted blues, mixed with sophisticated light neutrals like heather gray, creams, leather brown and white. That softer color palette fits beautifully into almost all natural outdoor environments.

Pairing an accessory or two with your outfit can really help bring some extra dimension to your images. Big statement necklaces bring a lot of pop to the photos, while the smaller, delicate ones are not as noticeable on camera. Belts, bracelets and earrings bring great visual interest, so choose one or two that don’t compete for attention. Fresh florals in a crown or bouquet can be a really romantic touch as well.

From lash extensions to blown-out hair, professional hair and makeup will give you an extra boost of confidence in front of the camera, and it always photographs like a dream. If you’re working with a makeup artist, have her apply your makeup in natural light, if possible, so that it looks fresh and not too heavy. Plus, that’s the type of light we’ ll be shooting in, so it’ ll give you the best expectation of how it will translate on camera.

Don’t forget, your ring will be center stage, so give yourself permission to get it cleaned and your nails done, too!