You’re engaged! Congratulations! Now your mind is whirling with all the things. I love spoiling my couples and sending a custom magazine I loving call the Wedding Experience for AY Couples! It has all sorts of wedding planning tips to help settle your mind and bring things to your attention you might not naturally think about while wedding planning. I’m a big believer in you don’t know what you don’t know. That’s why I’m giving you all the tips on how to plan a wedding with photography in mind.

One of my favorite parts of my Wedding Experience Guide is the Engagement Session Prep section! It goes over how to prep your man, your ring, tips on what to wear, and thoughts on the season, and light considerations.

If you’re like me though you’re dreaming up your engagement session before you’ve even booked a photographer. And if you’re really like me before you’re even engaged. 😉 For you like-minded ladies I wanted to put together an engagement session outfit guide here on my little corner of the internet!

What to Wear to Your Texas Engagement Session

Dress for the Season

First and foremost think of the season! The majority of the months here in Texas are hot, and in Houston even if it’s not hot you can probably count on it being muggy. Every now and then it gets a bit chilly! This is especially true if you are more north in our great state and in the Winter months. There are plenty of locations that are beautiful even in the Winter months, however, it will not only look strange that you’re dressed like Summer in the Winter- you’ll be uncomfortable and cold!

I’m probably the worst at this, but often we ladies will tell ourselves it’s only for a little bit and we can suffer for a few minutes and be cold. Right? Wrong! Please don’t have this mentality. Your engagement session will be over an hour and you won’t be too happy when you’re cold. Plus- creating layers with your engagement session outfit will photograph amazingly!

This also goes for the heat! I know, I know- you can only take off so many layers. Wearing a dress instead of pants though might allow you to get a little breeze and feel cooler in the Summer heat though. Small considerations like this go along way.

Be Comfortable in Your Outfit

If you’re wearing something far from what you would normally wear you might not be comfortable in it. I’m a perfect example- I hardly ever wear spaghetti straps without a blazer or cardigan. I just don’t feel comfortable in that type of strap. So I never wear that type of dress or blouse to a session. I would be worried about that the entire time and it would take the fun out of the session!

If you aren’t comfortable in what you’re wearing it will show in the photos. You’ll feel stiffer and you won’t feel natural. We have so much fun during your engagement session! Wear something that feels so you that you won’t think twice about it and wardrobe won’t be on your mind- just all those giggles and nuzzles!

Complement Each Other

You should absolutely tell each other how nice you look! 😉 However, your engagement session outfit should also compliment your fiancés- and his yours. Don’t try to be 100% matchy-matchy because it won’t photograph well. Instead, go for a coordinating engagement session outfit look!

An example would be if you’re wearing a pattern, your man can wear a solid color that’s also in your pattern! Easy, right?

Another way to think of this tip for your engagement session outfit is to complement the type of clothes. If you’re dressed business casual, so should your man. If you’re wearing a ball gown get your man a tux!

The Do’s & Don’ts for your Engagement Session Outfit

✨Do clean your ring! I always take detail photographs during your engagement session and you’ll want it sparkling!

✨Don’t wear graphic tees. They don’t photograph well and you’ll want your engagement photo outfits to be business casual or fancier.

✨Do feel good about patterns! So many patterns are okay, however, some extremely bold patterns and small patterns don’t photograph well. If you’re questioning or second guessing a pattern it’s probably best to exchange it for a solid.

🐶Do bring your pup! When we’re scheduling your engagement session we’ll talk logistics on this, but please know they are certainly welcome!

✨Do accessorize and have a statement piece if that’s your jam.

Pro Tips for Your Engagement Session Outfits

#1 Consider Your Home Decor

It’s no surprise that we all gravitate towards our favorite colors and style when decorating our home. Naturally, you should gravitate towards the same for your engagement session outfits. Sometimes though it feels easy to go with what’s in or trendy. Compare your chosen outfits with your home decor. Do they mesh well together? If so, great! That means when you hang your engagement session photos on the walls it’ll look natural and flow with your home decor! If you don’t have your engagement session outfits picked out just yet keep your home decor in mind while shopping and don’t be tempted by trends.

#2 Shopping at One Store

Remember when Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada explained that colors trickle down from the runway to Nordstroms? Remember that while you’re shopping!

A great trick for coordinating beautifully and easily is to shop at stores with a men’s and women’s section. At a store like J. Crew, their designers and buyers have already put together a line of clothes that coordinate. That’s how they get those perfect magazine spreads.

So push the easy button and one-stop shop like that to feel confident in their coordinating outfits. And be confident that at that store the colors Meryl was talking about will be

#3 Layering is Lovely!

Alteration is cool, but seriously. Incorporating layers into your outfit will uplevel it quickly! The easiest season to create layers in is easy Fall. Caridigans, shawls and scarves are an easy layer to add to uplevel your engagement portraits. However, you can easily incorporate layers into your Summer or Spring engagement session too! Lightweight or opaque cardigans are a great option. Even something like a jean jacket that you might not wear but effortlessly drape over your shoulder.

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