How to Prepare for Engagement Photos: Essential Tips

You’ve booked your photographer and have a date set for your engagement photoshoot with your hubby-to-be. Now what?

What’s the best place to take these photos, and what should you wear or bring? We’ll answer these questions below, along with tips for how to prepare for engagement photos. We even have pointers for posing and feeling comfortable in front of the camera.

Choosing the Right Outfits for Your Photoshoot

There aren’t really any hard-and-fast rules about what to wear for an engagement photoshoot. You can be casual or put on something slightly fancier, though the pictures typically won’t be as formal as wedding-day photos.

Here are a few outfit inspiration ideas for your engagement photos:

• A dress: This could be a white mini or midi dress that lends to a bridal vibe without looking like an actual wedding dress. Or you might go for a maxi dress or lace frock in another color or a floral print.
• White shirt and light-colored pants: For instance, you might wear a crisp white button-down with bone-colored chinos. This ensemble features traditional wedding party colors while still looking laid-back. It also pairs well with a significant other wearing a white dress.
• Jeans and a sweater or flannel: If you’re taking photos in the fall or winter and want a more casual look, jeans can absolutely work. Wear them with a plaid or neutral-colored flannel shirt or a chunky sweater and accessories with a knitted hat, scarf, or boots.
• Semi-formal separates: You can also wear more elevated outfits. For example, one person might wear a silk skirt with a cashmere sweater, and the other might go with dress pants, a button-down, and a blazer.
• All black: You and your partner can both wear all black, whether it’s a maxi dress, dress shirt, trousers, or jeans. This look is simple, sleek, and undeniably modern.

These are just examples. You want to look cohesive with each other while complementing your surroundings but can wear just about anything for engagement photos.

In the end, you should wear something you feel good in so you’re as comfortable as possible during the photo session.

How to Select the Perfect Location

The location of your engagement photoshoot might be close to home or a place that’s special to you as a couple, like where you met. You might choose a photo spot that reflects your personality, the theme of your upcoming wedding, or just somewhere with a beautiful backdrop.

Natural lighting is ideal for professional photos, so the best spots tend to be outdoors. Here are some ideas that can work well for engagement photos:

• Parks or botanical gardens
• Waterfronts, boardwalks, or riverbanks
• Hiking trails, lookouts, or mountains
• Beaches, whether on the sand or a cliffside lookout
• Rooftops of city buildings or outside brick buildings
• Downtown streets or footbridges
• Vineyards, golf courses, or farmlands

Think about the variety of backgrounds each location offers and how the colors will complement your outfits. You’ll also want to consider whether your chosen spot is busy at certain times of day or days of the week and if passersby will be tricky to keep out of frame.

What Time of Day to Take Engagement Photos

After choosing the date and location, you can determine the best time of day for your photoshoot—and we don’t just mean when there are the fewest crowds.

Deciding when to take engagement photos is entirely up to you, but try to have them taken during “golden hour.” This is when the sun is lowest in the sky, just before sunset or right after sunrise. In clear conditions, the sun’s location scatters cool-toned lights and enhances the visibility of warm tones—that’s why you’ll often see red, orange, and pink hues in the sky.

Preparing Props and Accessories for a Unique Touch

Props and accessories can add personality to engagement photos, nodding to the unique interests and quirks of the couple. There are endless routes you can take with this.

Here are some examples to get your creative wheels turning:

• A champagne bottle to hold or pop together
• A bundle of white balloons
• A sign, chalkboard, or letterboard with your wedding or elopement date
• An umbrella for a rainy-day shoot or a wet climate
• A bicycle or motorcycle
• A vintage car, truck, or camper
• A dog or another pet
• Flowers
• Sparklers
• Ice cream cones

It could even be more lighthearted with props you might see in a party photo booth, like giant sunglasses or masquerade masks.

Final Checklist Before the Photoshoot Day

Planning ahead is key when it comes to how to get ready for engagement photos. Once the session is booked, go through this final checklist to make sure everything goes smoothly:

1. Confirm the time, location, duration, and cost of the session with the photographer.
2. Check the weather forecast and what time the golden hour will be on the day of the shoot.
3. Have your outfits selected, making sure they’re clean and wrinkle-free.
4. If you anticipate getting wet or dirty, have another outfit ready as backup.
5. Pick out your footwear and accessories, like hats, scarves, sunglasses, and jewelry.
6. Decide how you’ll do your hair and makeup, whether you’ll do it yourself or hire a makeup artist.
7. Estimate how long it will take you to get to the photoshoot location to determine when you need to leave.
8. Decide what props you want to bring and pack them or allot time to pick them up (e.g., balloons, flowers, or ice cream).

What to Bring to Your Engagement Shoot

Here’s what to bring to your engagement photo session:

• Your chosen outfits (whether you put them on beforehand or change when you arrive)
• Accessories you plan on wearing
• Props you might want to use for the shoot
• Makeup and a comb for touch-ups
• Water and snacks (especially if you have more than an hour booked)

Unless you’ve pre-paid for the full session or your photos are part of a larger wedding package, you’ll also want to have a way of paying the photographer.

Photography Tips for Feeling Comfortable in Front of the Camera

A good photographer will act as somewhat of a director of the shoot, offering ideas for poses and pointers throughout the process.

If you’re new to professional photography or aren’t super comfortable in front of the camera, it’s helpful to practice smiling and posing ahead of time. But remember, your engagement photos won’t necessarily be a straight-on portrait of you and your significant other smiling toward the camera.

Candid shots can look more natural while taking the pressure off you. You can walk around while holding hands, looking at each other, laughing, or embracing. Props can also help by giving you something to look at or do with your hands.

It’s totally normal to feel a little awkward during professional photos, even right next to the person you love and feel most comfortable with. Don’t be afraid to laugh, have fun, and try a few things to see what works.

Simplified Engagement Photos Simply Eloped

Simply Eloped is committed to simplifying the process of planning your nuptials and every step along the way. We offer several customizable services, including photo sessions and videography for engagements, elopements, and intimate weddings.

Our engagement photography is available in locations throughout the U.S. We know of the best spots to take photos in each city and can assist with booking a seasoned photographer.

Our experienced team is here to ensure this exciting, nerve-wracking day goes smoothly. Through Simply Eloped, you can book a photographer and videographer, along with musicians, florals, and other extras to make the occasion special. Get in touch with us with questions about proposal photography.