What to Wear for Engagement Photos

Congratulations – you are engaged! You probably can’t keep your eyes away from your ring, you look at your fiancé in a completely new way (oh my God! Fiancé!) and your Pinterest board is full of wedding dress ideas. Your family and friends can’t stop asking questions. When is the wedding? Do you have a venue yet? Have you picked your bridesmaids?

I’m sure this sounds familiar. Don’t feel overwhelmed – planning a wedding should be enjoyable, not stressful, so take things slowly if you want to. And in the meantime, celebrate with an engagement shoot. I’m going to throw in a few ideas of what to wear for engagement photos in Ireland!

Do I Even Need an Engagement Shoot?

You might be thinking – she just said to stay away from stressful, why is she suggesting a photoshoot?? Sure, an engagement shoot might not be the first thing on your mind, especially if neither of you have had professional photos taken before. Don’t worry – 15 minutes into the shoot you’ll be having so much fun you won’t even remember why you hesitated in the first place!

Engagement photos are all about being yourselves, enjoying a romantic time together and being madly in love.  It’s something special to look back on and a chance to create those photographs you’ve always dreamt about.

Or maybe you’re taking a holiday in Ireland while planning your wedding! Wouldn’t it be amazing to have both some gorgeous holiday photos and engagement photos to remember this special time in your lives?

In any case, here are my 3 top reasons why it’s a great idea to have an engagement shoot!

• Get Comfortable
  
  This one is a no-brainer. So many couples tell me that they are worried about being able to relax in front of the camera on their wedding day. It’s only natural – if you’ve never had professional photos taken before, how would you know what it feels like?? An engagement shoot is perfect for just that – relax in front of the camera, have some fun and then look at the result and fall in love with how good you look! That’s one less thing to worry about on your wedding day. Then, on the wedding day itself, you’ll be able to relax straight away, and we’ll have those gorgeous wedding portraits in no time!
  
  
• Reconnect and go down the memory lane
  
  I know everyone says the wedding day is all about the two of you. In reality, you’ll probably spend most of your day playing hosts, greeting guests and remembering the names of all those aunts and uncles from Australia who actually turned up! Oh, and there’s also the getting married bit. You know, the one with the vows and the rings. And the nerves.
  
  In any case, you’ll be lucky to spend 30 minutes alone with your together-forever person. An engagement shoot is the perfect opportunity to not only get beautiful images of the two of you but also rekindle that romance without any pressure and at your own pace. You could revisit your favourite places, go down the memory lane and remember how you got here. It’s a chance to celebrate the connection and the union between you, and to hug and kiss more than you normally would.
  
  It’s also a great chance to relive the proposal! Most proposals are either intimate or spontaneous. Taking engagement photos give you the chance to recreate that perfect moment and capture it in photos. Go back to the place where you got engaged, put on your favourite dress and relieve those emotions!
  
  
• Create the perfect wedding invitations
  
  Last but not least, let’s be practical. Engagement photos are great at personalizing your wedding invitations or your guest book. Sure, you can buy a guest signing book at Eason’s and hope that some of the guests will want to look through it and leave a note. Or you can have an absolutely unique guestbook or a signing canvas with a stunning photograph that everyone will be dying to see. Which would you prefer?
  

What to Wear for Engagement Photos

So, you are convinced an engagement shoot is the way to go! The next big question on every girl’s mind is what to wear for engagement photos??

Express who you are

The main idea for an engagement shoot is to express you as a couple, and what better way of doing it than through your choice of clothes? Are you both elegant and classy? Do you like to mess around? Do you have a unique style? Pick an outfit that represents you, and you’ll look stunning!

If you are a jeans and t-shirt kind of couple you might feel out of place in a ballgown. You should still feel comfortable and yourselves, just at your best!

White Always Works!

A white or light outfit always works great. It’s a beautiful but soft contrast to the scenery, and always looks complimentary to your skin tone. Lighter colours will make the photos more romantic and timeless, as well as drawing the focus to you.

Something Blue

If white feels a bit too formal and red is just not you, take inspiration from your wedding theme and go for something blue! It’s one of my favourite colour option which works really well with Irish scenery, whether you’re by the sea or among the green hills. Who knows, maybe your blue dress will attract the blue skies!

Add a pop of colour

It might look like I’m contradicting myself here but if you love color, there’s no reason to stay away from it! Just try adding one bold shade as an accent. The same goes for patterns -keeping it simple with just one patterned piece of clothing helps with balance.

Soft and neutral tones tend to photograph beautifully. My goal is to keep the focus on you – your connection, your personalities, and the connection you share. Bright, bold colors or busy patterns can sometimes be distracting and take attention away from the moment.

Consider the season

Engagement sessions happen year-round, and while Irish winters are pretty mild, it can still be COLD! You could also get all four seasons in one day here, so prepare to embrace rain and wind!

Please, please consider the weather when planning your outfit. I totally get the “beauty is pain” mindset, but trust me—shivering in a tiny dress while trying to look relaxed and happy is never the vibe. Layers are your friend! Think warm jackets, cozy scarves, and even hand warmers to keep you comfortable. It could also be a beautiful nod to Ireland to add some traditional Aran knitwear to your outfit – it’s not just warm and cosy but also really pretty!

At the end of the day, the season and the weather play a huge role in your session—so plan ahead to stay comfortable and feel your best!

Be as formal as each other

Think of it this way – if you are wearing a full-length dress and your partner has cargo pants and a t-shirt on, it’s going to look like you’re heading to completely different events. The same applies to your engagement photos!

You’ll want to coordinate so your outfits feel equally dressy (or casual). Complement each other but don’t match! Identical outfits and patterns can feel overly planned, so aim for a coordinated look instead. This means choosing colors that complement each other rather than completely matching.

A good starting point is understanding color tones and shades. Cool tones include blue, green, purple, and gray, while warm tones would be pink, orange, red, and beige. The shades can be divided into pastels (like blush) or vivid colours (like hot pink). Try to stick to either the same tone family (dark blues and vivid greens would match well together), or the same shade – dusty blue and blush is a gorgeous combo.

To Sum Up… Dos and Don’ts