Saying yes to your fiancé when he proposed was easy. Choosing a beachy and meaningful engagement session location was also probably pretty easy (no shortage of beautiful beaches here in Florida). But choosing the perfect outfit for that engagement session? Well I think I speak for all woman-kind when I say this part is not so simple ;)
That’s why today I’m telling you my three best tips for choosing the perfect styles for your tropical or beachside engagement session. By the end of this blog, you’ll have a solid starting point to take with and run as you’re dreaming up those perfect Pinterest-worthy outfits! (Bonus- as a photographer, these tips take into account what looks good on camera, too!) Keep scrolling:
1) When in doubt, go for pastels and neutrals
The number one thing that can make engagement session outfits look awkward is a mismatch of patterns and colors. We recommend simple outfits- Pastel and neutral colors often photograph best! It’s better to coordinate outfits with complimentary colors, rather than matching, and to go for a mix of solids and patterns.
For example- don’t both wear blue pants and a white shirt. If you go too matchy-matchy it can start to look like a 1999 family Christmas card (anyone else besides me have to do the matching family photo shoots?!). Instead, if you’re wearing a white dress patterned with blue flowers, put your beau in a solid blue shirt to tie in the colors of your dress without matching completely.
In terms of colors, the beautiful beaches here in Florida have white sands, various shades of blue waves, soft green plants in the dunes, and tan grasses blowing in the breeze. Wearing bright red or purple is probably going to distract from the natural beauty of your location, whereas pastels and neutrals will compliment it.
2) Skip the blue jeans
This probably goes without saying.. but when was the last time you actually wore jeans to the beach? Make sure when you’re choosing your outfits the vibe of what you’re wearing fits the scene. If you’ve chosen a coastal park or beach, play up the space! Try to think of what you might actually wear to those places, and then take it up a notch (it’s an engagement session, after all!). Avoid things like jeans, heavy/thick materials, or black.
3) Choose two different outfits and styles
Our engagement sessions are two hours long, so I always encourage our couples to choose two totally different outfits and styles for the session to have a little variety. A more formal outfit might be great for your save the dates, but it’s also nice to have something in more casual attire to print and frame in your home, or use for the wedding website.
Beach formal? This is where it gets tricky. If your guy absolutely wants to wear a suit, I always suggest navy, or a blue blazer mixed with khaki pants to perfect that beachy formal look. To compliment this, I find a maxi dress always looks formal enough without being overdressed or stuffy. If a suit is too dressy for your fiancé, I also say khaki pants and a white button down is forever a classic combination that looks good on everyone, and also compliments a dress for you!
In terms of your casual outfit- stay true to yourself! Our engagement sessions involve a lot of walking, twirling, or sitting. Choose something you can move in without constant readjustment or fear of getting dirty. Many of our clients will choose a shorter, more casual dress paired with khakis and a nice t-shirt or navy shorts and a short sleeved button down on their groom-to-be.
4) Bonus tip!
Ladies, choose something that moves with that ocean breeze! When you’re looking at fabrics, it’s always a fun idea to select something light and billowy for those sunset pictures right next to the ocean. As you’ll see below, it makes for really fun motion and movement in your images.
There you have it- my best three tips for choosing the perfect beach engagement session outfits. If you haven’t chosen a photographer yet for your engagement session, we sure would love to be a part of telling your story! Inquire here.
Still looking for more inspiration? You’re in luck! Bridget and Will, who I featured above, got a whole blog dedicated to their engagement session! Check it out here.
Happy planning!
Ashley
