What to Wear for Amazing Winter Engagement Photos
Engagement photos capture one of the happiest events we want to remember for the rest of our lives. We hang them on our walls at home, place them on our desk at work, make them wallpaper on our favorite devices and send them out to family and friends. To mark your happy event you want to look your very best, but let’s face it, you want to be comfortable too. Start with bringing winter gear: thick coats, gloves, scarves, and hats keep you toasty while walking to different portrait locations. (We also take “warm-up breaks” as needed during our sessions.) We have more great tips for what to wear for your winter engagement photos to help you look and feel great!
Style
For the first set of photos we recommend something dressy when your hair and make-up look the best. For her: A long, flowing dress can catch the breeze. (If it’s long enough you can wear thick leggings underneath.) For him: Layers look good! Button-down shirts with sweaters are perfect with dress slacks or chinos. (Remember to match your shoes to your slacks.)
We usually recommend nice coats, scarves, hats, and gloves be the second outfit. If you want a dressier style for your winter engagement photo shoot, wear a long wool coat.
Another really cute idea is to include a large blanket into your session as a wrap or a prop. Make sure the blanket complements rather than competes with your clothes and setting. We can help with that!
Colors
Pick colors based on your location. (We can help with that too!) We recommend wearing colors that stand out without competing with the background. Earth tones (like burgundy) or jewel tones (like navy) paired with neutrals (like gray) photograph beautifully in winter. Pastels also look great depending on the setting. Avoid bright colors, they tend to reflect onto the skin, or colors that clash or blend in with the location.
His and her outfits should coordinate and complement each other rather than match. Avoid noticeable logos, graphics, stripes, and bold prints. Our style guide is packed with a variety of color palettes and how to match outfits to the location for beautiful engagement photos!
Hair & Makeup
We recommend having your hair and makeup done by a professional hair and makeup artist. Make sure you tell them that you are having your hair and makeup done for your winter engagement session and they’ll get you camera ready!
Also, be sure to wear waterproof mascara and bring tissues. (I don’t know about you, but when I go outside in the cold, my nose tends to run; and if there’s even a slight breeze, my eyes water.)
Shoes
If you’re planning on a snowy winter engagement photo session, wear boots. Cute boots are easy to find nowadays and are easy to incorporate into most looks. Heels for her and brown dress shoes for him (black if you’re slacks are grey or black) are great if you’re planning on having your winter engagement in a more urban setting, such as downtown Salt Lake City. Just make sure you bring a pair of comfortable shoes for walking in between locations. You can always bring extra shoes if you want, but check ahead of time that any footwear worn outside is weatherproof. (No one wants a favorite pair of shoes to get ruined.)
What to Wear for Winter Engagement Photos
Want more ideas? We’ve got you covered with a complete style guide to help you shop your closet (and maybe your favorite store) and find what to wear for your winter engagement photo session. And don’t forget to find the perfect spot to hang your favorite engagement photos!
