Spring has arrived and that means that portrait season is upon us! We love when the weather turns warm and the sun stays with us a few hours longer. All of our #ypbrides are gearing up for their engagement sessions and we are so excited! We are super passionate about couples portraits and want you to get the absolute best out of your session!

Here are some tips and tricks to help you get prepared for your session!

1. Multiple outfits. Most often couples like to have one casual, everyday outfit and then one that is dressier. This will give your shoot two totally different “looks”. We recommend beginning with the dressy outfit first! The more outfits you have, the fewer portraits you’ll receive but you will have more variety in your portraits. It will seem like you had more than one shoot! And make sure that you are equal when it comes to how formal your attire is. If the bride is wearing a little black dress…. the groom probably shouldn’t be in shorts and tennis shoes.
2. Wear what you love. Make sure you’re comfortable in what you’re wearing. Wear clothing that is flattering to your figure and your skin tone. If you are self-conscious about your legs, don’t wear a mini skirt. If you’re self-conscious about your arms, don’t wear a sleeveless shirt or strapless dress. If you don’t like the way you look in stripes on a normal day, you’re not going to like the way you look in your portraits if you choose a striped shirt! Confidence photographs well so make sure you are comfortable and confident in your outfit choices!
3. Coordination does not equal matching. We actually encourage you to not try and match. Instead, try to pick outfits and accessories that coordinate. If everyone wore the exact same color at their session, how boring would those images be? 
4. Accessorize. Don’t be afraid to be BOLD! Accessorize and make your outfits your own. Scarves, bold necklaces and fun shoes are always welcome.
5. Patterns. Most patterns are actually ok, however graphics are not favorable for portraits. If you’re wearing a pattern, make sure it’s not overwhelming and distracting, and the bigger the pattern the better!! Larger plaid photographs better than tiny little-checkered patterns. It would be better to have a solid dress shirt than a shirt with teeny tiny patterns. If one of you is wearing a pattern sometimes it’s best to have the other person wear something neutral to help make the portraits less busy.
6. The thing about stripes. Horizontal stripes aren’t as flattering as vertical, so we recommend choosing vertical if you want to wear stripes. Pin stripes don’t play well with the camera! 
7. Layer it up. Layers and textures translate well on camera and create depth. Plus, if you’re wearing layers you can always remove one to get more variety in your photos!
8. Empty your pockets! Literally. You don’t want to have keys or phones showing through your pockets (this is for you guys!)
9. Clean the ring. We love to shoot a few ring shots while you change outfits. The cleaner, the better!
10. Relax! You don’t have to be a pro at this. We’re going to help you along the way and it’s going to be a blast! Enjoy this time together and make a date out of it! Plan dinner afterwards and celebrate!

BONUS TIP: Muted shades naturally give photos more of a romantic feel, while bright, saturated colors often give them a lighthearted feel.

There you have it! 10 tips (plus a bonus!) for amazing engagement outfit choices!!

Need more inspiration? See our best of couples sessions HERE!