How to Pick the Perfect Engagement Session Dress
At a loss of what to pick out as your “formal outfit” for your Engagement Session? Check out these tips below to pick out the perfect Engagement Session Dress which will photograph beautifully!
Tip #1:
Look for something Long and Flowy!
Choosing a dress that has a longer length creates a more romantic feel to your Engagement images, and automatically feels more “formal” than shorter dresses which are knee-length. Having some flowy-ness to the fabric also allows it to have that “something extra” when it whips in the wind, or when it extends out as your fiancee snuggle in close!
Tip #2: Find something with sleeves!
I’m sure I’m not the only one who is a little self-conscious of how my upper arms photograph, so a great way to avoid this introversion and potential self-criticism from creeping in during your engagement shoot is simply to find a dress which has sleeves!
Now, I know what you’re thinking, sleeves? In Summer? Are you crazy? But keep in mind you can find lots of comfy and cool summer dresses which have cap sleeves that are perfect for hot summer sessions.
Dresses that have cap, quarter-length, or full sleeves always photograph better than sleeveless dresses, leading to the ability to use more varied poses during your session!
Tip #3: Going Bold? Keep it Simple.
If you want to add a pop of bold color to your dress choice- go for it! But keep in mind that bold colors photograph better when there are no patterns on your dress.
The focus of your engagement session should be you and your fiancee and the emotions and love you two share with each other. Choosing a dress with a bold color and bold pattern tends to distract from the emotion of a portrait and makes the focal point your outfit rather than you.
If you fall in love with a patterned dress that’s totally okay, just try to choose a color which is more neutral, pastel or white rather than something really bright with lots of bold coloring to the pattern.
Truth be told, I’m a HUGE sucker for an affordable, flowy dress! Just ask my husband who has to keep me in check come wedding season so that I don’t completely re-do my entire wedding-day-dresses wardrobe! Here are some of my favorite sites/styles for gorgeous flowy dresses at an affordable price!
This is by far my favorite and is a fantastic site with soooooo many options! They have really great filter options too so you can find the exact style you are looking for! I’ve had several brides order their micro-wedding an elopement gowns from here too, and they are always rave about them!
I know, I know… Amazon is hardly a “secret” place to find clothes, but I’ve spent a fair amount of time trying various dresses, so I thought I’d just give you two of my favorite finds to help narrow down the GIGANTIC selection of dresses you can find here.
Okay, something a little more “under the radar” than Amazon here. Shopping affordable Bridesmaids dresses is a great place to find your engagement session dress! Many bridesmaids dress styles are PERFECT for an engagement session, and often the selection of color and sizes are far greater when shopping a bridesmaids collection!
This is a great store for engagement and bridesmaids dresses! The prices are reasonable, and the selection is pretty decent too!
I hope this helped in your search for the perfect engagement dress!
Shoot me any questions you have any time!
