What to Wear for Summer Engagement Photos

Summer! I’m going to go out on a limb and say that we’re almost there. This spring has been rough. We’ve been teased over and over again with nice weather, only to wake up to snow. And while I love that we’re getting more moisture, the wind can definitely take a hike! Now that we can see June, it’s time to plan what to wear for summer engagement photos. Engagement sessions are one of my favorite types of sessions. Whether we are hiking around the mountains at sunset or wandering through downtown streets, I wanted to give you a few quick tips for planning your outfits for summer engagement photos or couples photos. This post is focused on planning engagement sessions in the Wyoming or Colorado Rocky Mountain region.

Choose the Right Colors for Summer

First, let’s chat briefly about what colors for couples to wear for summer engagement pictures. Choose colors that complement your skin tones. If you want to know more about this, I go into a deep dive about this on this post.

Another trick is to hold a piece of white paper up to your neckline/upper chest. If you have pinkish tones when you look in the mirror, you probably have cool undertones. If you appear to have yellow tones next to that white paper, you likely have warm undertones. Neutral undertones will vary seasonally with that test.

People with warm undertones tend to look best in warm colors, while the opposite is true for cool undertones. And remember, if you and your partner have different undertones, you can mix color combos by looking for complementary colors across the color wheel. Again, see this post if you want more info.

Making Colors Work for the Summer Season: Muted Greens, Blues, Pinks and Neutrals

Summer landscapes are full of color. Greens come out in vibrant hues. We finally have blooming trees and wildflowers. In hotter months, the tall grasses become a vibrant, warm gold. Summer is by far my favorite season. While bright colors signal summer to us all, for photos, it’s best to go with muted earth tones paired with neutrals. Wearing muted tones helps offset and complement the bright colors of summer surroundings.

Summertime Blues and Soft Neutrals

Remember how reaching across that color wheel helps us find colors that work well together? Blues pair really well with summer because of all of the green and yellow tones in the natural surroundings. Muted pinks and light lavenders also work during summer months. Neutrals that pair well for summer are beige, cream, muted peach and cool grey. Below, I’ll show you a few examples of each. Here’s one based on blue.

Luke and Kate chose both pinks and blues for their Denver engagement session in the summer.

Go a Little Dressy and Dress for the Setting

Mountain Engagement Sessions

For couples photos, dress it up a little. I have so many couples who are super casual, and I get it. I would rather be comfy too, especially if I’m hiking in the mountains. But this is the one time I will advocate for being a little impractical. Long, flowy dresses photograph beautifully, especially for mountain settings. I typically suggest one dressy outfit and one a bit more casual (pants and a cute top), but for both outfits, dress like you’re going out somewhere special.

For mountain sessions, long dresses do much better in the Wyoming wind. Short (mini) dresses can be tricky in windy weather, flipping up and becoming something you have to worry about. Long dresses move beautifully in the wind. If you pick a maxi dress with a slit in it, it will move even more in the wind for a little drama in photos.

Bring comfortable walking shoes for in between locations in the mountains of Wyoming and Colorado. We walk a lot during mountain sessions. Bring shoes that you can hike in. You can change into more photo-worthy shoes for the actual photos, but your feet and ankles will thank you.

Floral patterns work really well for summer mountain photos. If one of you goes with a pattern, the other partner should wear something solid or with something with a more subtle texture.

Urban or City Engagement Sessions

For urban engagement sessions, or sessions in a downtown area, women can more easily get away with shorter dresses. The buildings provide a bit of a wind break, so short dresses and heels make more sense. You can also get away with more vibrant colors for downtown summer sessions, because the surroundings in the frame will have less vibrant greens. If you have more vibrant wedding colors planned and want those to be incorporated into your engagement photos, an urban session might offer more flexibility for using vibrant colors in your wardrobe.

Keshia and Alex opted for burgundies and blues for their CFD themed engagement shoot in downtown Cheyenne.

Go a Little More Fun and Funky with Urban Sessions

In addition to allowing for more bold colors, urban sessions offer flexibility in style. Want to wear band t-shirts and chucks? An urban engagement session is a perfect time to do that. Taking engagement or couples photos in a downtown setting allows you to go a bit more edgy in your wardrobe.

I loved Taylor and Karlie’s choices for their downtown Fort Collins engagement session. They both kept color simple and went a little edgy with their footwear.

Waistlines for Women Need to be Fitted

Make sure any dress you pick has a waistline and is fitted near the waist. As my daughter said in Old Navy the other day, “The prairie vibes are strong right now.” If you pick a prairie dress, make sure it has a fitted bodice and waistline (like Kate’s shown earlier). I know balloon dresses are also everywhere right now, but they make even teeny tiny people look blocky in photos. Avoid balloon dresses altogether. If you’re going to wear a second outfit with pants, it’s generally more flattering for women to tuck shirts in, even if it’s just a front tuck. Flowy blouses can work well if they are tucked in a little. Pairing pants with heels give your legs and waistline a bit more shape as well.

Keep it Simple for Guys

Basic button downs look great in photos. Generally, don’t put him in a solid black top. It is just too much black in the frame. Pair a muted green or gray with a white or cream undershirt, and leave the shirt unbuttoned for a layered look. I love button downs paired with camel/tan jeans for a little dressier look. Vans are perfect for shoes, or dress it up a bit with boots or dress shoes. You can add in texture to guys’ shirts, but I would avoid plaid and opt for a solid or a very faint pattern. Think about a cream or tan colored linen button down for summer.

For guys, consider bringing along a sport coat to pair with your jeans. If it’s really hot outside, we can use it for only a couple shots, but this is a quick way to add visual variety to mens’ clothing during your session.

Guys can definitely get away with shorts and Vans or Hey Dudes for urban sessions, but stick with pants for mountain photos.

Dress Like You’re Heading to the Same Place for the Same Occasion

Try to match your level of dressiness when deciding what to wear for your summer engagement photos. You don’t want one person looking like they are going to a fancy restaurant and the other looking like they are going through the drive-through. Women tend to end up a bit more dressed up than guys, and that’s ok. Just try to not make that contrast too great.

Best Summer Clothing Choices for Women

Best Summer Clothing Choices for Men

If You Bring Two Separate Outfits, They Need to Work Together

There’s no sense in bringing two different sets of outfits if they don’t look good together. If you use your engagement photos on your wedding website, invitations, or save the dates, you’ll want them to flow together. I offer engagement guest books that allow your wedding guests to sign in the white space of a beautifully crafted album of your engagement photos.

For a two-choice option in downtown settings, think about a fun skirt with an asymmetrical hem, layered with a jean jacket, followed by white pants and a dressy top. You can also coordinate colors a little through your accessories too, like the necklace that matches his shirt below.

While you don’t want the same exact colors for both of your outfit choices, make sure they all still work well together. Francie and Jared did this beautifully for their summer mountain engagement session:

Make It You

These aren’t hard and fast rules, so definitely wear what feels right for you and your personality. I’ve had couples wear climbing gear, band t-shirts, kitchen aprons, and team jerseys to engagement sessions. If there’s something you really want to incorporate into your session, let’s make it happen.

Accessories can also be a fun way to show your personalities. Think about hats, sunglasses, or flowy shawls to add a little flair or dimension to your session.

Reach Out If You Need Help

I’m happy to take a look at some options to help you narrow down your choices, and I would love to help you decide on colors based on your summer engagement location. Current clients also have access to my Style & Select service and my client closet (I have a ton of dresses to choose from). Get in touch if you need help deciding what to wear for your summer engagement photos!