When you get engaged, there are a lot of decisions to make and things to consider. When and where will you get married, what will your cake look like, and what sort of ceremony will you have are all part of the bigger picture. One of the major decisions you’ll need to make, however, is what to wear to your engagement photo shoot.Your engagement photos will be a part of your life for years to come, and you want to be sure you have the right outfit for it. Read on to discover what you should wear for your outdoor Lake Tahoe engagement session.

Keep It Classy

When you’re planning an engagement photo shoot, you want your pictures to last forever. It may seem tempting to wear outfits that reflect the latest in fashion trends. But think about all the pictures that you can’t stand to look at now because the trends you thought were so great are now cheesy and outdated. Instead, go for a timeless look with classy clothes designed to withstand the changing times. Think solid-color shirts and sweaters in classic cuts and plain denim, khakis, or dresses. You can also go with some classic, simple prints, such as stripes or a small floral print on a neutral background color.

Go Neutral

On the subject of a neutral background, you also want to tend towards neutral colors when picking your engagement shoot outfits. A few pops of color are fun, but they can clash with the lighting and scenery around Lake Tahoe, depending on where you wind up. Bold colors also tend to come in and out of fashion much more than neutral tones. When selecting your outfit, try to opt for tans, blacks, grays, and whites. Jewel tones, including emerald, navy, crimson, and eggplant are timeless and subtle enough that they can work as well. You may want to avoid warm tones and go for greens, blues, and purples if you opt for color, as reds, yellows, and oranges can make you look ruddy or washed out.

Follow the Seasons

Aside from opting for neutral classics, the biggest thing that will influence what you wear to your engagement photo shoot is the season. Which outfit you go for, both in style and in theme, will depend on the weather. You may also want to choose your outfit based on how the scenery around Lake Tahoe will look at different times of the year. If you have a fall photo shoot, you may want to accessorize with scarves and jackets or wear boots. For a summer shoot, you may want to choose lighter dresses, linen shirts, and sandals. A winter photoshoot could work well with those jewel tones we discussed earlier, as they’ll stand out against darker clothing and the austere landscape around Lake Tahoe.

Make a Statement

Although sticking to neutral colors and styles is a good idea, it doesn't mean you shouldn’t have any of your personality in your outfit. Once you have your basic pieces put together, you can use a few accessories to add interest and personal style to your outfit. Try to focus this around one statement piece in particular – aside from the engagement ring, of course. You may want to choose a piece of statement jewelry to add a little color and flair to your outfit. If you want to keep the focus on the engagement ring, a patterned scarf or stylish jacket can bring the sense of personality you want. Hats are also a great option since there are hat styles that suit any theme, color scheme, or fashion you’re going for.

Complement Each Other

When you and your partner are picking outfits, it may seem like you both have to match. And while you certainly want your outfits to coordinate, they don’t need to match each other perfectly. Just as you and your partner have differences that complement each other, so should your outfits. In general, make sure both outfits follow the rules we’ve laid out so far – neutral or jewel-tone colors, classic styles, seasonal clothes. But beyond that, you can pick different colors and materials that will offset each other. A good set of engagement photo shoot outfits will each make the other look better.

Pick Two Outfits

Many people may feel like they need to pick three or four different outfits for an engagement session. How will you know which pictures turn out best, and don’t you want to have plenty of different photos to choose from? But multiple outfit changes can get complicated during a photo shoot and each additional outfit may cost you more. Instead, you and your partner should each pick out two outfits. This will give you different looks and options with the final photos without turning your photo shoot into a wardrobe nightmare. You may want to pick one outfit that’s a little more formal and one that’s more casual so you get different looks for various uses.

Be Yourself

Most importantly of all, your engagement shoot outfit should feel like you. These photos are what you will use to announce to the people you love that you’ve decided to start a new chapter of your life together. They’re what you’ll look back on when you’re years into your marriage, remembering fondly when you were young and first beginning. If possible, pick clothes you wear on a regular basis or which have special meaning for you. Choose clothes you feel good in and make you feel most like yourself. Even if this means breaking some of the rules we’ve already discussed, this is the best way you can ensure that you’ll get photos you’ll love for years to come.

Create the Perfect Lake Tahoe Engagement Session

An engagement photo session can be a great opportunity for you and your partner to celebrate and commemorate an exciting moment in your life together. Picking the perfect outfit goes a long way towards making sure these photos are something you’ll love looking at for years to come. Opt for outfits that are more neutral, both in color and style, and most importantly, make sure your outfits feel like you.If you’d like to set up the perfect Lake Tahoe engagement session, check out the rest of our site at VILD Photography. We are the wedding and elopement photography experts who capture wild love in wild places. Contact us today and arrange a photo shoot as beautiful as your love.