Engagement Style Guide | Jen Peterson Photography

THE ENGAGEMENT STYLE GUIDE

WELCOME Hello there! I am so excited to photograph your engagement session! I put together this style guide to give you all the information you need to know beforehand. Overall this session is totally all about YOU BOTH! Don’t think of it as just a photo session, think of it as another normal day of the two of you hanging out and doing what you love to do the most. My goal is to capture your unique interactions with each other, your special places, inside jokes, etc. I love engagement sessions because it really gives us the opportunity to get to know each other better. And it’s a great way to help you get more comfortable in front of the camera before the big day! My sessions are always going to be laid back, so don’t be nervous! I’ll show you “what to do with your hands” and how to “pose” but I also am going to take a step back and let YOU be YOU, so that I can capture those special interactions that show the REAL YOU. After the session, I am always open to feedback so that we can make your wedding day absolutely perfect! For example, some couples would prefer to have less kissing photos or would never naturally touch their foreheads together, and others find out which side is their “good side”. Whatever the case, it’s a perfect practice day to prep for the BIG DAY! -Jen Peterson



TOP TEN TIPS ON W H AT TO W E A R 01 Most couples choose to do two outfits, 04 This is just an idea! You don’t HAVE to one on the dressier side and one more do this! But some couples plan their relaxed and casual. attire to coordinate with their wedding day so that their Save The Dates match 02 Coordinating doesn’t mean the wedding theme and decor! “MATCHING”. Wearing the same color in a different shade is actually more ideal 05 Don’t over think it! Sometimes simple than trying to find the EXACT color outfits are more flattering! purple! For example, I would avoid both wearing navy tops and khaki 06 Make sure you are equal when it bottoms because it could potentially comes to how formal your outfit is. If the come across as being very uniformed! bride is wearing a little black dress...the groom probably shouldn’t wear his 03 If one of you is wearing something with bermuda shorts and flip flops... :) a lot of color and pattern, sometimes it’s best to have the other person wear a 07 Don’t be afraid to be yourself and wear neutral to tone it down a bit. something that is unique to YOU! It’s great to wear a dress with a cardigan, but if you have a unique style, be sure to show it off !

08 If you’re wearing plaid or other fun patterns, the bigger the pattern the better! This is just a personal preference. However, it is true that 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. The camera can’t always pick up those tiny patterns from a distance which can result in what we call “Chromatic Aberration”, which is a pink or green haze around the pattern. 09 Accessorize! Scarves, necklaces, belts...I love them all! They can add so much to an outfit AND it gives you something to hold onto if you don’t have long hair! 10 Last but not least! Wear attire that is flattering to YOUR figure and your skin tone! We all know that everyone has certain things that look GREAT on them and certain things that aren’t really made for them. For example, some don’t like the way they look in stripes on a normal, day-to-day basis, so you wouldn’t love the way you look in your images if you wore stripes! If you’re self conscious about your legs, don’t wear a mini-skirt. If you’re self-conscious about your arms, it’s probably not a good idea to wear a tank top... Bottom line, make sure you wear something you’re comforable in. Yes, I will teach you how to pose in super flattering ways, but you’ll love your images so much more if you wear an outfit that you’re comfortable and CONFIDENT in!



BONUS TIP! If you want extra ROMANTIC images, consider wearing something long and FLOWY! I absolutely love fabric that flows in the wind! Also, light & neutral colors allow images to appear more light and airy no matter what the weather is like! (And yes, this is Matt and I on our wedding day! Thank you to Katrina Markham for these images!)