Finding the perfect engagement session dress can be so stressful. These pictures are going to be iconic! Not only does this dress set the tone for your entire session it can be the statement piece of this era of your relationship.
No pressure! Right?!
Well, don’t worry. I’ve got you covered. I’m going to break it down for you.
To start off. It is probably a white dress. And let me tell you why.
WHY YOUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION DRESS MATTERS
The Beginning of Forever
Your engagement session is WAY more than a practice for your wedding day pictures and getting to know your photographer. Those are important! But the deeper meaning behind your engagement pictures goes far beyond that. It represents the beginning, the beginning of your forever story.
You aren’t just “boyfriend and girlfriend” anymore. It’s even deeper than planning your wedding. Now you are planning the rest of your lives together! And these pictures represent that huge milestone!
Your Style Right Now
It also tells a story of you, right now! What is your style as you plan your wedding and your future. You will look at these pictures forever and feel a tug of nostalgia because you felt completely beautiful in the perfect dress. The dress you choose is part of the magic. It elevates your engagement session from “cute pictures together” to a memory you’ll look back on and say, this is where it all began.
WHY SHOULD IT BE WHITE?
The Meaning of your Engagement Session Dress
White has always carried such a beautiful meaning, it’s the color of fresh starts, new beginnings, and commitment. Wearing a white dress for your engagement session is like a sweet preview of the promises you’ll make on your wedding day. It symbolizes the start of your forever together, while also keeping your photos feeling timeless and classic. There’s something so thoughtful about wearing white for your engagement session, the session that starts your forever.
It’s The Best Color
One of my BIGGEST suggestions for any photography session that I do. Always. Is to wear neutral tones
WHITE IS THE ULTIMATE NEUTRAL.
It looks good on everyone. Photographs well in every location and under every circumstance. You, honestly, cannot go wrong.
From a photography stance, coming from a natural light photographer, white reflects light and captures light beautifully and creates a timeless and clean look.
STYLING TIPS FOR THE PERFECT WHITE ENGAGEMENT SESSION DRESS
Once you’ve picked out your white dress, the fun really begins! You can begin to style it in a way that feels like you. White is easy to style, you can go in so many directions depending on your personality and vision for your engagement session.
Textures
Textures can add so much dimension to your photos. Think lace for a soft, romantic vibe, sleek satin for something chic and modern, or airy chiffon for that effortless, whimsical look or BIG BOWS and pearls, the options are limitless.
Accessories
Accessories are another way to bring your style into the photos, maybe it’s a delicate necklace, statement earrings or shoes, or even a bouquet of fresh flowers to hold. Just remember, a little goes a long way. The beauty of white is that it already shines on its own, so your accessories should feel like the finishing touch, not the main event.
Coordinating Not Matching
And don’t forget about your fiancé! Coordinating your looks makes everything feel cohesive. White pairs beautifully with soft neutrals, muted pastels, or even earthy tones. The goal isn’t to match perfectly but to complement each other, so when you’re standing side by side, your outfits tell one complete story.
WHAT IF WHITE IS NOT YOUR PERFECT ENGAGEMENT SESSION DRESS?
I get it! And that is ok! Showing your personality and being comfortable is the most important part!! That is what makes your engagement pictures shine! I do have a couple of universal suggestions (and the exception to the rule).
Stay Neutral
As a rule neutrals photograph the best in natural light photography. That means that earth tones, soft pastels, the muted tones of a color.
That means completely avoiding bright, neon colors. Bright reds, blues, greens, yellows, oranges AND pink, in sunshine, reflect and change skin tones. This is not an issue when we stay in the neutral zone. This is a solid rule, especially with the colors closest to your face (and to the face of your partner).
You Want Color In Your Life
Ok, so you want more color in your life and your engagement pictures. Maybe you want to match your wedding colors, such an awesome idea, to have images to place around your reception or in your Save The Dates! I would suggest sticking with the color rules above. Stay away from bright reflective colors, find a more muted tone of that color, especially around the face.
You Aren’t a Dress Girlie
You want a more casual look? It is your engagement session! Wear jeans and a t-shirt. My advice:
- No writing on the t-shirt
- The same color rules apply for shirts as does for dresses
- Don’t do matchy-matchy white shirts. Mix it up with another neutral color for one of you.
WHERE TO FIND THE PERFECT ENGAGEMENT SESSION DRESS
Okay, so I have you convinced, a white dress is the perfect engagement session dress. But where do you find it? That can be really overwhelming. But I have some really great options for you.
Online Stores
You can order a bunch of dresses and try them on to find the best one (just remember to check return policies and times). When you find the perfect dress, a lot of my brides use this same dress as their 2nd dress on the wedding day!
Here are a few of my favorite options:
Rentals
Another option is to rent a dress for your engagement pictures. Sometimes this is a really great option to find a dress that may be out of the price range or one that you wouldn’t want to keep, but would be perfect for your pictures.
A couple of great online rental stores would be:
Local Jacksonville and St. Augustine Boutiques for your Engagement Session Dress
But sometimes you just want to shop local! It’s nice to go in and try it out in a store (like the good ol’ days). Here are some great options:
Fig & Willow Boutique in Neptune Beach
Jane Doe Boutique in Jacksonville
Shopaholic Boutique in St. Augustine
NOT JUST “A DRESS”
At the end of the day, your engagement session dress isn’t just “something to wear.” It’s the piece that sets the stage for one of the sweetest seasons of your life. Choosing white makes it timeless, meaningful, and oh-so-beautiful in photos, but more than anything, it should feel like you. When you slip into the right dress, you’ll carry yourself with confidence, joy, and excitement, and that’s exactly what will shine through in every single picture.
So take a deep breath, have fun with the process, and remember that these photos are the beginning of your forever. And when you look back years from now, you’ll see more than just a gorgeous dress. You’ll see the start of your story together, captured in a way that will never go out of style.
I would love to be a part of your story of forever! Click the link below to go to the website and learn all about our Mollie Jane wedding Experience. Our 5 Wedding Guides will help you with choosing your engagement session, outifts, location, style and SO. MUCH. MORE!
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