Booked Client Guide ↗ Part Two of Eight
Time to Get Gussied Up.
Your photos will be with you for the rest of your life. What you wear in them matters more than most people realize, and this guide covers everything from your engagement session to your wedding party.
There’s no dress code here. Some of our favorite sessions have been couples in jeans and boots. Some have been full bridal fashion. The couples who look best in their photos aren’t the ones who followed a set of rules. They’re the ones who wore something that actually felt like them and moved like they meant it. This guide will help you get there.
The Three Basics
Before we get into specifics, three principles that guide everything else.
Be Comfortable
Wear what feels like you. If you’re not comfortable, the camera will know. Skip anything too tight, too stiff, or brand new that you haven’t broken in. And don’t underestimate shoes. If you can’t walk in them, you can’t relax, and the best spots to shoot are rarely flat ground.
Be Coordinated
You don’t need to match. You need to complement. Think shared color palette, not identical outfits. If one of you goes bold, the other pulls it back. The goal is looking like you belong together, not like you called ahead to confirm colors.
Be Crisp
Keep it clean and distraction-free. No neons, no big logos. Let your faces be the focal point. When the palette stays simple, the photos stay timeless.
Color in 2026
The palette conversation has shifted. The ultra-maximalist, bright-everything editorial look is giving way to something warmer and more grounded, and honestly, it photographs better.
The tones showing up everywhere right now are warm and earthy: rust, wine, soft gold, dusty rose, deep olive, cognac. Rich without being loud. Jewel tones like deep emerald and burgundy still work beautifully, especially in fall. What’s stepping back are the highly saturated, Instagram-filter brights that can read as dated within a couple of years.
That said, rules are made to be broken thoughtfully. If your whole life is color and pattern, lean into it. The worst thing you can do is wear something “safe” that doesn’t feel like you at all.
The practical guideline: one or two intentional pops of color, anchored by neutrals. Start with a piece you already love and feel amazing in. That’s your first color. Build everything else from there.
Your surroundings are part of your palette too. Spring blooms love soft, romantic tones. Summer golden hour pairs beautifully with warm neutrals and earth tones. Fall is made for rich, cozy colors. Winter’s clean backdrop lets warm accent pieces really pop. When in doubt, neutrals work in any season, any setting.
Pattern & Texture
Texture is your outfit’s secret weapon, more so than pattern. A knit sweater, a lace detail, a flannel layer, a flowy fabric that catches the wind. These give your photos depth and dimension that flat, solid colors alone can’t deliver.
If you want to bring in pattern, keep the bold print to one of you. One pop is all you need. The other person anchors it.
The most important texture note for right now: movement. Loose and flowy fabrics, dresses, skirts, open shirts, are everywhere for a reason. They feel natural, they move beautifully in the environment, and they make photos feel alive in a way that structured or stiff clothing simply can’t. If you’re on the fence between two options, go with the one that moves.
What to Avoid
A few things that consistently cause problems on camera, no matter how good they look in the mirror.
Neon and very saturated colors draw the eye away from your faces and can cast color onto your skin in certain light.
Brand logos turn a timeless photo into a dated one faster than anything else.
Too many shiny or metallic fabrics create distracting reflections, especially in bright outdoor light.
Thin bracelets have a habit of photographing as hairbands. Skip them or go chunkier.
The Understated Look Is Valid
This one’s worth saying directly. There’s a whole generation of couples right now who feel like their casual, low-key aesthetic doesn’t belong in professional photos. It absolutely does.
A great linen shirt and well-fitting pants. A sundress and sneakers. A simple slip dress. These work. They’re timeless in a way that heavy editorial styling often isn’t, and they let the relationship, not the clothes, be the thing people remember when they look at the photos years from now.
Don’t let anyone, including a mood board, convince you that you need to be something you’re not.
Accessories
You don’t need a lot. Just pieces that feel like yours. A layered necklace, a favorite hat, chunky earrings, a shawl over bare shoulders. The trend right now leans toward one statement piece rather than a stack of delicate ones, and that actually works better on camera too.
One or two well-chosen accessories that feel personal is the sweet spot. More than that and they start competing with each other.
Hair & Makeup
Do your hair and makeup however you feel your best. There’s no prescription here. If you wear makeup, don’t be afraid to go a touch more intentional than your everyday look. The camera loves a little extra definition, especially around the eyes.
If you want professional help for your wedding day, these are the two studios we trust completely.
Be Inspired Salon
Award-winning bridal hair and makeup. I’ve worked alongside them at a lot of weddings and they’re the kind of team that keeps the morning calm and on schedule. That matters more than people realize when the day is just getting started.
Arch Apothecary
Multiple locations, exclusive cosmetic lines, and a team of licensed aestheticians who know exactly what elevated looks good and still feels like you. If you want a beauty experience that feels considered without being precious about it, Arch is a strong call.
Your Wedding Party
The same principles apply across your whole wedding party. Coordinated, not matchy-matchy. Give your people a color palette and a general vibe, then let them work within it. Mismatched bridesmaid dresses in the same color family almost always photograph better than identical gowns. Same with groomswear. Same suit, different ties, or same tie, different suits. A little variation adds life to the group photos.
One practical note: brief your wedding party on the “no logos, no neons” guideline. Someone always shows up to the rehearsal in a screen-printed t-shirt.
If you’re thinking about a reception outfit change, it’s a real trend right now and we love it. A second look adds energy to the evening and gives your gallery real variety. Worth considering if it feels like you.
Need More Inspiration?
We put together a full style guide with seasonal palette examples, specific outfit breakdowns, and a look at what works and why. Give it a look before your engagement session.
The Client Closet
If you need something to wear and don’t want to hunt for it, we have you covered. Our studio wardrobe collection, the Client Closet, has curated pieces available to borrow for your session at no extra cost. Dresses, layers, accessories. All chosen because they photograph beautifully. Ask us what’s available when you’re booking your session.
What Comes Next
Here’s what’s coming up in the guides ahead:
- Guide 3: Your timeline. How we build it together, and what makes a wedding day actually flow.
- Guide 4: The details. All the things that photograph beautifully and how to plan for them.
- Guide 5: The information download. Everything we’ll need from you before the big day.
- Guide 6: The final countdown. A walkthrough of your wedding day from our lens.
- Guide 7: Rain or shine. What happens if the weather doesn’t cooperate.
- Guide 8: After the wedding. Your gallery, your prints, and everything that comes next.
In the meantime, if anything comes up, don’t wait for the next guide.