As TheKnot.com not so kindly reminded me the other day, my wedding is four months away, and you know what that means?
Well, besides crafting, planning, and dreaming of our wonderful honeymoon, it means engagement photos!
We found our photographer on Kijiji, and her prices were as great as her photos. She insisted on an engagement shoot to get to know us better, though we weren’t originally planning on booking one. Since we are getting married in our home town, that is where the shoot will be, and the only time we’ll be there for longer than a night for the next few months is on Easter.
My mom and stepdad live in this quaint little area near where I grew up, so that’s where our engagement shoot will be. The scenery includes a fairly large waterfall, some beautiful old barns, a heritage manor made of stone, a field, and a lake.
It’s very country but with a twist of forest. I think that might be important.
My fiance will likely be wearing jeans and a plain white tee, or maybe some khakis. Our photographer told us to wear something that we feel comfortable and confident in, so for me, that means a dress.
I went through a few of my favorite cheapie dress sites (Maurices, ModCloth) and picked out a handful of dresses that met my criteria:
1) Neutral colour, no patterns. I want to be able to look at my engagement photos in 20 years and not have a trend from 2014 in the pictures.
2) Knee-length or a touch shorter. I am 5’2″, so anything longer cuts me off in a weird place and makes me look like an Oompa Loompa.
3) Not strapless. It’s spring, after all, and I’m not going to the beach.
4) Cinched at the waist. I have an hour glass figure, but still have a few pounds to lose, so this is the best cut on me.
Here are some dresses that meet the criteria, without being too trendy:
1, 2 & 3: Modcloth
4 & 5: Maurices
I like the white and ivory coloured dresses, but my wedding dress is ivory so maybe I should mix it up a bit. The black, navy, and blue and white dresses can all be paired with a blazer or cardigan and some jewelry and worn to work, so I will have the opportunity to wear it more than once.
They are all likely made of some polyester blend, of which I am not a fan (for all of the reasons Bridget mentions here), but I don’t anticipate adding whatever dress it is that I choose into my regular rotation, and these will work just fine for the shoot.
So, readers, I need your opinion:
Which dress should I choose for the engagement photos?
I quite like 3. 1 is also cute 🙂
I originally planned on having an engagement shoot for the same reasons, but between wedding + trip planning it just didn’t happen.
What a great location though!
Advice from a photographer: Don’t wear white, especially if your fiance is going to wear white as well (although I’d recommend he not wear white either). The problem with white, especially in a foresty/green/country setting is that it tends to “glow” in photos and be very difficult to balance.
If your fiance is a t-shirt kinda guy, then any solid tee with a hint of color (pale blue, or even grey) would work. And then for you, go with dress #2 or #3. I wouldn’t shy away from patterns either, as long as it’s not stripes or totally busy.
These are all great choices but #3 is my favourite! #1 & #4 would also be cute, I kind of like the idea of going with a white dress for engagement photos (especially if your fiancé is wearing a white shirt).
#3 wins for me. It’s pretty classic and timeless and it looks sophisticated.
#2 would be my second choice.
I echo all that the pp (pro photographer) said. I have been told that same info any time I have needed to have photos taken.
Chalk up another vote for 3. I like the shape and think it’s the prettiest.
I like #2. It’s cute and stylish. #3 is second pick. Have fun at your photo shoot.
#3. Timeless and classic. I purchased something very similar in the early ’90s and wore it for years with and without the belt. I would still be wearing it had I not lost 40 pounds!!
A guy’s opinion: #3 caught my eye first. If my wife had given me this choice, that’s what I would have selected. Then again, what do I know about women’s fashion? (the answer is “not much”)
Number 3 is the one that stood out to me the most, it’s really nice.
I’d go with number 3. I don’t think you will like number 2 in twenty years…!
#3 was my immediate favorite but I also really like #4….honestly they’re all really nice! I’m also short (5’0) and can tell you based on all the dresses you showed and considering you’re buying online I think #3 is the safest bet for our (what I am assuming) similar body types. Pretty much guaranteed to look great on you and if you wanted a pop of color add a pretty necklace or sweater.
I love #’s 4 and 5, but I think the consensus is #3 🙂
I like #3! Then #5…. Have fun!!!
Congratulations! This must be a thrilling time for you. I wish you all the best. Dress #3 appeals to me so much because I can imagine it against the background of the engagement photo shoot. It would really look lovely on its own and definitely on you!
I really like #4. I like the idea of wearing a white/ivory dress for the engagement photos. When I was getting married I wore white/ivory to every event; bridal shower, bachelorette, day before, week after celebrating as a newlywed etc… All these dresses are beautiful though so you can’t go wrong. Congrats 🙂
I’m all for #3. Then #5. I wore my best jeans with a black shell and a pink knit sweater. Fit my fiancé’s style better as well that we were both in nice jeans.
That picture of the stairs is amazing. It reminds me of a lake I used to visit as a child. And I like dress #1. My wife wore something similar to it, so I might be biased (although we got married in October in Maine, so not the not practical choice).
I vote for #3! 🙂
I love #2 & #3. Dark blue/navy is my favorite color so I may be a bit biased 🙂
I’m sure you’ll look great in whichever dress you choose!
Count me in for dress Number 3, it’s very sophisticated and elegant. I really love engagement photos, you can see the couple how deeply in love with each other. I’m looking forward to your wedding Daisy!