Engagement photos are often the first occasion you’ll dress for together after deciding to get married. They can also be one of the least formal. There’s no need to anticipate the ceremony look or save every photograph for a version of yourselves in eveningwear. A favorite pair of trousers, a beautiful knit, or a dress you can move in can feel just as considered.

Begin with the setting. A walk through the city might suggest tailoring, a simple dress, or separates with a defined shape. A garden lends itself to softer volume and texture. By the water, consider how the fabric will move in the wind and where the hem will fall when you take off your shoes. The location gives you something useful to dress for.

Then consider proportion. With a fuller skirt, a closer fit through the bodice can give the outfit definition. Wide trousers might need a top that finishes at the waist, a deliberate tuck, or a jacket with enough structure to hold its shape. If the neckline is the detail you love, leave it visible. Accessories can be quite minimal when the clothes already have a point of view.

Talk through the outfits with your partner, particularly how dressed up you each want to be. Similar levels of formality tend to sit comfortably together; matching colors aren’t necessary. Look at both outfits side by side, including the shoes and any outerwear that will appear in the photographs.

A second outfit can give you a different mood if the schedule allows. One could be tailored and the other softer, or one dressed up and one closer to what you wear every day. But one well-chosen outfit is enough. Give yourselves time to settle into the photographs.