Capture the Perfect Winter Engagement Photos With These 8 Ideas
Winter is a popular time for taking engagement photos for many different reasons. A snowy backdrop of a photo can be lovely and even though the days are shorter, there are days when the sun shines brightly and the air is crisp and clean.
But there’s one primary reason why winter is such a popular time for engagement photos: it’s because so many couples get engaged over the holidays. Between Thanksgiving and the New Year there are plenty of proposals and these newly engaged couples are eager to get their photos taken and shared on social media and with their friends and family.
If you just got engaged or you’ve been engaged for a while and haven’t yet gotten around to an engagement photoshoot, now is the time. There are endless ways to make a winter engagement photo shoot creative and fun, and it’s the perfect time to capture the love and excitement you’re feeling in photos.
What to Wear for Winter Engagement Photos?
Winter accessories are essential when you are doing an engagement photoshoot during the colder months. Even if you don’t live in an area that gets cold, you can still incorporate traditional winter accessories into your styling. Wear coordinating hats and gloves, scarves, and snow boots to really accent the season.
You can also go in the opposite direction and do something unexpected. If you do live in a wintery environment and the weather cooperates and gives you a fresh blanket of snow, don your formal wear and pose for a glammed up look in a winter wonderland.
The key is to communicate the overall feeling you want your photos to convey with your clothing. If you want a cozy vibe to wear cozy clothes. If you prefer something formal, wear fancier clothes. You have plenty of flexibility, as long as you can tolerate the weather conditions if you aren’t bundled up!
How to Do Your Makeup for Engagement Photos?
How you do your makeup for winter engagement photos should be based on what you’re wearing. If you go the cozy, casual look, simply pump up your everyday makeup look. Add lashes or a red lipstick to your usual makeup style.
If you go the glam route, there are no rules concerning your makeup. Festive and fun sparkle will really play up the juxtaposition between the winter wonderland surroundings and your glam look.
Remember, as far as hair and makeup go, your look could be affected by harsh weather conditions which tend to be somewhat unpredictable during the winter months. Make sure you consider things like wind and snow when choosing both your makeup and hair looks for the photoshoot day.
How to Pose for Your Engagement Photos
There are endless ways to pose for your photos, but the best options will likely be ones that play up the chilly temps and the cozy atmosphere. Make your poses natural, so if the temperatures are low and you love the idea of bundling together to stay warm, make that a photo pose!
Also consider incorporating your surroundings into your photos. Pose on a ski lift, among shimmering snow-covered trees, or while riding snowmobiles through the countryside.
Eight Unique Ideas for Your Winter Engagement Photos
So now that you have plenty of ideas for how to prepare for a great photoshoot, what can you do to make sure you end up with the perfect winter engagement photos?
- Cozy
Everybody wants to cozy up with a loved one when the temperatures take a nosedive. Your photos should reflect this. Whether you’ve chosen a more formal approach or you’re going the route of casual and fun, make sure you behave as you actually would in cold weather. Do you like to bundle up under a warm blanket or snuggle by the fire? Both of these are great options for a photoshoot.
- Bright
It varies from location to location, but if you are taking your photos somewhere that’s cold and crisp, play this up in the photos. Sun glinting off of snow and crystalline icicles bring to mind clear, bright images.
You can use any color palette you choose and should opt for something that compliments you, but traditionally winter colors set the tone of a winter photoshoot as long as they are flattering to you. Consider incorporating bright reds and greens, or opt for white, icy blues, and silvers. The key is to work with colors with bluer undertones to create an icy cold vibe with the pics. If you prefer to bring warmth into the photos, opt for cream colors, hunter greens, golds, and wood tones.
- New Beginnings
January is all about fresh starts and new beginnings. Play this up by incorporating the New Year into your photos. Feature a calendar or countdown, toast with champagne in the photos, or share your resolutions for the upcoming year – the main one of which will be to get married!
- Love
Planning your engagement photoshoot in February? Let’s take a look at what you should expect. There’s no better month for celebrating love than the one that honors St. Valentine. There are plenty of ways you can incorporate Valentine’s Day into your engagement photoshoot, from wearing red and pink to featuring hearts and chocolate or even having Cupid himself join you in the photo. If you have a pet willing to play dress-up you already have a made-to-order Cupid.
Wedding photos last a lifetime so how do you choose the perfect wedding photo package?
- Seek Out the Snow
Depending on where you live, winter is the snowy season so why not take advantage of it and incorporate the snow into your photos. Just make sure you tell your photographer this is your intention. You might need to weather watch to ensure the right timing and the snow will affect the photos, so your photographer will need to plan ahead.
- Throughout the Seasons
Have the two of you been together for some time (at least a full year) before getting engaged? Consider sharing moments from each season on your engagement announcements. Obviously, you’ll only be taking the winter pictures now, but if you can find professional photos from the other three seasons, you can highlight your time together as an unmarried couple. Better yet, start planning before your engagement so you’ll have just the right photos to use when the time comes.
- Get Active
Looking for a way to make your engagement photos adventurous? Participating in winter activities is a great way to really make things interesting. You can take photos ice skating, skiing, or snowshoeing. Think about what activities the two of you like to do together during the colder months and incorporate those into your photos.
Are you less of a snow bunny and more of a chalet homebody? There’s no reason why your photos can’t reflect this!
- Props
Props are an important part of any photoshoot, so think about what items would add interest to winter engagement photos and allow yourself plenty of time to find just what you want for the pics. Do you love the idea of a photo of you and your beloved sipping hot cocoa topped with whipped cream out of cute matching mugs? How about snuggling under fluffy blankets or cozying up by a fireplace? Props can add a great deal to a photo session and really set the mood for your winter weather pics.
Final Thoughts on Getting the Perfect Winter Engagement Photos
As you can see there are a lot of options for winter engagement photos. The key is to pick a style that matches your personality. You don’t want to look back at your photos five years from now and wonder why you looked so odd. Styles will change over the years but if you can capture your personalities your pictures will remain priceless. Now the next question is: “where do you even start your search for the perfect wedding photographer?”
