Picking an outfit is hard. No girl ever says she has enough clothes, though we all know her closet’s already bursting with last month’s buys. As for the guy, picking an outfit is even harder, because your closet, on the contrary, is pretty much empty. Maybe an exception for the basics – shirt, shorts, tees, he’s pretty much left with nothing to pair you the bride to be with anything. Probably not as vibrant as your partner’s, but hey, it’s your wedding photoshoot! Everyone wants to make an impression, but how?
Top 6 Ideas to dress you and your partner up for your pre-wedding shoot
Colours
Choosing the right colours speaks volumes about your relationship. Pick the wrong shades and bring out the most awkward sides between you and your partner, where your outfits are both screaming attention, or too dull to catch any attention. We certainly do not want that.
A simple tip: Use a colour palette! https://color.adobe.com/create
Select the complementary colours to filter out your options, and you’re good to go! Play with the choice of colour combinations the palette offers you, and you may just find the right colour combination your partner wouldn’t mind wearing.
Bright Happy tones
Dark Tones
- Smart casual
Most people prefer a smart usual look, especially in the humid and sweat-inducing Singaporean heat. However, that does not mean that they are all the same. “Smart casual” can mean very different ideas for every couple. For some, a simple white and denim look would suffice. For other couples, loud colours like striking red and black is a better deal – a black shirt for the guy, and a bold red dress the same colour as the shade of her lipstick to bring out the more edgy side between the two.
Or if you happen to have a funny bone, dress like a hawaiian. Deck out in one of those popular floral tees or a soft toned shirt if you don’t have one, and a pretty floral dress for the Mrs-to-be, and you’re ready to rock the Hawaiian look. Have her wear a floral crown to spice up the outfit!
- Formal, but not really
Going for the more formal side of things, but don’t want to wear a gown with a 5m train that would only be ruined in the muddy padang? Problem solved, just wear a short dress! Pick one with more details to bring out the formal, like lace. A lace white dress can hint the prequel of a wedding that is to come, and adds a touch of feminine to the whole outfit, what’s not to love?
Location
The location chosen has much to do with the theme chosen. Places reflect as much personality between a couple as much as photos do. Nature-loving couples may find themselves on lush green terrains, whereas cafe-hopping pairs simply pick their go-to cafes for a shoot while enjoying a cuppa. It all differs, but setting a location is really important before you start picking your outfits, because you’ll want the clothes you wear to stand out. After all, you’ll be the star of the show! Not the place!
Here are some examples of location. From my experience, shooting prewedding outdoor in Singapore can be catogarised into Nature and urban where there’s lots of greenery. We found the location at Botanic Gardens and Reservoirs to give the most variety.
NATURE
Xian & Dave– https://www.justmarriedfilms.com/gallery/pre-wedding-xian-dave/
Hazel Ryen – https://www.justmarriedfilms.com/gallery/pre-wedding-hazel-ryan/
URBAN
Elizabeth & Irvin – https://www.justmarriedfilms.com/gallery/pre-wedding-elizabeth-irvin/
This was an excellent shoot at Chinatown Complex. The yellow flats in the background gives a hint of Singapore but yet not too claustrophobic as with most flats in Singapore.
Hazel & Ryen– https://www.justmarriedfilms.com/gallery/pre-wedding-hazel-ryan/
This was shot in Gilman Barracks. Here’s the space is vast and we had the opportunity to do many wide angle shots to give a very spatial feel to the image.
Stella Beng- https://www.justmarriedfilms.com/gallery/pre-wedding-stella-beng/
We shot this at Dakota Crescent where there are tons of abandoned hdb flats. Using the architecture and surroundings will add a different effect to the photos comparing against nature places. I had the opportunity to play lots with lights and shadows. It’s important to note that it’s imperative to do the photoshoot in the morning where the there’s the golden hour with the magical golden light.
Theme/Concept
A photoshoot is all about themes. Most couples pick out themes that reflect their relationship, or themes that bring out the personality of both Mr and Mrs. Perhaps you met your partner in school while you both taking the same classes, then you could possibly pick a back-to-school theme.
You can try for a quirky theme. Matching outfits and accessories. If you both have whacky personality, this genre of concept would be very enjoyable for photographers like us to shoot.
Or, if you both enjoy the suspenseful thrill of roller coaster rides, then consider a theme park themed photoshoot! It’s always important to have an idea of what your shoot would look like, and a theme helps guide your photographer into capturing the happiest moments of your relationship.
Sometimes, if you enjoy movies or Tv shows and want to emulate scenes. THIS IS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY. You can reenact scenes from your favourite movies.
Scene for Fight Club
Same scene of fight club with a couple
If you’re very adventurous, you can opt for a sensual shoot to honour the bodies that were given to us. The older folks might not understand but this can be especially memorable if you as a couple are on the same page.
And on the other spectrum, if you both are culturally strong. You can choose to go with your traditional cultural outfits.
Matching couple tees!
Yes, maybe a little too cheesy for some, but what’s a photoshoot without something unique right? Couple tees are like neon-flashing sign boards to show the world how in love you really are; it’s like wearing a uniform only the two of you own. Special, exclusive, and never goes wrong, serious.
For just $10, you get to customise your own couple tees and print them at your nearest Decathlon outlet. Visit https://www.decathlon.sg/content/19-personalisation to check out the different options available.
Bonus tip!
If you really die-die cannot decide on an outfit, we recommend that you go with white. One almost never goes wrong with a white, crisp shirt, no matter the background.
Careful not to eat curry though, or that finger-licking sambal chilli from your favourite Nasi Lemak stall round the corner, lest you ruin your shirt! And, the Singaporean weather just screams “Hot! Hot! Hot!”, so if you know you’re bound to leave sweat stains in all the awkward places, slab on some deodorant!
For men, do be careful wearing a white shirt though. Sometimes, white shirts can appear sheer, more so when in contact with water. It’d be good to wear something on the inside, be it a shirt or singlet.
In Conclusion
This has always been a sought out topic for couples. There’s tons of permutations to go through to get the right combination. The pairing of colours, your skin tones, the patterns on your dresses and shirts. Remember not to have clothes that have logos or complicated prints as it’ll be distracting and might take the attention away from both of you. Nonetheless, your photographer should be able to guide you on the selection as well as on your photoshoot. Your expression and emotions you deliver on the day is equally if not more important than your dress clothes. There are many moments that photos can be captured on your facial expressions, hence, have enough rest, prepare your outfits way beforehand and have fun shooting away!