Wondering what you should wear as a photographer to a wedding or elopement?
You may have searched this on Google and you’ll just see information about “business casual outfits” or “wearing only black”. This doesn’t usually give you a lot of guidance and I actually think it’s a bit old school. In today’s episode of All Angles Photography Podcast, I’m going to give you my go-to outfits, the shoes I’d recommend to avoid hurting feet, colors to wear, and more.
I want to preface the episode by saying that I’m not an adventure elopement photographer, but if you photograph city elopements, laid-back elopements, and/or weddings, this episode is for you!
Keep reading the show notes or listen to the episode on your favorite streaming platform.
spotify | apple podcast | stitcher
Before we dive into different outfits, I wanted to share a recent episode in case it would be of help to you. Episode 17 is all about the not-so-typical gear I use on a wedding or elopement day, and it contains a lot of items that aren’t talked about much (or ever).
Outfits to Wear As A Photographer
First, let’s talk colors and general outfit considerations.
Wearing only black is old school, but let’s be honest – many times I will wear black so my fanny pack blends in with my outfit or so I can hide sweat easier if it’s a summer wedding. The biggest thing to consider whenever it comes to colors and your outfit, in general, is fitting in with the dress code of the wedding.
If it’s a black tie wedding, you may want to wear a blazer suit set to dress up your outfit a bit. If it’s a casual summer wedding, then a cute summer dress would be perfect! You just don’t want to stand out or draw attention to yourself.
If you’re unsure of what to wear, I recommend chatting through it with the couple or wedding planner. If you do end up needing a fancier outfit that isn’t typically something you’ll reach for often in your closet, renting from Nuuly, By Rotation, or Rent the Runway can be fantastic places to choose an outfit from.
When it comes to colors, more than anything, just avoid white or cream since that’s reserved for the bride.
Shoes to wear as a wedding photographer.
I think this is the bane of our existence as wedding and elopement photographers. We’re on our feet a very long time, so finding a pair that don’t hurt your feet, your knees, your back, etc. is a tough feat. I’m here to share with you the 3 shoes that have worked best for me in all of my years of wedding and elopement photography.
First, I love Doc Martens. I will wear my Chelsea style boots or sandals. I feel like these can usually go well with any outfit. I know there’s a bit of a stigma around wearing boots to a wedding day, but in my personal opinion – it allows me to serve my couples so much better when my feet aren’t terribly hurting and boots allow me to do that, especially for more adventurous terrain.
Depending on where you live or if you’re a luxury photographer, that’s when I’d recommend wearing loafers. That will be my first shoe of choice for a nicer wedding.
The sandals will sometimes go better with a specific outfit, and I’ll usually wear them for one part of the day and then change into my white sneakers for the reception. The white sneakers I enjoy most are my Puma white sneakers. You can find all of my shoe options in my Amazon storefront!
Outfit Ideas for female wedding photographers.
My all-time favorite outfit is wearing a jumpsuit, dressy overalls, or a blazer suit set. They’re all comfortable options, they move with me, they’re not too tight to my body, they’re professional, and they still feel like my style. I’ll wear a body suit or turtle neck long sleeve under dressy overalls. For jumpsuits, you can just put it on and you’re good to go!
Maxi dresses are a great option too! Let’s be honest, wearing a dress is a bit easier to go to the bathroom in vs. a jumpsuit when you have all of your gear on you. I wouldn’t recommend anything shorter than a shin-length maxi dress with all of the bending and contorting we do throughout the day. One hack I have for you is to wear biker shorts under your dress to make sure you’re not exposing yourself!
A bodysuit with plain black dress pants is a great casual option too that looks sleek and professional. I have a lot of neutral body suits to alternate and usually, I will pair them with an optional layer, which brings me to my last recommendation.
Bring layers to the wedding day! I will bring a blazer, cardigan, or shacket with me in case I get cold or need a little more coverage at any part of the day.
Resources Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Amazon Storefront for Outfit Inspiration
Outfit Inspiration for Wedding Photographers
