The first question we get from most engaged couples is–what should we do to get ready for the engagement photo shoot? And then, what should we wear? Great questions, since it’s not always easy to figure out what to be prepared for during the engagement shoot. Here are some tips for taking engagement photos.

Makeup: Definitely, definitely wear makeup. Even if you never wear makeup in real life, you should wear makeup for the engagement photo session. It’s basically a way for you to even out your skin tone and amp up your best features. I highly recommend using, at the very least, foundation, blush (often neglected, but adds the perfect slightly flushed look for pictures), lipstick or some sort of gloss, and a touch of mascara. If you’re not comfortable with putting on makeup, take a trip to the Bobbi Brown Counter where they are great at helping people craft a look. If you’re worried about wearing too much makeup, take a quick snapshot of yourself with your digital camera…9 times out of 10, you’ll find that even though it might look (or feel) like a lot of makeup, it will look perfect for a photograph.

Outfits: Do make sure that the color of the outfit you are wearing does not clash with what he is wearing. Don’t feel the need to match perfectly. Solids are preferable to patterns since usually the world around you will have so many patterns, the solids help you pop out of the picture. If you are wearing a patterned dress/shirt, I highly recommend that he wear solid colors. Don’t be afraid of colors! Frequently people want to wear black because it makes people look skinny, but for the majority of people, this will make your skin look either a touch ghostly or a touch sallow. Finally, heels look great, but usually engagement photos involve quite a bit of walking around, so make sure you bring a pair of comfortable shoes to walk around in.

Accessories: Avoid distracting jewelry–let your engagement ring shine through. Fun earrings or necklaces (although make sure that one of these is the focal point, and the other is a bit less prominent) are great since they are close to your head, but don’t wear watches or bracelets that take away from the sparkle of the ring bling.

Props: Props, even something as simple as a scarf, a balloon, a bright umbrella, can definitely add a great element of fun to engagement pictures.

Think Ahead: Think about what kind of pictures you want, and dress for this. If you want some crazy jump shots and plan on doing cartwheels in a park, you might not want to wear a skirt to the engagement photo shoot. Talk to your engagement photographer about what kind of photos you’re looking for–fun, crazy, urban, romantic, etc., so that you both are on the same page about how the end photographs should look. Send the photographer pics that you’ve seen that reflect what you want in a shoot.

Above all, prepare to have fun!