Our love at Joy Photo and Video for all-things-country, including delightful country couples, runs deep.
While you don’t have to plan each and every pose in advance, it helps to have some ideas in mind before you get to your engagement session. The right photographer will help you both feel comfortable, but this is likely going to be the first time that you’d both been in front of the camera—in a setting where it’s all about you. So if you consider yourselves a country couple, then this article is for you. Get inspired with these pose ideas for your country engagement photos.
Cowboy Hat Poses for Your Country Engagement Session
You can’t have a country engagement session without the prime accessory: a cowboy hat! The reason why a cowboy hat makes a great engagement session accessory is because there’s so much while you can do with it.
Here are ten ways to pose for country engagement photos using a cowboy hat as a prop. (In these examples, we assume that the guy is wearing the hat but we know that this can vary.)
Have the female hold the hat with her left hand stretched out in front of the camera. Try one where the hat is in front of your faces, and one where it’s not. This is a playful pose and a great way to show off that sparkly ring!
Have the female put her arms around the back of his neck with her hands clasped, while he’s wearing the hat.
Have him ‘tip’ his hat towards her—like the gentlemen he is. This is a cute one to capture from both angles.
Have her hug him from behind while holding the hat.
Use it to cover your faces during a kissing pose. To make it more romantic, go in for a dip and have the female point her toes straight up! This is one of the best pose ideas for your country engagement photos so make sure that it’s on your shot list.
Use it to cover one of your faces, while the other looks at the camera.
Have the female grab the hat and begin to wear it. This one will likely naturally bring out some laughter which can help make for some priceless photos.
Hold the hat in one of your hands.
Lay out on the grass with the hat sitting on the corner of a picnic blanket.
Sit the engagement ring in the hat for a closeup. The contrast between the dainty and rustic can be very pretty.
Tip: While we LOVE having hats in the photo session, make sure to get some without the hat! While a cowboy hat, baseball cap, fedora, (or hat of any kind) can help add to the visual interest, they can block your face from being fully visible. And depending on the lighting, a hat can cast a shadow. Having some photos without the hat in frame will help add to the diversity of images and give you more options.
Classic Country Chic Poses for Country Engagement Photos
Depending on your surroundings and the outfits that you both choose to wear, there are plenty of poses for your country engagement session where hats are optional!
Sit next to each other and show the soles of your boots towards the camera. (This makes for a great country save the date if you write your wedding date on the bottom of your boots!)
Set the engagement ring in a simple setting like on a bail of hay, in the middle of a field of bluebonnets or springtime flowers, or on a cactus.
Say cheers with your favorite beer (just make sure the engagement ring is pointing towards the camera!)
If you’re on a farm as your engagement session setting, have some animals make a guest appearance. (Just keep a safe distance unless you know what you’re doing!) Pose with a horse, bull, or other animal in the background to help amp up the farm-feel.
Lean up against a truck, tractor, or other piece of farm equipment.
Have her put her hand in the back pocket of his jeans, with the ring taking center stage. This is one of our favorite pose ideas for your country engagement session because nothing screams country like a pair of Wranglers…
Stand on opposite sides of a paddock fence and have her stand up on it. She can lean over and give him a kiss.
Get some height by climbing up into a tree or sitting on a tire swing. This has an innocence to it and will be a pose that you can look back on fondly when you’re older.
Cuddle up on the porch in a rocking chair, in a hammock, or on a bench. Pops of colors can be added to the frame with throw pillows or a large pitcher of lemonade.
Have a sign with a saying like “Getting hitched” with a horseshoe and your wedding date, “The hunt is over,” or “I pick you” next to a bushel of apples. Try holding it for some photos, and then sit it next to your cowboy boots for a close up.
We hope you got inspired with these pose ideas for your country engagement photos. Yee-haw!…sorry, we couldn't help ourselves. For more ideas, check out Pinterest.
What to Wear for Your Country Engagement Photo Session
Now that you’re inspired with a few ways to pose, start to think through what you will wear! Here are five outfit ideas for what you can wear for your session:
Cowboy hats for one or both of you. (Obviously…) Try playing around with different color options, but a neutral color like black, brown or white will work best.
Denim—in the form of jeans or a denim jacket. You can get a custom jacket with your future name or wedding date for the ladies, or embroidery in the cuffs for the guys. This will make it that much more special, and feel more elevated than just another jacket. Every time you wear it, you’ll remember this special day.
Cowboy boots for one or both of you. And if you want them to be visible on the ladies then consider a white, cream, or navy knee-length dress. These colors look great with denim! You could complement his belt buckle color, too.
A print in the form of flannel or a Navajo design on one of you, and a contrasting color for the other. While both of you in print could be cute, it might be a little busy depending on the colors you select.
A bolo tie or vest for the guy if you want to be more formal.
Now that you’re ready to go, if you’re in need of a photographer who can help capture your country-licious love story then make sure to get in touch with us!
We’d love to see how we can help bring more joy to your engagement season as you prepare for the big day. And right now, we’re offering a free engagement session when you purchase a wedding package with us in Texas! (Details here.)
[Photoshoot in the spotlight: Stephanie + Matthew in Miami, Christina + Troy in San Antonio, and Norma + Carlos in Houston, Texas.
Choose Joy,
The Joy Team