Beautiful Winter Engagement Photo Ideas To Try in 2023

Wintery weather creates magical backdrops for photoshoots in the snow, so why not take advantage of this natural wonderland and plan your engagement photos in the winter?  

The winter months offer many engagement photo ideas, including festive, seasonal, and holiday-inspired, perfect for couples adding special touches and plenty of romance as you hold one another in the chilly weather. 

However, planning a winter engagement shoot in the winter has its own challenges. 

Please continue reading to learn more about the expert tips and tricks I have learned over the years of helping couples with their winter engagement photos during this beautiful time of the year.

What Are Some Original Winter Engagement Photo Ideas?

Shooting winter engagement photos can offer some fun, unique, and romantic ideas helping you capture magical moments between the two of you. 

Everything from poses to settings and outfits to activities can help create fantastic winter engagement photos. 

Here are some of the best original winter engagement photo ideas to consider for your upcoming winter engagement session: 

Snow Angels

Show that you’re a playful couple by lying in the snow and making snow angels. 

Capture romantic glances as the two of you look at each other and share in the fun and laughter. 

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Snowball Fight

Though the word fight might not seem romantic, imagine the moments you can capture when the two of you are playing in the snow and having a snowball fight. 

Fun photo ideas include kissing and making up after being hit with a snowball or hugging as the two of you are covered in snow. 

A snowball fight is a fun way to lighten the mood and bring many smiles to your winter engagement shoot. 

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Keeping Each Other Warm

The winter season brings about cold weather, which provides many opportunities and excuses to hold one another tight. 

Hold onto one another to help keep each other warm as the photographer snaps all the cozy moments between you. 

Warm Blankets

In addition to dressing for cold weather, bring a large blanket you can wrap around the two of you for cozy shots of you cuddling. 

Ice Skating

Ice skating can be a romantic activity couples enjoy and is perfect for winter engagement photos. 

Go ice skating and shoot winter engagement photos of you holding hands and skating arm in arm. 

The best winter engagement photos may also include helping each other tie up your skates or standing arm-in-arm in the center of the rink as others skate around you. 

If ice skating is not something you enjoy, choose a setting and poses based on your favorite winter sport.

Fireplace Setting

Winter weather means additional time indoors, cuddling in front of the fireplace to stay warm. 

Put on cozy slippers, grab a soft blanket, and pose for your winter engagement photos in front of the roaring fireplace. 

Walking in the Snowfall

Find a romantic trail where you can capture the best winter engagement photos while walking along a snowy path, with fresh snow and into a winter wonderland.

During your photo session, take time for shots of you kissing, holding hands, laughing, and playing in the snow. 

Make it Sentimental

If you have a sentimental location with picturesque views that are more magical in the winter, plan to have your photo session at that location. 

Whether it be where you had your first date, met, or your favorite place to visit, if it is sentimental to you, it will be perfect for your engagement photos. 

Holiday Decor

Take advantage of your community’s beautiful decorations and holiday decor, including brightly lit Christmas trees, beautiful winter scenes, glittering lights, and more. 

A festive winter engagement photo post is to use a giant wreath as a beautiful centerpiece of a couple’s engagement photos. 

Another idea for a winter engagement photo during the holiday season is to use a string of Christmas lights to hold between the couple or wrap the lights around the couple, holding them together. 

Winter engagement sessions at a local Christmas tree farm can result in beautiful pictures where you are surrounded by lots of greenery.

Add Pops of Color

Shooting a winter engagement photo in the white snow often result in all-white or dominantly white photographs. 

The risk of all-white engagement photos can easily be combated by adding a pop of color to your outfit or as an accessory. 

For example, add a bright red umbrella or giant ornament as a prop during your engagement photo session. 

You could also wear brightly colored sweaters to separate yourself from the bright white background. 

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Draw a Heart in the Snow

When it is snowing or has recently snowed, the winter wonderland is the perfect setting to draw a heart in the snow and take a winter engagement photo of the couple standing in it from above.

Try different poses to see which works best, such as kissing, holding, or writing each other’s names in the snow. 

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What Are Some Examples of Winter Engagement Photos Without Snow?

Sometimes Mother Nature is not cooperative, and when you want to take a winter engagement photo, you may discover it is not going to snow, and there is no snow left on the ground, eliminating your idea of taking a few shots in a winter wonderland.

With creativity and working with your photographer, you can create some fun winter engagement photos without snow.

Here are some tips to help you schedule a winter engagement photo session without snow:

Snow Filled Backdrop

Sometimes it might not be snowing where you are, but off in the distance, you may have beautiful snow-covered mountain scenery. 

Find a beautiful park, somewhere quiet, or your favorite winter spot where you can take romantic winter engagement photos with a snow-covered backdrop for a touch of snow without having to walk through it. 

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Bubbles

It might not be snowing, but you can fill the air with lots of bubbles to create a fun look during your winter engagement shoot. 

Use a bubble machine to fill the air, using hand-held bubble blowers or old-fashioned bubble wands for a unique winter engagement shoot full of floating bubbles. 

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Frozen Lake

Though it might not be snowing, you may have freezing temperatures low enough to create a frozen lake or pond in your community, which can be the perfect location to shoot a winter engagement photo without snow. 

Find the lake and walk by it; if it is frozen solid, step out onto the ice to embrace one another and capture fun moments of your love. 

Pose Inside

It is cold outside during the winter, and when there is no snow, it might be best to take the camera inside and shoot some engagement photos in the warmth. 

When inside, you can always sit by the fireplace, but if you have a large window, use the natural light coming in through it and the unique shadows it can cast to take cozy engagement photos indoors. 

If you love cooking, head to the kitchen for your photo session, where you can take photos cooking or baking. Don’t forget to get playful in the kitchen and feed each other, toss some flour around, or have a food fight. 

Twinkling Lights

Embrace the holiday season and find a location decorated with twinkling lights, such as your town square, a gazebo, or a quaint cafe. 

The lights will glow in the engagement photo and provide the perfect backdrop for your save-the-dates. 

• What are some indoor Christmas photo ideas?

Balloons

It might not be snowing, but you can add colorful balloons as accessories for your winter engagement shoot. 

Use the balloons as a prop, posing with them in various positions, including them as the centerpiece for the couple’s pose. 

Show Off the Engagement Ring

If you need help with what to do for your engagement pictures, focus on showing off the engagement ring. 

Plan various poses where the ring is held out front and center as if you are showing the world you are engaged. 

Since it is cold outside, grab some hot cocoa and hold the cups together with the engagement ring shining brightly when the photographer snaps the engagement photos. 

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Toss It Up

Since there’s no snow, make your faux snowfall look by tossing rose petals or confetti up for a playful winter engagement session.

Or, have someone standing above the couple to drop the rose petals or confetti down onto the couple as they pose, embrace, or kiss. 

What should you wear to a winter engagement photoshoot? (Winter Engagement Photo Outfits Ideas)

When planning your winter engagement photo outfits, remember it is cold outside, so it is best to dress for the weather. 

Everything from nice sweaters to coats, boots, and gloves work well when worn for a winter-themed engagement session. Winter engagement photo outfits may include the following: 

• Festive sweaters
• Knit caps
• Hats
• Nice overcoats
• Tall boots
• Fashionable gloves
• Scarves
• Faux fur coat or shawl
• Chunky wool sweater and jeans
• Long-sleeved sweater dress
• Cardigans
• Blazers with jeans
• Wool suit coats
• Long-sleeved polo-style shirts

The most important thing is to find a cold-weather outfit that brings out your confidence and makes you feel comfortable. 

Additionally, it is best to coordinate outfits so you look good standing next to each other and also complement the backdrop, which may be snow-covered.

What are the best colors to wear for winter engagement photos?

When choosing what to wear for winter engagement sessions, you want to wear something comfortable, including a color that makes your skin glow and brightens your eyes.

During the winter, backgrounds can be all-white, muted browns, or filled with holiday decorations, which is why it is best to wear colors that look best against any winter backdrop or scenery.

Some of the best colors to wear for a winter engagement photo may include reds, greens, blues, and purples. Burgundy is another popular color worn among couples shooting winter engagement photos.

Don’t be afraid to try different outfits and take several shots, because you never know which one will be the best look, creating the perfect pictures capturing the moment of your big day to come.