8 Tips for Your Military Homecoming

In a world where distance and duty can sometimes stretch the heart’s endurance, there exists a singular day that embodies the essence of unbridled happiness – the cherished military homecoming day. With anticipation hanging in the air, these moments of long-awaited reunion overflow with boundless excitement and an overwhelming surge of joy. 

You’re almost across the finish line, you’ve hung the homecoming sign, selected the perfect outfit and maybe hired a professional photographer or enlisted a friend to come capture your big day. I know because I have not only been there myself as a Navy wife, but also as a homecoming photographer where I have gotten to share in countless joyful homecoming reunions from coast to coast. If this is your first homecoming or your fifth, I am here to share my tips, tricks and advice for the picture-perfect homecoming day.

1. Plan Your Attire

When it comes to the big day I tell my clients to pick clothes they feel most comfortable and confident in! With that in mind, I have a few musts to consider!

You will likely be outside in the elements for quite some time waiting for your servicemember to arrive so ask yourself is my outfit sweat proof? Will it keep me warm if it’s cold out? If it rains will the material be see-through? I also encourage women to think about hem lines. If you lift your arms up in the air to hug your loved one or if there’s a good gust of wind (oftentimes at a pier or even on a flightline it can be rather breezy) are you going to have a complete wardrobe malfunction? Trust me when I tell you I have been there, done that and seen a whole lot of unintentional skin at a homecoming 🙂 

Shoes are another thing to consider. You will be on your feet for a long time and when the big moment comes you’ll likely want to run for a joyful reunion so I would reconsider those spiked stilettos if they are not something you are used to. 

And because I am always asked this question- red, white and blue are the most popular colors for homecoming attire.

2. Think sensible on attire for the kids

 If you have small children I suggest waiting till the last minute, if possible, to get them dressed. It just avoids things like spit up stains or any dirt they get themselves into while you wait. If that’s not possible consider darker colored or patterned clothing that will hide small marks.

3. Arrive early

Bases are busy places with tons of business being conducted every day. Parking can be hard to come and very far away from places like a pier, not to mention with an influx of visitors on a homecoming day you can experience long lines at base gates. I always suggest arriving early, so you have plenty of time to get on base, find parking and arrive at your final destination.

4. Bring simple props

Bring either a sign or a little flag to add a little flair and personality to your photos! My personal favorite is a small flag. These can be purchased on Amazon and are a staple in my camera bag for clients.

5. Stay hydrated and fed

Homecoming day is usually a long day and having food and drinks on hand keeps everyone happy, especially the kids. Think about things that are clean and avoid food and drinks like red Gatorade, red Doritos, Cheetos etc. No one wants their kids covered in Cheeto dust or little red fingerprints all over your outfit!

6. If you have kids, bring activities

It can be a long day waiting on your loved one to arrive so if you have kiddos, think about what is going to help keep them entertained!

7. Take off your sunglasses

This is a hill I am willing to die on! So many homecomings happen outdoors and inevitably sun does become a factor. When it comes time for your joyful reunion, I would encourage you to ditch the sunglasses! This goes for your service member as well. If you’re having pictures taken you want your photographer to be able to capture all the emotion of the day and in my opinion, sunglasses can detract from that. After all, the age old saying says, “Eyes are the window to the soul”.

8. Work with an experienced homecoming photographer

When selecting a homecoming photographer, consider working with one that is either a military spouse or has been to a military homecoming before. If you are hiring someone that has never attended a homecoming make sure they know what to expect. Explain to them that there can be delays and a lot of last-minute scheduling changes. You want to make sure their schedule is flexible enough to accommodate the fluidity of a military homecoming.