Plan ahead for photographing your bridal details because they’re more than simply a ring, a dress, a perfume bottle. When the day is over and you’re married to your soulmate, the necklace you wore, the shoes you walked down the aisle in, and the perfume you wore as you held each other close during your first dance will become more than objects.

So many special heirlooms get worn or passed down through generations on wedding days. By capturing those pieces, you also capture a piece of your family, your history, your identity. And even if you start a new tradition with brand new pieces of your own, one day they’ll become the heirlooms you’ll pass down to your daughter or to your grandchild. They’re mementos of the day you said yes to forever with your soulmate. And they help tell the story of your love and your day. And those special meanings, the memories and emotions that will be indelibly tied to those objects, are the reasons why I carve out time during the wedding planning process to honor your bridal details in beautifully styled photos.

Planning For Photographing Your Bridal Details The Morning Of The Wedding

The truth is, getting ready can often be a bit hectic as you, your parents, and your closest friends all get ready for you to walk down the aisle. So, it’s helpful to have all of your details gathered and ready for photos before you sit down for hair and makeup. This way you don’t have to stop what you’re doing to gather items when the photographer arrives. I ask each of my couples to gather and set aside several pieces so that they’re ready for me when I arrive on the wedding day. Then after saying hello and hugging the bride, I start to style the details right away and make sure there’s enough time to capture them beautifully.

And I even bring along a whole styling kit that includes linen styling boards, vintage trays, ribbons, ring boxes, trinket dishes, vintage stamps, and more. This way I make sure that I can complement the unique style of each of my brides and make their details pop. Having your items ready and waiting to be styled is super helpful and will ease some stress on your wedding day.

Have the following ready for your photographer:

-jewelry (earrings, bracelet, necklace, rings)

-shoes

-dress

-perfume bottle

-hair piece or veil

-one complete invitation suite (or two if you have calligraphy or an envelope liner)

-family heirlooms

-purse

-note from soulmate

-vow books

-bouquet and boutonnieres

-loose flowers and greens

A few final tips to keep in mind for photographing your bridal details:

For loose florals you can speak to your florist about including a few extra stems and greens when they deliver your bouquet. You only need one or two pieces and florists are often happy to do this if you ask.
Fully prep your dress by pulling it out of the garment bag, taking all visible paper and stuffing out, and transferring the dress to a wooden hanger.
If your invitation includes a calligraphed envelopes as well as a wax seal or envelope liner, include two so that both sides can be shown off in photographs. The same applies for any double-sided paper elements!

photographing your bridal details like shoes