Isn't She Lovely!

2/6/2019

Preparing for your bridal photo shoot.

I absolutely love shooting bridals!!! It's absolutely one of my favorites!
I think it is always a good choice for brides to have bridal photos taken prior to their wedding day. It gives you an opportunity to have a trial run with makeup, hair and how the dress feels on. It's a little experimental time to get the perfect look you are wanting for your special day! On the day of your wedding, there will be time constraints; the bridal portrait session is your chance to also relax and get comfortable with your photographer before the big day. I love witnessing my clients seeing themselves as BRIDES for the very first time! Not to mention you will have gorgeous portraits to display at your wedding reception!

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to bridal portraits. You’ve booked hair + makeup, ordered a bouquet, picked up your dress, and set your photo appointment, that’s amazing! So the best way to avoid having to reschedule due to weather is to book your wedding venue for your bridal portrait session. This gives us a chance to check out the venue and get great shots that will coordinate with your wedding day!

The day of your bridals is a perfect time to slow things down a bit and get all the fine details of not only you as a bride, but of your dress, wedding shoes, and the rings. Here are some great tips to help you plan for your bridal portrait session.

Book your hair + makeup trial. It’s always advisable to have your hair + makeup done for your bridal portraits by the same team who will be doing it on your wedding day, so that you can do a “test run” of your entire bridal look.
Wear comfortable shoes. If you have a special pair of shoes for your wedding day, you can definitely bring them if we’re shooting indoors. But keep in mind that you can also just wear flip flops or boots under your dress! We won’t see your feet in your bridal portraits – and especially if we’re shooting outside, you won’t want to wear your beautiful wedding day shoes and get them dirty.
Bring a jacket or blanket if it’s cold – or, if you want to go the extra mile, bring a fur stole! Bring water and blotting cloths if it’s hot. We can utilize these things in between photos to keep you as comfortable as possible in the case of really cold or really warm weather.
Don’t stress about being outside in your dress. Trust me – I would never ask you to do anything that would intentionally dirty your dress. And even if it does get a little bit of dirt or grass on the bottom, it should be easy enough to remove before the wedding day – and at the end of the day, no one is going to be looking at the bottom hem of your dress with a microscope on your wedding day! It's a good idea to bring a white sheet to stand or sit on for these shots.
Bring your jewelry and veil. If you’re still undecided about what you want to wear on your wedding day, this is a great time to bring all of your options to see what photographs best.
Don't forget the rings!!! This is a perfect opportunity to get those gorgeous close up shots of your rings!
Order a bouquet. Some florists include a complimentary bridal portrait bouquet in their pricing, so check with your wedding florist to see if that’s the case. If not, that’s okay – just make sure to bring a bouquet along so that you have something to complete your bridal look. Plus bridal bouquets add that pop of color and give you something to do with your hands.
Bring your wedding invitation and/or save the date cards or any wedding props or signs you would like to incorporate into your bridal session. I like to take this time to photograph all the little details that go into your wedding. Your wedding day gets crazy busy and I don't want to miss a thing!
Ask your mom or a close friend to come along with you. It’s always nice to have a second pair of eyes for the details and hands to help with your dress – someone who knows you well – plus the moral support is always nice as you see yourself as a BRIDE for the first time!