You’ve spent months planning, choosing, and preparing for your wedding. All those little things – from the earrings you’re planning to wear to your grandma’s special handkerchief – are picked out, and you can’t wait to see how your big day comes together!
And photographing all of your details is one of my favorite parts of the wedding day! Not only does it allow me to get my creative side warmed up for the rest of the day, but it brings me so much joy to be able to capture all of the little things that you have spent so long planning and preparing for!
My Approach to Details
In a lot of ways, the details set the stage for the look of the whole wedding. So I do my best to photograph your details in a way that matches and evokes the style of your entire wedding day! I plan for plenty of time to stylize and shoot everything – from the dress to the jewelry to grandma’s handkerchief.
Below, you will find a list of the most common detail shots that I shoot! I ask brides to gather any details they have before I arrive so that I can walk in, say hello, give you a huge “it’s your big day!!!” hug and then begin with all the goodies.
Most Common Wedding Day Details
DRESS
When I’m shooting your dress, I shoot your hanger too – so I highly recommend bringing a nice hanger to style with! Some brides have one custom made with their new last name, but even if you don’t have one I recommend bringing a classy wood hanger. Your dress is absolutely gorgeous and trust me, it will make a huge difference in the final images!
VEIL/HAIR PIECE
RINGS (ALL THREE!)
The most common detail missing when I arrive are the rings! Moms, officiants and planners will tell you to hand over your wedding band to the best man before the day begins. However, it’s better to hand it over during the bridal party portraits so that I can shoot some great ring shots in the morning! If you forget, no worries, I can always shoot the ring shots at the reception if there is time!
SHOES
Some brides will wear a certain shoe for the ceremony and photos, and then switch into something more comfortable for the reception! There are many brides who wear multisport shoes to help them move around in the ceremony. I’ve even had some brides bring a fancy pair of heels just to photograph! It sounds crazy, but having fancy shoes makes such a huge difference in the album.
JEWELRY
PERFUME
INVITATIONS
Don’t forget these! Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of the wedding day the invitations get left behind at home. Trust me, having them in your photos is worth it!
YOUR SOMETHING BORROWED & BLUE
BOUQUET & BOUTONNIERES
I recommend asking your florist to deliver the bouquets and boutonnieres before the First Look so that you can have the bouquet in all your portraits. If it’s a hot day, we’ll make sure to keep it in water as much as possible before the ceremony!
More Tips for Details
If possible, I recommend collecting all of your details before I arrive so that I can begin quickly and have more time for Getting Ready shots of you and your girls!
Depending on the theme and look of the wedding day, there may also be some extra elements that you could include when you gather your details. For example, if you’re having a country themed wedding, you could include a piece of burlap or lace. If you’re having a rustic themed wedding that includes some wooded elements, maybe save a small piece of wood for me to use when I’m shooting your rings and jewelry. This REALLY makes for beautiful, consistent album spreads!
I hope these tips have been helpful in getting your wedding details ready! I can’t wait to hug you on your wedding day!