10 Tips for More Gorgeous Bridal Detail Photos
When I say bridal detail photos what do you think of?
It’s not super intuitive if you’ve never gotten married or been a part of someone else’s wedding.
Bridal details happen at the beginning of the wedding day and include photos of your invitation suite in a flatlay (like the one above), jewelry, all three rings, perfume, lipstick, wedding dress on a pretty hanger, veil, shoes, handbag, etc.
Here are some things you can do and bring to make these photos their absolute best!
FRESH FLORALS: Ask your florist for a few extra stems for your photographer to use. When it comes to flowers, bigger isn’t better because big flowers looks GIGANTIC next to an invitation suite or your ring. Medium to small flowers and flowers that lay flat are the best. Examples of flowers that lay flat include ranunculus and anemones. I also love a small peony. But blooms are not the only thing you’ll want. A couple pieces of greenery and some other filler would be ideal, too! Adding variety makes it so pretty! When it comes to greenery and filler, you don’t even need a whole stem. Just a few pieces off of a stem will suffice! It’s best that these flowers match your florals. The florals will be used in your flatlay, but they will also be used in all of your detail photos.
CALLIGRAPHY: I hiiiiighly recommend having at least one of your invitations printed with hand calligraphy addressed to your venue for your flatlay and any future shadow box you may put together. This goes a LONG way in how beautiful your invitation looks!
ENVELOPES: Sometimes when I show up on a wedding day, brides don’t have any envelopes included in their stationery, but I LOVE adding the envelopes to the flatlay.
STAMPS: I definitely encourage you to have pretty stamps on your envelope. I personally love the vintage stamps, and if you think about it, you can have some additional stamps that are solo without being stuck to something for a little additional detail to use in various photos!
RING BOX: Most photographers (including myself) arrive with several velvet ring boxes, however, if you have a specific color for your wedding, having a ring box ready in that color is definitely ideal. I really love when my brides have the ring box monogrammed with their new last name initial! You can buy ring boxes on Amazon and Etsy in various colors!
RIBBON: Hand dyed silk or chiffon ribbon that matches your wedding colors is also a favorite in your detail photos. Again, most photographers will arrive with their own ribbon, but it may not always match well. Another way to approach this is by using the hem of one of your bridesmaid’s dresses if they need to have the length altered. Just ask the seamstress to turn the excess fabric into a spool of ribbon for you. I’m not sure how much they charge for this, but I would say it would be comparable to buying a spool of ribbon from Amazon or Etsy!
AMPLE TIME: You would be surprised at how long it takes to shoot your details. Especially if you have a variety of fresh florals. Setting them up and clipping them all is time consuming. An hour is the shortest time I reserve for detail photos. I prefer 2 hours though. It’s time consuming because it doesn’t always happen at the very first set up. If you have gorgeous shoes, you we are getting multiple shots of those from different angles! Same with your rings and perfume bottle and invitation suite!
HANGER: I know what you’re thinking…personalized “Mrs. ____” hangers, but honestly, I don’t care what kind of hanger you use as long as it has a hook that swivels. You could do personalized with stickers, paint, print, curved metal, carved wood, or just a plain wooden hanger. Just make SURE it has a hook that swivels. Where your photographer hangs your dress will depend on the setting, backdrop, and lighting, and it’s HARD finding a ledge to hang the dress on. We almost never find a nail in the wall sticking out to hang it on so we have to swivel it to hook onto a ledge of some sort!
PLATTER: Having various sized platters or trays always makes gorgeous set ups for your details. My favorite of all time were some wooden ones, but I’ve used gold and silver and rose gold ones, too. They’ve all worked wonderfully!
GOOD LIGHT & SURFACE: There have been many times I have shot in hotel rooms with terrible light. I have preached on the importance of lighting at your getting ready location. Not only for your getting ready portraits, but also for first looks and detail photos. Additionally, a good surface is critical. So critical in fact that many photographers, including myself, arrive with flatlay back drops in case there is not a pretty surface anywhere else. I, personally, love a bright, neutral, light colored surface. Often, there isn’t one so I use my backdrops! Every photographer is different though, and some love dark, stained wood or hardwoods or carpet. To each their own!
So, there you have it, guys! I hope that is helpful and makes you feel more comfortable going into your wedding day getting the detail photos you’ll love for a lifetime!
I’m a Knoxville Wedding Photographer that loves to travel. I shoot anywhere! Click here to contact me with any questions you have about pricing or booking! If you liked what you saw above, go ahead and follow me on Facebook or Instagram to see my daily updates of the latest sessions!
See more from Amanda May Photos:
Castleton Farms Engagement Session
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