One of my favorite parts of the day is right when I get there. I love to capture all those important details. It really helps with telling the story of the day and to remember your style and feeling during the day. I love to style and photograph these details in a memorable way. That is why I want to provide information on this part of the day so we can create these special memories, but also to use our time in the best way possible and not take away from the rest of this amazing day.
The best thing to do is to have these things ready when I arrive. Some brides have these items in a bag or a box and hand it to me as soon as I walk in the door or have it gathered somewhere and they point me in the right direction. This is so important, just the slightest amount of time to go find one of these items can set your hair and make-up team behind schedule and that effects the rest of your day. This will help everything run smoothly while creating precious memories. These are the items you can have ready:
Bride
Wedding Dress: A lot of the time there is so much going on inside the bridal suite that it is easier to take the dress outside of the room to photograph it. Some brides feel more comfortable to leave it in the bag and that is completely fine, but not necessary. It is also helps to have all of the tags and stuffing off it.
Wedding Dress Hanger: A wedding dress looks even more beautiful when it is hung on a nice hanger. That can be a personalized “etsy” hanger or, really, any hanger that is not the plastic or metal one it came on. It really adds that WOW factor after you have spent so much time looking and finding that perfect dress.
Veil: It is a beautiful image of someone putting on your veil as one of your last details, but I also use it in many other detail pictures during this time. It really softens the image and is a beautiful touch.
Flowers: This is one of the most important items to have ready and one of the most often forgotten. Your flowers contain all of the colors of your day, and adds consistency to your images. As soon as I am done with a picture, they go right back in the water so they will stay nice the whole day. You can ask your florist to have your flowers in your room at the right time so we can include them in these detail pictures.
All 3 Rings: This is the best time to capture all that bling, before you put them on and the craziness of the day begins.
Perfume: Many brides have chosen a perfume, a smell to remind them of this special day. I want to be sure that I have a picture of it to help you remember this special time.
Wedding Day Gifts: This is a perfect time to have those wedding day gifts to be delivered/ready to open. It is so sweet for the photographer to capture those genuine emotions when a bride opens a sweet letter from her groom or the groom opens the perfect watch from his bride. Those are some of my favorite moments of the day. Some have everyone leave the room and just have the photographer to capture the private moment.
Heirlooms: This may include items that have been passed down to you and/or items that you would like to pass down to your children, anything special that you would like around you on this day. Maybe it is your something new, or something borrowed or something blue.
Jewelry: You have probably spent a lot of time figuring out what earrings or necklace or bracelet to wear. I want to make sure you remember those decisions forever. Have that jewelry ready, have the tags off, like you are ready to put them on. These are such sweet pictures.
Shoes: You can have these ready, in the box and I will be sure to capture these. Do you have 2 pairs, the gorgeous pair to walk down the aisle and then a more comfy pair for later in the evening? You can have them both ready to photograph.
Garter: This is such a fun thing to remember, especially because you toss that away at the end of the night.
Vows: It is so nice to have your vows written down in a photogenic way. It is such a sweet picture of those beautiful words that you have so carefully planned.
Invitation Suite: This is definitely one of my very favorite items to style and photograph! Have a complete invitation suite, as you sent it out ready. It is such a beautiful image and helps tell the story of the day.
Groom
Don’t forget the groom! He has fun items too! Ones that he (or the bride) wants to remember. Some weddings prefer not to do getting ready pictures of the groom, and that is completely fine! If you do decide that is something that you would like to include in your wedding day schedule, here is a helpful list of what you can have ready for your photographer or 2nd photographer.
Jacket and Tie/Bow Tie: Just like the bride has her wedding “outfit”, so does the groom. Maybe it hasn’t taken as long to choose his, but there is still thought put into it. And, a lot of times, the tie or bow tie coordinates with the color and style of the wedding and helps tell that story.
Shoes: To some grooms, this is the most important choice he made that day, this is what sets him apart from his groomsmen, defines him on that day.
Flowers: Just like with the bride’s flowers, these contain all of the colors of the day. Have your florist deliver the boutonnières for the groom and all of the groomsmen. It’s such a great picture before and while they are being put on.
Cologne: Never forget that amazing smell of your groom!
Details/Heirlooms: The bride and/or groom has spent so much time gathering those special details, like a watch, hanger, cufflinks. This is the perfect time to have those ready to be photographed.
Groomsmen Gifts: Details of the gifts that will be given to the groomsmen; it is such a great picture to get those details and then while the groom is handing them out to his groomsmen. It is the same thing for the bridesmaid’s gifts.
This is just a general list. It is such an easy thing to not think of in the busy-ness of this time. You may not have or want everything on this list, that is completely fine. Or you may have different items that are not on this list. You can let me know beforehand what items you would want photographed. Your wedding day is yours and I want to capture just as you have planned, with details big and small and beautiful moments! I hope this serves as a great reminder of the items you would like photographed. Please let me know if you have any questions.
