It’s no secret that I love all the beautiful bridal details of a wedding day (and my Hope & Stay Brides do, too!).  As a Lehigh Valley wedding photographer, one of my favorite parts of a wedding is getting to style and photograph each of the items my brides have chosen for her wedding day.

To me, these bridal details are a critical part of the story of the wedding day.  Not only that, but these bridal details tell so much about each couple’s personalities and unique wedding day style!

On a typical wedding day, I spend roughly an hour and a half with my bride and her bridesmaids.  During that time, I capture candids of the girls spending time together prepping. This is also the segment of the day where I style and photograph the bridal details!

This time is a critical part of the day because it allows me to warm up and get some of those pre-wedding day nerves out!  (Yes, that’s right…wedding photographers get wedding day jitters, too!)  Plus, it takes time to style these items piece by piece.

It’s always a given to make sure the wedding dress is there, but what about the smaller details?  The ones that, if not photographed, may be forgotten?

Let’s take a peek at some of the lovely little bridal details that every bride should have photographed:

BRIDAL BOUQUET

Having your florist deliver the bridal bouquet to the getting ready location can be a wonderful way to get extra photos of this important element.  If you’re planning a First Look, you’ll need to have your bouquet delivered to wherever you’re getting ready to ensure you have it for your portraits.

 

RIBBON

Additional ribbon from your bouquet to include in your styled bridal detail images can make a big visual impact!  If your florist cannot provide extra ribbon from your bouquet, Etsy is a great place to search for styling ribbon in all types of colors and materials (my favorite materials are hand-dyed silk or velvet).

RING BOX

Velvet ring boxes like The Mrs. Box are my favorite for taking ring shots of your engagement ring & wedding bands. They come in a variety of colors, shapes and styles to suit different tastes.  (Using an heirloom ring box can be a fun way to bring in your “something old!”)

INVITATION SUITE

The invitation suite often is an element that reflects the theme and color scheme of your wedding day.   Make sure to bring two copies of each piece of the suite!  This includes the invitation, detail cards, envelopes, customized stamps,  and any additional elements that came with your suite.  Your photographer will decide which elements look best when photographing.

JEWELRY

Bracelets, earrings, necklaces, oh my!  You’ve spent time carefully selecting the jewelry you’ll wear down the aisle.  Make sure you have everything together for your photographer so they can be photographed, too!

HEIRLOOMS

Heirlooms can be a wonderful way to honor someone special on your big day.  If you choose to include a treasured piece, make sure your photographer knows about it and why it’s special.  We’re visual storytellers, so we love to make sure we photograph items that have special meaning to your story.

 

LOOSE, FRESH FLORALS

Ask your florist to supply a few loose blooms and greenery for styling.  These can add such a lovely element to your wedding day images and can be a great way to bring pops of your wedding day color scheme into your detail images.

THE VEIL

If you choose to wear a veil on your wedding day,  make sure you let your photographer know!  I love styling with veils since they can add texture and layers to. styled bridal details.

BRIDAL SHOES

Pumps or flats…whatever you choose, make sure these get documented, too!  I’ve had brides who have elected to bring two sets of shoes on their wedding day:  their “to photograph” shoes and the ones they’ll actually wear on the wedding day.  (Comfort is key, ladies!)

RINGS

I request that my brides have both wedding bands & the engagement ring available during bridal details.  This ensures we get all three pieces photographed together using the styled items we have available during this time.

 

DRESS HANGERS

A sturdy hanger to display your dress on is a must-have! Your beautiful wedding gown deserves to have something more than a plastic hanger to be displayed on and having a beautiful hanger for your dress will make a huge difference in your photographs! If you’d also like your bridesmaids dresses photographed,  make sure you have hangers for them,  too!  Helpful hint: Hang your dresses on your hangers as soon as you arrive to your getting ready location to reduce wrinkling & to prevent your photographer from wasting precious time having to do this step for you!

Ok, so let’s recap! Having your bridal detail items together, ready-to-go and organized on the wedding day can ensure every little detail is beautifully captured!  These little elements are so important to your special day!  You’ve taken months to plan and carefully choose each detail of your day; they deserve to be remembered.

Alyssa is a Lehigh Valley wedding photographer who serves the Lehigh Valley and the Greater Philadelphia region.  To inquire about your upcoming wedding, send a Alyssa a note here!