Tips to Getting Beautiful Detail Photos on Your Wedding Day
When my client hands me beautiful details, it’s usually followed by a happy dance and me screaming inside. Nothing gets my creative juices flowing for a wedding day like starting with styled photos. The getting ready portion of a wedding day really sets the tone for the entire day.
Want to know the key to getting beautiful detail photos at your wedding? It takes a very small amount of planning and organizing (and a talented photographer to boot) but these little tips can be a total game changer on your big day.
Less is more.
Don’t go overboard on how many details you want photographed. Too many items in one picture can make for a visually busy and overwhelming image. Stick to a handful of items that either hold sentimental value or are just flat out pretty.
Have everything together in a box and set aside.
Never underestimate the power of organization. The 10 minutes and three bridesmaids it takes to gather everything while hair and makeup is trying to do their thing can be incredibly distracting and chaotic. By having all of your details in a box and ready to go, I can jump right in to styling as soon as I walk in, and everyone can keep doing what they’re doing without setting down their mimosas and searching through bags.
Once you have all of your details gathered in a box together, let one or two people in your wedding party know where the box is. That way they can show me when I arrive and you can relax!
Also, this applies to Groom details, too!
If you have a sentimental detail, tell me.
Sometimes those little details get overlooked if I don’t know the meaning behind them or simply don’t know they’re there (think a piece of Grandma’s wedding dress sewn to the lining of your dress). If there are details that rank higher on the scale of importance, let me know!
Make sure there’s natural light in the room.
Listen, no one likes to get ready in a dark room. And I’d bet most photographers don’t like to photograph wedding details in the dark. Find a window space that’s out of the way of everything getting ready and put your details next to it. Chances are that’s where I’ll be photographing!
Clean up the clutter.
This applies to detail photos AND your getting ready photos. Nothing is more distracting that a travel bag or random tennies in the background. And remember that little spot by the window where I said to put your details box? Make sure that space is cleared out, too.
Pro tip: designate a spot out of the way for everyone to put their bags so that way we don’t have to rearrange the room for photos.
Have bouquets/boutonnières on site for getting ready photos.
These little details bring life into styled photos. Make sure to have your florist drop them off by the time I arrive. Also ask your florist to leave a few extra loose flowers/greenery for styling if they have any extras!!
Allow more time than you think.
The beginning of a wedding day really sets the tone for the rest of the day. NOBODY wants to rush this portion of the day. Trust me. It gets stressful for you, your wedding party and your vendors. Give yourself (and your vendors) extra time. I recommend an hour for detail photos and candids plus 30 minutes to get dressed. For grooms, I recommend 30 minutes for details and 30 minutes for getting dressed.
Like I said before, these are very small things you can do on your wedding day to leave a large impact on your photography. Is there something I missed? If you did something else on your wedding day to make your detail photos go smoothly, comment them below!
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