Your wedding day is coming up and you’ve done the work to get all the details sorted out – yay! You’ve got your dress, your shoes, and your jewelry all picked out. To make sure all the pieces you’ve lovingly chosen are documented beautifully, here’s what to do!

First things first, here’s what I mean when I talk about bridal details. You don’t have to have all these things, but this list will help you round them up:

• Invitation suite (invitation, save the date, envelope)
• Jewelry (earrings, necklace, bracelet)
• All the rings (engagement ring + both wedding bands) & the ring boxes (especially if it’s custom made)
• Shoes
• Perfume
• Veil
• Dress
• Anything else going on your body (wrap, sweater, purse)
• Bouquet (or extra stems similar to your bouquet)
• Something old / new / borrowed / blue
• Any other details (rosary, cloth handkerchief, saint medals or the locket with a photo of your late grandma being tied to your bouquet)
  

 

Gather all the things I could photograph as part of your bridal details into ONE place a couple days before the wedding. This is the MOST important advice I can give you! It’s first function is for you to make sure you have everything you need ahead of the day (and even the day before) so that if you need to get or find something, you have time! This step also helps save time so I can get started photographing everything sooner, as well as not have to ask you where everything is on the day of. I don’t want to interrupt your hair & makeup time by asking you a bunch of questions!

 

Get a better hanger. I’ll NEVER understand why bridal stores sell you this incredible dress and then give it to you on the ugliest plastic hanger!! Opt for a wooden hanger with grooves to support your dress properly. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but wood will enhance the beauty of your dress whereas that plastic hanger will detract from it!

 

Remove the tags! Cut or safely scrape off sticker tags from anything you’ve got. If you’re uncertain you want to use the item, decide now in case you want to return it (if possible) and in that case, leave the tag on and take it out of the official details pile!

 

If you and your groom are planning to give each other gifts, consider opening yours right when I arrive in case it’s jewelry or anything else I can incorporate it into the photos of your details, too!

 

Allow at least 20-30 minutes at the beginning of getting ready photography coverage for bridal details. This is something I talk about with you in planning your timeline since it takes some time to set everything up just right and photograph it all, but it’s worth it! These details help tie together the rest of the day, too, especially when you go to plan your wedding album later.

 

Let me wander around the getting ready location to find the best light. Light trumps location – always! This works for all things photo related, but letting me know I have the freedom to go anywhere (or only specific rooms!) to photograph your bridal details is so helpful. My favourite spot is usually right next to the biggest window! If there isn’t a place to hang the dress in beautiful light, I’ll either use a chair instead or a Command hook on the nearest wall (they don’t leave a mark after I’m done!). 

 

Turn off the lights. Well, this’ll be me doing it on the day of so you don’t really need to think about this, but I’m just warning you that I will use window light exclusively to photograph your details, which means the overhead lights will be off. If you can get ready without them on at all, that’s actually best so we don’t have different coloured light in the photos! 

 

Your job is to enjoy getting ready on the morning of your wedding, not worry about whether everything will be captured that day. Take some time to set the day up well and you’ll be sipping coffee with your best friends, excited about what’s happening rather than thinking about where your earrings are!