Your photographer might've thrown around the term "wedding details" when talking about what to bring with you on your wedding day, or they might not have mentioned it at all (yikes!), but what does it actually mean to get your details photographed?
Well, as wedding photographers we know how much attention, time, and love you put into every little detail about your wedding day, from your perfume to the paper you chose for invitations! We want to honor that effort, capture all the beautiful choices you made, and include them in the final gallery that tells your love story. For most brides, this will include things they're already planning to bring with them on their big day, plus a few others you might not think of.
Ideas of what to bring to get photographed:
- Your Earrings/Necklace/Bracelet
- The perfume you chose for the day
- A ring box (You can even pick one that coordinates with your wedding colors!)
- Your invitation Suite (more on this in a minute)
- A nice hanger for your dress!
- Your shoes
- Any custom items like a handkerchief, or your "something blue"
- The RINGS!
Grooms have details too, though maybe not quite so many:
- Watches
- Cuff Links
- Shoes
- Other jewelry
- Custom items for him and the groomsmen
- Maybe even cigars or his Cologne
Now, if you're looking at that list and thinking "great, even more stuff to remember on my wedding day!" don't worry I was right there with you, and I actually didn't remember everything. BUT, it wasn't my wedding photographer's style to do editorial flat lays and lots of detail shots. As a photographer myself who LIVES for the detail shots now, it's probably one of the things I'll go back and photograph for myself. But it's also a good opportunity to delegate! I had my "go bag" all packed the night before the wedding with all my jewelry, makeup, emergency kit, flip flops, etc etc (maybe that's a whole other blog post). And then I made it one of my bridesmaid's jobs to take care of that bag with their life. If I needed a safety pin or chapstick, or my perfume I knew it was all in one place and one of my girls could grab it for me in 2 seconds!
If you're looking through all the gorgeous Pinterest wedding albums and dying to have that editorial, magazine-perfect detail shot of your rings, your invitations, or any of the other hundred little things you picked out for your day, there are 2 things you need to do to get there:
- PLAN with your photographer! Make sure you communicate early that you want to make detail shots a priority and then budget the extra 20-30 minutes in the getting ready time for your photographer to dedicate their attention to your details. Asking your photographer for their preferred timeline, and then sticking to it as much as you can, will help you get the photos YOU want out of your day.
- BE PREPARED with your details. Keep them all in a bag, or a box and bring everything with you in one spot. Keeping it all together (including both your rings and your fiance's) will ensure your photographer can capture all the details without misplacing or forgetting anything!
Now, earlier I mentioned that we'd circle back on invitation suites, so let's jump in. For most brides who don't have 50k to spend on a wedding, much like myself when I got married, your invitation might be a single sheet with a response card and your "save the date". Or even less than that, and JUST the invitation. If you have a higher budget for paper goods, it may include the menu, another velum envelope, wax seals, or other inserts. The only right way to do an invitation suite is the one that fits you and your budget. Here's a tip though, if your wedding invitation is double-sided, BRING 2 COPIES for your photographer to work with. Bring an envelope, the response card, basically, anything you sent out to guests, you should bring for your photographer. This gives your photographer options!
Another thing your photographer will thank you profusely for is asking your florist for a few extra buds or leaves to use on the day of. Often florists have extras and cuttings that they can give you! Keep them in some water overnight and transport them with care to your getting-ready space. Having floral elements that tie in with your wedding florals is a great way to create a sense of cohesiveness throughout your image gallery, and just tie all the pictures together.
If you've read this far, you're going to do awesome! Even if something doesn't go exactly according to plan, you'll still get to remember all the little details of your day, and the love you put into it.
Below are just a few examples of some detail photos from a wedding I assisted on in 2019, just for some inspiration!
Remember, you've totally got this!
