How I Photograph Bridal Details

I like to round up everything before the bride is fully ready, so it helps if your invitation suite, save the dates, jewelry, shoes, and florals are gathered in one spot. I build a styled flat lay out of those pieces, shoot an overview, then move in close on each one. Having it all in a little box or bag saves us time and means I can capture every detail before you put it on.

I usually spend about 90 minutes with the bride before she is completely done getting ready, and the detail work fits inside that window. Styling and shooting the flat lay is the bigger piece; later, photographing the accessories on you only takes about a minute. Building that time into your getting-ready schedule means nothing feels rushed.

It is a nice touch but not required. One of my brides, Megan, asked her florist for a few extra stems from her bouquet so we could tie them into the flat lay, and it really pulled the look together. If you want that, just ask your florist in advance to leave a few loose blooms for me.

I photograph the details and accessories three times across the day. First as a styled flat lay before the bride dresses, then a few quick frames against a clean background by a window, and finally on you during the portrait session when they are actually being worn. That gives you the same pieces in different light and more options for your album.

Bridal accessories almost always look their best when they are being used or on the person. During portraits I will grab the earrings, hairpiece, bouquet, your hair, and the back of the dress, and it only takes a minute. Those worn shots feel alive in a way a flat lay cannot, so I make sure to capture both.

Yes, that is part of why I shoot them so thoroughly. I will photograph the items against a clean window-lit background so we have the option for a dedicated bridal accessory detail page, often paired with an overhead of the flat lay on the facing side of the spread. Every little moment becomes a reminder for years to come, so I never want to spare a single thing.

Usually your wedding invitations, save the dates, jewelry, shoes and florals. I round everything up first, then arrange it into a lay flat. Those pieces carry a lot of the story of the day, so they deserve the attention. If you have something else that matters to you, bring it out and we'll work it in. It's your story, not a formula.

No. That's my job. When I get there, the first thing I do is round up all the details myself and start building the lay flat. You don't need to stage anything or set it aside in a pile. Just know where things are so I'm not hunting. You keep getting ready and let me handle the arranging.

Both. Once I've arranged the flat lay and it's the way I like it, I take an overview photo of the whole thing. Then I move in closer and photograph each detail on its own. Two different kinds of images from one setup. The overview shows how it all fits together, and the close ones let each piece stand by itself.

After the flat lay, I'll take some of those same items, find a good clean background next to a window and photograph each one quickly. It gives us the option for a bridal accessory detail page in your album. If time allows, it's worth doing. An experienced photographer can work fast here, and it costs you almost nothing in your morning.

Typically the individual accessory photos laid out across the page, with the overhead shot of the full flat lay on the side of the spread. That's why I shoot both the overview and the individual pieces. It gives us the parts and the whole, so the spread has something to anchor it rather than being a grid of small objects.

Earrings, hairpieces, your bouquet, your hair and the back of your dress. Accessories always look best when they're being used or on the person. It takes about a minute to photograph everything again, and it gives you another way to see the details, in different light and actually being worn rather than sitting on a surface.

About a minute. That's it. It's the last time I photograph the bridal details during the day, and it happens inside the portrait session, so it doesn't add anything to your timeline. Going the extra mile here doesn't take much effort on my end, and it gives you a whole other set of options for the album.

It may seem like a lot. But every little moment is a treasure, and it'll be a reminder for years to come. You don't want to spare a single thing. The three passes give you more options for the album and cost almost no time. It's a small amount of effort for something you'll look at for decades.

I spend ninety minutes with the bride before she's completely done getting ready. That window is where the details happen. I round everything up, build the flat lay, shoot the overview, then move in close on each piece, and if there's time, take the items over to a clean background near a window. It's unhurried without being long.