I know how crazy the week leading up to the wedding can be! So it is no surprise that with all of the moving parts, the flowers get delivered to the church instead of the bridal suite or not all of the rings make it to the suite for photos. Personally, bridal details are my favorite thing to start the day with. It lets me warm up and get ready to tell the story of your day. But the number one question I get from brides is, “Can the bridal detail time be shortened?” And I get it! When you are creating your timeline for the day, it can be tempting to use that time somewhere else. But as a photographer that time is crucial!

Think of bridal details like a warm up for professional athletes.

They have practiced day after day but they still need to warm up before the first buzzer sounds. That is what detail photos are to a wedding photographer. I know how to use my gear and how to find good light. We are prepared for the day ahead. But having 30 -45 minutes to get in the zone without feeling rushed is what makes the rest of the day run smoothly. It allows us to use our creative muscles which leads to more creative portraits later on!

So now that you know WHY bridal details are so important to photographers, why should they matter to you?

Think of it this way. You have been planning your day for months, maybe even years. All of the little decisions you made from the colors on your invitations to the jewelry you will wear are what make your day special. They are what make your day unique to your love story. Years down the road, when your own grandchildren are getting married you can show them the beauty that was your wedding day, no matter what happens to the physical items. Personally, I loved our invitation suite, but do I want to hold on to them forever? Probably not.

But the photos we have of them will live on forever in our wedding album that tells the ENTIRE story of our day.

From the buttons on my dress that my mother carefully closed to the shoes that I wore when I walked down the aisle with my dad. The items themselves may not seem significant but the memories they spark are priceless.

So now the burning question, what is all included in bridal details?!? Well before I started shooting weddings, I had NO idea either. So here is the definition and better yet a Bridal Detail Checklist for you to start making your own list of details you want to remember forever.

DEFINITION:

All of the little details that make your day special and unique. It includes all of the things you spent months planning and want to remember forever!

BRIDAL DETAIL CHECKLIST

• Dress: Make sure to swap out the plastic hanger that it came on with a nicer wood or custom option. Your dress deserves it!
• Shoes: I’m gonna let you in on a little secret, you don’t have to wear the fancy shoes all day because no one will see them! Buy the cute ones and just make sure to pack a pair of sandals for later!
• Rings (all three): So often these get left with the best man but this is the only time we can get beautifully staged photos of all three!
• Veil: We make sure to get these done right away so your hair stylist can have them as soon as possible.
• Jewelry: Necklace, Earrings, Bracelet…etc: We like to have our brides wait to put on any jewelry until they are in their dress because that is just one more chance to get some stunning bridal portraits.
• Keepsakes: Notes, Something Old or any gifts
• Perfume: I wish I would have bought a special scent for my wedding. Something that would help me remember the joy of the day whenever I put it on!
• Stationary: Invites, Save the Dates, Envelopes, Ceremony Program
• Flowers including boutonniere: Your florist usually has little scraps here and there so bonus if they can throw those in a little bag to use to up level your detail photos!
• Clutch: The more sparkly the better!

So there you have it! The top 10 most common detail items to bring to your bridal suite for photos.

Now I know that you might not want every item on this list photographed but I hope it helps get you thinking about what details you do what to remember forever!

Did I miss anything? Comment below what little detail was your favorite on your wedding day. Personally, I LOVED my leather converses and I am so happy that I have photos of them BEFORE they got dirty from our golf course wedding!