12 Bridal Details You’ll Want Photos Of
What To Bring To Your Getting Ready Room
Today Im talking to anyone who identifies as a Bride!
The day of the wedding, we usually arrive three hours before the First Look or wedding ceremony to document the bride and bridesmaids getting ready. Besides portrait time, this is my favorite time of the wedding day!! The emotions are high, lots of smiling and anticipation…I just love it!
I always email my couples a few days before the wedding with a list of things that I will need upon arrival. I always encourage them to keep everything on the list in one place together so I don’t have to bother them when they’re in the makeup chair because everything is scattered and I don’t know where they are.
1. Dress
Obviously this is a given (-:
2. Pretty hanger
Let me start this detail off by saying if you don’t have a pretty hanger, please don’t apologize to me for it! It literally doesn’t matter if its plastic, wood or whatever. Do NOT stress out about what your dress is being hung on.
A nice hanger does elevate the PHOTO and that is IT. So if you want a higher end looking, stylish image of your wedding dress hung up, carry on with the next paragraph.
Investing in a custom hanger (or dress form), or just a nice wooden one with notches, makes for a more elevated & stylish photo. Etsy is a fabulous resource for a custom hanger, but check out BHLDN for a pretty hanger!
3. Jewelry
Don’t put on any of your jewelry until you’ve stepped into the dress. This way I can shoot them and immortalize your special details! Those who are still looking for a fine jewelry supplier, here is a site to check out: https://smartartsjewellery.com/. I am sure that you will love this women’s diamond wedding rings collection.
4. Veil or Headpieces
Veils that are embroidered or have pearls on them (sorry, I just drooled on my keyboard a little bit) make for really nice backdrops for your other details!
And who doesn’t love a gorgeous headpiece? I wore a teeny tiny crown comb in my hair and felt like a princess.
5. Family heirlooms
Are you wearing your great-great-great grandmothers bracelet or your mothers pearl necklace that she wore on her wedding day? Make sure you have them ready to be photographed too!
6. Complete invitation set
Im outing myself here, I don’t love styling invitation suites haha but I do know that a lot of couples get custom designed ones, therefore, they’re special and deserve to be photographed! Photographing the invitation suite is also great for the future – your children & grandchildren can know your maiden name, the exact name of the venue & city/state, and time that you got married! How neat!
7. ALL the rings
I like to photograph the wedding bands and engagement ring early on in the day when I have plenty of natural light and time. If the groom and his guys are getting ready at the same place you are, I will gladly walk the brides rings down to them when Im done.
8. The bouquets
Having your bouquets delivered to the hotel room, especially if you’re doing a First Look, is important. Once we arrive to the ceremony site, things are going to get hectic and we may not have time to get a shot of the flowers all fresh. Once the ceremony is over, and the bridesmaids are waiting for their turn for photos, they could start to get squished and wilted. Having them at your getting ready location allows us to photograph the flowers at their prime.
9. Shoes
After the dress, the shoes are probably the second most important detail to a bride and funny enough, hardly anyone sees them! So including them in your bridal detail photos is a must because like the dress, one they go on, they get dirty very fast.
10. Perfume
Another over looked item. We’ve had brides who used the perfume they’ve been saving since 7th grade, who went out and bought a new scent, and who use their every day wear. Scent is a strong memory trigger, so a photo in your album of the perfume you wore could bring back some amazing memories in 50 years.
11. Vow Books
These have become more and more common as time goes on and I love including the vow books while shooting details!
12. Any other details like fun clutches, ring boxes, etc
Really just anything else that helps tell the story of your day (-: If you’re having a themed wedding, like vintage books, giving me some to shoot with your details help tell the story of the day. Or maybe your friend hand painted a bottle of Veuve for you!
Katie + Jay of Catherine Ann Photography are Charleston SC Based Wedding & Elopement Photographers specializing in candid & fun wedding photos that feel like you!
Ready to book your wedding with us? Get in touch here!
