Why Every Bride Needs A Pre-Wedding bridal session
6 Reasons To Have A Bridal Portrait Session
It's no surprise to hear that your wedding day will be pretty hectic. There's a lot going on. This can cause a lot of additional stress for many couples. But what if there were some options available to you that helped reduce some of the craziness?
It's pretty rare to see a wedding run according to schedule. There's always something that puts a wrinkle in your plan and sends your timeline into a tailspin. No matter how organized you are, how detailed you are, it's just the nature of weddings. We have some bridal portrait ideas to create beautiful bridal portraits and reduce stress!
[Wedding Day Timeline Template - Successful Weddings Begin With A Plan]
What Is A Bridal Portrait Session?
It's pretty self explanatory, but let's make sure we're all on the same page. A bridal portrait session is nothing more than taking pictures of the bride in her own private session - they are "artistic photographs." Typically, we complete this session after the bride finishes getting ready but before the ceremony.
The bridal portrait session captures the essence of who you are - the love, mystery, beauty, and elegance. It's a moment that's all about you. It's almost like stepping into your own personal fairytale.
However, this private bridal session is often difficult to achieve on the day of your wedding. Your "wedding nerves" are in high gear, you're running short on time, and it's almost impossible for you to be "mentally present" enough to even think about taking pictures. All of these emotions can feel pretty overwhelming and make it very difficult for you to relax and enjoy the moment.
So How Do We Avoid These Stresses?
Simple, 2-4 weeks before your wedding we photograph your bridal portrait session. It will be a stress free atmosphere that allows you to create your own little fantasy world in which we create those stunning images the capture the essence of you.
Just in case your wondering whether or not your dress will be ready in time, keep in mind that all final alterations should be complete 2 months in advance of your wedding day. This will leave us plenty of time to schedule your session and reschedule it just in case we get some bad weather.
Let's read on now to find out the 6 reasons you need to have a pre-wedding bridal portrait session!
1. A More Relaxed Environment
A pre-wedding portrait session removes all the stresses that come with getting married. Your sole focus is taking beautiful pictures and we will be with you every step of the way to ensure you look beautiful and elegant! Because we are in a more relaxed atmosphere your pictures will look much better. Rarely does being stressed and feeling tense lead to beautiful wedding photography. Your bridal portrait session should be relaxed, exciting, and invigorating!
2. Diverse Images
Unlike the bridal portrait sessions that take place on the day of your wedding, a pre-ceremony session can be photographed at any location. We can choose a location that offers a greater variety of backgrounds and "looks." The images can be focused with your wedding theme in mind or we can create pictures with a completely different feel. Our options are endless!
[How To Find A Photographer For Wedding, The Ultimate Guide]
3. Dress Rehearsal
When having a pre-wedding bridal session you should have your hair, make-up, and attire just as you will on the day of your wedding and this includes having it done by the same professional(s) who will be doing it on your wedding day. Even though the session is taking place before the actual wedding, we want it to feel exactly like the wedding day. It will also allow you to determine whether or not you want to make any changes - brides will often find their shoes are giving them blisters or their hairstyle keeps falling in their face. Take this opportunity to fine tune your wedding day look!
4. More Time, More Options, More Amazing
Pre-wedding bridal sessions don't come with the time constraints we are faced with on the wedding day; therefore, we can give more attention to the details that will make your pictures even more fabulous! And because we can select a location that offers a greater variety of backgrounds and environments we can create some beautifully diverse pictures.
5. Connect With Your Photographer
Feeling connected with your photographer(s) is vital to the overall success of your wedding photography. We have already spent time working together when we photographed your engagement session, now we are going to photograph your bridal session. It's another opportunity for us to work together and further build that trusting relationship. By the time your wedding day rolls around you will be a relaxed and confident bride in front of the camera!
6. A Beautiful Display Piece
The pictures from your bridal session will make for beautiful display pieces. A really great way to showcase a picture from your session is to have a 16x20 print displayed by your guest book at the wedding. Your guests will love it! And following the wedding you can either hang it in your home or give to it to the mother-of-the-bride as a gift. I promise you she will adore this gesture!
A pre-wedding bridal session is a great way for brides to really immerse themselves in the moment to get most out of it. Again, this session is all about you - relax, have fun with it, and enjoy making beautiful art that you will never forget!
Additional Tips For Pre-Wedding Bridal Portrait Sessions
Do Accept That Your Dress Will Get A Little Dirty
You obviously won't be rolling around in the mud, but the hem of the dress will likely get a little dingy. Any shots that involve sitting on the grass could obviously result in some mild grass stains. However, If this should happen you can simply cover it up with a little white chalk and no one will be the wiser!
Do Bring Your Mother, Sister or a Friend
I would recommend bringing your mother, sister or a friend to the bridal session. However, I strongly recommend you keep it to only one person. And while moms are wonderful people they are not always the best person to bring to the bridal session. Many brides have become very stressed with an overly opinionated mom and their frustration was evident in the pictures. It's important the person you bring be supportive, helpful, and watches quietly from the sidelines. They should fluff the dress, bring you water, and assist you while moving around.
Do Bring An Extra Pair of Shoes
A bridal session may require some walking so be sure to bring an extra pair of shoes that will be comfortable and allows you to easily move around.
Do Bring A Bouquet
For the bridal portrait session I would recommend going to a craft store and making a fake bouquet - this will work out perfectly for the pictures. While we won't include a bouquet in every shot it's an important detail to include in your pictures.