Wedding details are important!
Wedding days usually start like this: I walk in, meet all of the bridesmaids, squeeze the heck out of the bride, and get right to work photographing details. Why do I start with details first? The main reason is that it gives me a great idea of how to style the wedding day throughout the day. Colors, esthetic, feel, etc.
I love, love, LOVE shooting details! It’s probably one of my favorite parts of a wedding day. It gives the bride + groom a chance to remember every single detail that they worked on for the past few months to almost a year for some couples.
How do you know what details are important?
They’re. All. Important. Big or small, all details make up the story of your wedding day!
But, what are “details”??? Details are any part of your day, big or small, that you’ll be mailing, wearing, or carrying. Don’t worry, I’ve got a list coming up in a little bit for you! And if you’re a #NatalyHernandezBride, you’ve already received your bridal magazine that explains all of this and why details are so stinking important! I’ll also send you a reminder prior to your wedding day… and have you fill out a questionnair to make sure no detail is forgotten! “Thorough” is my middle name 😉
Details tell your wedding day story
So why are they so important and why do I make such a big deal out of photographing them? They literally make up your wedding day story.
Detail shots help give the full picture of your wedding day in your wedding album and blog post. It’s so easy to forget about the small details that were essential to making your wedding day just perfect! That’s a big part of the reason why I think this part of the day is so important. The “small” things of your day deserve to have a big spotlight, especially after all the time you spend curating + pinterest pinning + working on them!
Of course, this also means photographing the “big” details, like your wedding gown, veil, the cake, and rings.
You might be thinking, “My cake won’t be ready when you photograph the details” and you’re probably right, it won’t be! I allow 30 minutes before the ceremony for the bride to hide and freshen up while I photograph the ceremony + reception details.
Details are special & often family heirlooms
A lot of people often think a detail is the bride’s dress or the groom’s shoes. Yes, this is true, but very often they also consist of family heirlooms that have been passed down or hold special meaning. Maybe it’s the hanky that belonged to your great grandmother (like the one below) and you are carrying it around your bouquet as a way to remember her; or maybe it’s the bride’s Mother’s photo that is attached to her bouquet in memory of her. Everyone deserves photos of those special, small, and often private items!
Often times the bride and groom are getting ready in two separate locations, so I’m going to include two different lists of details. The bride will typically have 80% of the details with her.
I always suggest that you gather all of these details the night before and place them in a bag or box for when I arrive. Pro tip: this is a great job for your MOH or a Bridesmaid.
Bridal Details:
Dress + Veil + Shoes – You probably have always dreamed of what type of wedding gown you will wear on your wedding day, IT’S IMPORTANT!
Rings – all of them, even the grooms!
Bouquet – The floral aspect of a wedding is HUGE! They’re typically something that ties all of your colors together, and was a large investment for you! It’s so important to make sure you have them there at the start of your day so that they can be incorporated into your detail shots! And, if your a #NatalyHernandezBride, your florist will love you for it when I send out those vendor galleries!
Full Invitation Suite x2 – I always request two suites to better help style your invitation suite.
Jewelry – all jewelry being worn by the bride.
Old, New, Borrowed, Blue – This isn’t a tradition that everyone follows. If you do, make sure to have all of the items with you!
Sentimental Items / Heirlooms
Letter/gift from the groom
Perfume
Any other details you would like to include!
Groom Details
Grooms always have much fewer details (only because the bride usually has the details that pertain to both the Bride + Groom). Groom details are just as important as the brides and should be treated as such!
Cuff links / Tie / Boutonniere / Cologne / Watch / Shoes / Socks
Letter / Gift from Bride
Elevating your Details
If you’re as equally obsessed with detail shots as I am, here a few things you as a bride can include with your details to elevate the photographs. This is also especially helpful to have if you would like to have your wedding published or if you are planning on having a wedding album.
Ring Box: The Mrs. Box
If you’re a MOH, bridesmaid, groom, Mother of the Bride, or simply a great friend reading this in preparation for a wedding the Mrs. Box makes a great gift! Be sure and pick out a color that compliments the bride’s color scheme.
Ribbon
Custom Invitations
Vow book
Trays, florals, and basically any styling item you would like to add!
If you enjoyed this post, head over to the Bridal Education section of my blog to see more tips, trick, and helpful info for planning your wedding day!
XO,
Nataly
