When it comes to photographing wedding day details, every small touch matters. From the bespoke invitations to your jewelry, each element reflects your unique style and the meticulous care and thought invested into your big day. By photographing your details in a creative and intentional way, I will create artful arrangements of your exquisite details. This not only tells a unique story of your wedding, but also pulls together the essence and nostalgia of your day.
In this post, I delve into the must-have details to include for beautifully curated images.
The Rings
Be sure that all THREE rings are together. It’s natural to have the engagement ring and one band together but be sure both wedding bands are ready to go so we don’t have to spend time tracking them down. While I have an assortment of ring boxes in my styling kit, consider finding one that speaks to your style and color palate.
Pro Tip: Try to have your engagement ring professionally cleaned or clean it yourself. To clean at home, soak your ring in warm water with dishwashing soap for 20 to 40 minutes. Then gently brush the stone with a soft toothbrush, rinse and repeat if needed.
Attire & A Nice Hanger for the Outfits/Dresses
Having an elegant hanger for your attire elevates your details and showcases your style in a beautiful way. You will also want to have ready your attire, veil, hair ornaments, and shoes. For men’s details, be sure to include cuff links, bow tie, pocket square, sunglasses, watch, and anything else he may be wearing throughout the day.
Extra Flowers from Your Florist
In addition to having your bouquets and boutonnieres ready in your getting ready room, also consider having a few cuts of the florals you’ll be using throughout your wedding day. If your florist will supply a small bucket of extra pieces, they can be incorporated in your detail shots. This elegantly elevates your details, and ties in the complete story of the day.
Perfume/Cologne
The sense of smell is strongly connected to memory. To this day, the smell of honeysuckle takes me back to the archery field at summer camp, where bushes of the sweet blossoms thrived. Bringing this unique human experience to your wedding day can make a lasting impression for years to come.
Many couples choose a signature scent on their wedding day. Years from now, when they wear that scent for special occasions, they will be reminded of all the feelings they experienced on their wedding day. Photographing this with your details is a beautiful way to tell your story.
Two Sets of Wedding Invitations
(and any additional stationary/printed items you have)
By having at least two sets of the invitations, I’ll be able to include fronts, backs, and the insides of any multi-sided pieces. If your envelopes have a custom liner, these can be photographed in addition to the front with a calligraphed address and stamps.
If you’ve used special postage stamps, have some extras on hand.
Programs, escort cards, menu cards, or anything else bespoke, are lovely to have for detail photos.
Vow Books
These are lovely keepsakes for you to always look back at. There’s something about seeing your vows, written with love in your own handwriting, that brings back a flood of emotions and nostalgia.
Want to take it up a notch? Have your calligrapher write out your vows (or the words to your first dance song) on an 8×10 or 11×14 sheet of deckled edge, cotton rag paper. Not only does this make a gorgeous backdrop for your ring photos, but you can also frame it to have in your home as a daily reminder of the promise you made on this special day.
Any Other Sentimental Keepsakes
If you’re wearing your grandmother’s pearls, or your mother is letting you borrow her handkerchief from her wedding, you should absolutely have those photographed! These are the special touches that make your day unique. We once had a bride bring a small painting her mother gifted her, that resembled the scenery of the venue – but if you have something sentimental that you would like styled with your details, including family heirlooms and personalized touches in your wedding day details, this will make them all the more special.
Photographing your wedding day details is a beautiful and meaningful part of my creative process. I adore these vignettes, pulling together not only the visual elements of your wedding day, but also the nostalgia and sentiments of your story. During our final consultation, I love talking about this, helping you prepare, and then planning and executing your design.
The Wedding Day Details Checklist
