Detail Shots: The Little Things on Your Big Day
The details about your wedding details
Prepping for your wedding day can be a bit of a daunting task; are the flowers ready to go?, Is the eating plan done? Is the hair and make up booked? On the day you might have small special items too, the things that mean the most to you, like a piece of jewellery from a relative or a note from your husband or wife to be.
All these things will come with you and help to form the most special day of your life. It’s important these items are captured, as they mean so much to you. Working with your photographer, by giving them a list of the items you would like details shots of, means you can be sure everything will be taken care of without you having to worry about items being missed.
Here are a few tips and questions you might have about preparing your little things for your big day.
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TIPS FOR BEAUTIFUL WEDDING DETAIL SHOTS
1. WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY DETAIL SHOTS AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?
Detail shots are the little important things that you love and cherish, some that you own already, some that you have collected just for your day, they include; wedding dress, engagement rings and other jewellery, flowers, shoes, bridesmaid dresses, hair pieces and invitations. They are pieces that remind you of specific moments on your day and can be captured to be a beautiful addition to your wedding album.
2. WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE MY DETAIL SHOTS LOOK THE BEST THEY CAN?
Give items a clean and check:
The first thing to think about with details is that they will be photographed up close and personal, so giving them a little spruce isn’t a bad idea, especially if they’re a family heirloom or a piece of jewellery you’ve had for a while.
You want them to shine just as bright as you do. Even if the item is new, just giving them a little check for any sticker marks or tags will save you and your photographer some time on the morning of your wedding.
Matching dressing gowns:
This is a fun and lovely touch a lot of Brides add to their preparations. Getting matching dressing gowns for your bridesmaids makes a big difference to the look of your getting ready shots and allows a theme of matching bridesmaids to run through your wedding gallery.
Unpack, Unpack, Unpack:
The best thing to do when you get to a getting-ready room or bridal suite, apart from having some bubbly, is unpacking all of the dresses and suits involved in your wedding and hanging them up. This goes for any shoes or any items in boxes too. Get them all out so that your photographer can see everything they need to take images of before the focus should be fully on you and your family. Ideally, this will be done before the photographer gets to you, so they can spend all their time on capturing your day. Also, hanging up dresses and suits make a lovely backdrop to your bridal/groom preparations. If you have little ones in your wedding, make sure your photographer has access to whatever accessorises they will be carrying or wearing too; baskets, petals and bracelets etc.
3. HOW LONG WILL DETAIL SHOTS TAKE?
They shouldn’t take long at all, if everything is easily accessible for your photographer, they can be captured in the early stages of preparations, usually while you and your bridesmaids are getting your hair and make up done. The earlier the better as you wouldn’t want to miss out on a family reaction shot for a shot of your shoes.
4. WHEN SHOULD I GET INTO MY DRESS?
Some Brides don’t want to put their dress on until the very last minute, for fear of anything happening to it between then and them walking down the aisle, however this doesn’t leave much, if any, time for your photographer to capture those moments with you in the dress and with your family. Most photographers try to get images of the Bride in her dress at least 30 minutes before they have to leave to be in position for the ceremony and putting your dress on early also gives you time to relax before the big moment and for your photographer to capture your bridesmaids and families reactions to seeing you in the dress of your dreams.
5. LIGHT, LIGHT, LIGHT!
Natural light on a Bride and her veil is a wedding photographer’s dream! It makes everything brighter, and colours more even and soft. If your bridal suite or getting-ready room has big windows EVEN BETTER. Haarlem Mill has three big windows, which look out over the Mill and Derbyshire countryside, and lots of natural light streams through its stunning bridal suite, absolutely perfect for glowing bridal images of you before you walk down the aisle.