Ahh, the morning of your wedding! The mimosas are bubbling, wedding day playlist blaring, and maybe just a few nervous butterflies flying around your stomach 🙂 As everyone is finishing up their final touches of make up and hair, I will arrive and meet all of your closest girlfriends first before anything else! But after that, I will be looking for any little details that help me document you and your wedding day.

I’ve had brides ask what to have ready for me, and some brides forgetting that I would even want to photograph their invitations– so here is your comprehensive list of 12 details to have on hand for me the morning of your wedding!

1. Dress

Okay, I’m starting off easy– duh, you will have your dress there! But this part is important– DON’T put it on until I’m there! I love to photograph the dress hanging, will use it to help layer other shots, and will want to get photos of you getting into your dress too. So have it near, steamed, and ready to go!

2. Shoes

Another gimmie! I know you won’t forget your shoes, but having them nearby your other details can save time if we are in a crunch 🙂

3. Jewelry

Earrings, bracelets, necklaces, pins- literally any piece of jewelry of significance. Sometimes it’s helpful to have all jewelry in one box or zippered bag to keep it together/ avoid losing anything.

4. Perfume

If you’re an avid reader of my blog, you already know how I feel about wedding perfume 😉 Have your bottle ready for me to photograph too!

5. Invitation Suite

You’ve spent months planning every last detail of your day, so it’s only fitting to have pictures of it all! Especially your invitations 🙂 Having it photographed will ensure that years from now, you can show people what they looked like without actually having to keep track of an extra copy.

6. Veil/ Hair Pieces

I love to use veils and hairpieces in my detail shots to add to other details (like the rings or invitation suite). Anything that is going in your hair is worth photographing! As a bonus, the veil also doubles as an excellent backdrop for photos 😉

 

7. Rings (All three!!)

This one is tricky! DON’T let the best man take the wedding bands until I’ve photographed them that morning!!! If he does, all is not lost- I can snap a photo of them at the reception. But, I think rings always look better in the natural light of the morning than a dimly lit ballroom 🙂

8. Accessories

This category is a bit broad, but every bride tends to have accessories that are unique to their wedding day. Some examples of random but important accessories I’d photograph if they were a part of your day: a super cute purse/ clutch, a fur (if you’re getting married in the cold weather!), custom sunglasses, custom anything really- water bottles, mini champagne bottles, wine glasses, koozies, etc.

9. Gifts/ Letters to your Spouse

Not everyone does this, and that’s ok!! But- if you DO decide to exchange letters and/or gifts with your partner before the ceremony or first look, I think it’s so sweet to have a photo of that! I gave Domenick a card the morning of our wedding day, and I wish I had a photo of it because I definitely don’t know where that card is! If possible- WAIT until I’m there to open the gift/letter- you’ll thank me for those emotion-filled memories 😉

10. Gifts

Gifts for your parents or bridesmaids are also so sweet to photograph.

 

11. Old / new / borrowed / blue

Not every bride does this anymore, but if you do have an old, new, borrowed, and blue, I try to snap a picture of it! Most often the “old” and “borrowed” things are heirlooms or a really treasured family item, and that’s so meaningful to capture.

12. flower bouquets/ boutonnieres

I’ve saved this one for last but it might be the MOST IMPORTANT of all 12 details! If you remember nothing, try to remember this: Have your florist deliver your flowers to YOU, not the ceremony site!! Having the flowers there when I get there will make your detail shots look SO much better. What’s better than a shot of your ring? Your ring tucked inside a garden rose! What’s better that a shot of your invitations? Your invitations with flowers!  A lot of times, you can ask the florist to include extra buds/ flowers they didn’t use in the bouquets for detail styling. If I arrive and there are 3-4 buds for me to style shots with, beware- I will definitely hug you. These are literal game-changers!!

 

And that’s it!! Details are one of my favorite parts of the wedding day to photograph, and it’s easy to see why from looking at these photos– they’re gorgeous, unique, and totally YOU. I look forward to styling every little detail of yours soon!