Wedding
Guide

Bridal portraits

A bridal session gives you finished portraits in your gown and a full practice run before the wedding. There is a real difference between seeing your hair and makeup in a mirror at a trial and seeing how they hold up outdoors and photograph in natural light.

Bring everything you plan to wear on the day. The checklist below covers it.

Late afternoon gives the softest light. In Savannah, spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons for a session in a gown.

Preparing for your bridal portraits

Wedding venues are usually a wonderful place to start - especially historic homes and resorts that have well manicured areas. I want to keep your dress as clean as possible and still get a lot of amazing images inside and outside.

When it comes to selecting a date for your bridal portrait session, another great thing to keep in mind is the weather. In order to avoid being too hot during the summer months or too cold during the winter months, I highly recommend Spring and Fall. However, I'll shoot anytime and anywhere there's great light!

Many venues charge a fee for portrait sessions. Although inconvenient, the fee is often worth it in order to have use of their getting ready room and other venue services. I typically have to work with the venues on times, but I love to shoot bridal portraits in the afternoon as late as I can to get that softer afternoon light. However, if your venue has strict hours, I am happy to work with their allotted times.

Make sure to bring your jewelry, your veil and your shoes to your bridal portrait session!

Should you do a first look?

A first look is a private moment where you see each other before the ceremony. It isn't right for every couple, but there are three practical reasons to consider one.

It gives you a quiet moment in a full day

Wedding days move fast. A first look is often the only time you'll be alone together until the day is over.

It frees up your cocktail hour

With portraits and wedding party photos done before the ceremony, you get to join your guests sooner, and the rest of the evening feels less rushed.

It gives you options if the weather turns

If rain is in the forecast, having portrait time before the ceremony means more chances to work around it, and time to freshen up afterward.

I've written more about this in First Look: Pros and Cons.

Planning time for portraits

Whether you choose to do a first look or the traditional "no see before the ceremony" I will work with you on making sure you have the best timeline and plan for images.

If you're choosing to go traditional, you'll need two different sets of photo times: images taken before the ceremony and images taken after the ceremony.

You'll need to plan for about one hour of pre-ceremony bridal photos (bridesmaids and bride's family) and about one hour of pre-ceremony groom photos (groomsmen and groom's family) at separate times. You'll also need 15 minutes of combined bridal party portraits, 15 minutes of combined family portraits and at least 30 -45 minutes of couple's portraits after the ceremony if you're not doing any portraits together until after the ceremony.

If you're doing a first look, photos can be done all at one time, taking an average total of 1.5 to 2 hours pre-ceremony (although I also LOVE grabbing just the two of you for a few additional bride and groom photos at sunset!)

If you choose a traditional aisle reveal, all I ask is that you keep your ceremony time in mind when planning your wedding.

If you're planning a sunset ceremony or an evening ceremony, it's best to do all photos before the wedding, as daylight is crucial to getting amazing portraits for your families, bridal party and your couples portraits. Making sure I have enough time while the sun is up is a great way to make the traditional ceremony work.

If it rains

Savannah weather changes quickly, especially on summer afternoons. A rainy wedding day takes a little more flexibility, and it can photograph beautifully.

• Order a few clear umbrellas ahead of time. They let light through and look clean in photos.
• Ask your venue about covered or indoor spots with good natural light, so I have a plan before I need one.
• Keep a pair of shoes you don't mind getting wet for walking between locations.
• Check in with your planner and vendors a few days out so everyone knows the rain plan.

A little flexibility

If you're not working with a planner, it might also be a good idea to check in with your entire vendor team to make sure they're aware of the weather. Hair and makeup may need to be tweaked to withstand humidity and if your wedding is outdoors, DJs and bands may need to take extra precaution to protect their gear. A quality rental team can also minimize the amount of mud at outdoor events.

While I can't guarantee that rain on your wedding day is good luck, I can put a plan in place to ensure a beautiful day and beautiful images.

Rainy day weddings may require a little more flexibility and creativity, but there isn't any reason why they can't be as beautiful and as joyful as sunny weddings!