Welcome back to our "Ask the Photographer" series! If you haven't been following along, we have been asking our favorite local photographer friends their opinions on the latest trends in wedding photography. Including having an unplugged ceremony, having a first look, and taking engagement photos. And while most couples book an engagement session with their photographers, not as many brides book their own separate bridal session. However many of our photographer experts agree that booking a separate session for just you can be a very smart decision not only for the amazing photos that would result, but for many other practical reasons as well, keep reading to learn why!
"Selfishly I LOVE shooting bridal portraits because they are just so fun and it’s amazing to have all of that time photographing my beautiful bride without the time constraints of a real wedding day, but when it comes to my brides experience I wholeheartedly believe that extra time spent in your dress enables you to feel more comfortable and confident the day of. You’re able to test run your hair, makeup, dress, flowers, and shoes to make sure you are 100% satisfied with your decisions & the fit of your bridal items. Many brides realize after their bridal session that their dress needs a little nip here and a tuck there. The same goes for hair and makeup! And of course it’s so fun to have those extra moments feeling like a bride, it’s a special time to take in and enjoy with your maid of honor or mom, and it enables you to have a beautiful portrait to display at your reception and then later in your home!" -Britt Croft Photography
"While I strive to capture the bride alone on the wedding day, there usually isn't a ton of time allotted for this. A bridal session ensures that the bride will have lots of gorgeous portraits...without the pressure of timelines! It's also an excellent opportunity for the bride to see how her hair and makeup will look on the wedding day, how long it will take her to get dressed, etc. It's great practice for the big day!" -Whitney Wysong Photography
"Bridal portrait sessions are hands-down one of my favorite sessions to capture! On the wedding day, emotions are running high. After months and months of planning the perfect gown, accessories, hair and makeup, you want to ensure that everything fits just right. The bridal portrait session gives you the chance to give your wedding day look a “test run” with your sweetest ladies. It’s always such a special moment for the bride and her mother, sisters, or maid-of-honor to get a sneak peek at the bride in all her bridal beauty! You can ensure you know how to button the dress in the most efficient of ways, that your hair will hold, and that your grandmother’s heirloom bracelet won’t snag the dress. Plus, bridal portrait sessions allow you to take photos in unique spots that you might not be able to access on the wedding day. I’ve done everything from the bride’s childhood home, to a particularly important venue to the bride, to the most stunning of properties! More than anything, who doesn’t want an excuse to wear that gorgeous gown more than once for your wedding experience?!" -Lauren Carnes Photography
"Bridal sessions are great, however I can say that they are not necessary if you don’t need a portrait for the wedding day, because we can get great images of you on the wedding day and print your portraits from those. The primary reason that I encourage it is because EVERY bride changes their hairstyle slightly from the bridal portrait session. Every! So it is obviously a great way to help you finalize your your perfect wedding look. It does take off some of the stress for the bride also since they learn a little how best to pose in their gown." -Mark Williams Studio
"My brides that have bridal sessions seem a little more comfortable on their wedding days. They have had a true trial run with the dress, shoes, hair and makeup. I love that it provides us with calm and unhurried time to capture the bride in the most important outfit of her life – her wedding dress!" -Ashley Seawell Photography
Image by Britt Croft Photography.
