Another photographer emailed me this question below… so I thought it would be nice to answer on here!

“Jenny,

Here’s a question, bridal shoots. I love the idea of doing bridal shoots beforehand, but how do talk your brides into the idea of wearing their dress before the wedding? Are they worried about getting it dirty? Do they need to get it cleaned? “

Bridal sessions are awesome. Honestly one of my favorite sessions to do.

Seriously, who has ever seen an ugly bride? Women just look incredible decked out in their wedding attire.

And a Bridal session means I get an entire hour to shoot that beautiful girl alone (vs the wedding day where I have about 10-15 minutes for these shots usually)! It is centered around the bride, her dress, and usually in front of a unique backdrop.

So, here are a couple tips for photographers who shoot bridal sessions (or want to shoot them more)… and for brides out there interested in doing one of these sessions themselves.

Schedule them out far in advance: I usually recommend taking these photos at least a month or so before the big day. One, it is less stressful. Things get crazy in that last month before the wedding. Two, it gives you a chance to try out your hair and makeup as well (schedule your trials that morning of the session). See how the make up and hair last throughout the session and day. It’s a great way to test it out! Same with your dress. I had one bride who realized she had to keep tugging up her dress during our bridal session. She then was able to make some alterations before the wedding so it fit more comfortably on the actual day.

Keeping the dress clean: I will be honest, my brides typically are very concerned about their dress if we do the session before their wedding day but I tell them that I care about their dress too. We make precautions to be sure the dress does not get messed up. This might mean placing a sheet under the bottom or a plastic bag to keep the dress from hitting the ground. My brides really trust me and that helps them feel more at ease.

Pick a location that fits you and your wedding: I can suggest many locations around town, or maybe you have a favorite spot in mind.  But either way, pick a spot that fits you and the feel of your wedding day. Most of my brides add these images in to their albums as well.. so you want the flow of the images to match the rest of the wedding shots.

Bring Help: Extra help is always appreciated at a bridal session. Some one to help you carry your dress or belongings.

Props are ok too: Many brides also bring along a bouquet similar to the style they plan to have on their wedding day. You can also bring umbrellas, balloons, your veil, etc. Anything really that fits your wedding!

You pay so much for your beautiful gown…. why not have more shots of you in it? 🙂

What do you guys think? Any other tips you have to share? Or ideas on a fun bridal session?

Here are some examples of bridal sessions… enjoy!