Most people think of a bridal portrait session as the traditional studio portrait of the bride in her wedding dress (not on the wedding day).
But for me, I prefer a more casual & fun bridal portrait session in the same style as my other portrait sessions. With the help of a white sheet, lots of things are possible that we wouldn’t have the time to do on the wedding day. And it can all be done without ruining your dress, even outdoors. Of course, planning an outdoor bridal portrait session outdoors does have a few unique challenges so if you are thinking about it, here are 7 tips to help you prepare for an outdoor bridal portrait session.
TIP 1
We will be walking, sitting, maybe even spinning in circles, so bring along a couple white sheets to help your dress stay clean (or I can bring mine, just ask) and comfortable shoes to make it easier to move from location to location.
TIP 2
Try on your dress the day before the bridal portrait session. Even if all your alterations are done the dress might need a little tweaking and you may need to bring along clothespins, safety pins, or fabric tape.
TIP 3
Plan to bring someone with you so they can help you carry your shoes, the dress, sheets, and even hold your veil. Plus it’s always more fun to share the experience with someone and they can even photobomb a couple of the photos!
TIP 4
The outdoors are unpredictable so if you are worried about getting something on your dress then this is NOT a good choice for you. I do my best and won’t have you drag your dress down a dirt road – but you should expect to pick off a few leaves, pieces of grass, or get a little dirt on the dress. We always plan an indoor backup option too (just in case) since you can’t reschedule hair & makeup appointments.
TIP 5
DON’T FORGET THE FLOWERS!! You don’t have to buy a second bridal bouquet, although some florists will give you a discount when you do, but having a bouquet is an easy, colorful prop that will make the photos look even better. Or bring along your wedding bands (both of them) and be sure to have them cleaned or polished.
TIP 6
Pamper yourself and get a manicure too! Your hands will be in the photos, sometimes right by your face, so rather than trying to hide them go ahead and get a trial run done of your nails along with your makeup. You only get married once after all, live it up!
Above all, even bridal portrait sessions should be fun and capture your personality. The best part about doing a bridal portrait session before the wedding day, besides being stress-free, is to get photos you can’t get on the wedding day because of the location or tighter schedule. So have a glass of wine, relax, and have fun with it!
