Bridal Sessions
If you’re new to bridal sessions and haven’t heard of one before, that’s okay! Bridal sessions are such a great way to have a day separate from your wedding day that is set aside to focus only on you.
How are bridal sessions different than pictures on the day?
On your wedding day, your thoughts, expressions, and feelings will be related to walking down the aisle and spending time with your family and friends. Having a separate session apart from the wedding day just allows you more time to relax and focus on the moment and happiness of the days leading up to your wedding day. This tends to lead to images that feel more relaxed and peaceful.
As bridal sessions have a slower pace to them, they tend to allow more focus more on the little details of your hair, jewelry, and dress.
In most cases, your bridal session will take place at your venue, allowing you to use spaces that may not be available on your wedding day.
We use different lenses and lighting for bridal sessions. As we’re afforded more time with bridal sessions, we can use a wider variety of our lens lineup, including our 105mm 1.4 Art ‘Bokeh Master,’ and can shoot in lower apertures, creating high bokeh images with stunning detail.
If you’re looking for a way to have a ‘test run’ of how your wedding dress will feel on your wedding day, having a bridal session is a great way to do so. This is a great time to do a trial run of your hair and makeup so you can not only get a sense of how your styles will last throughout the day but also see how everything translates to images, just in case you’d like to make any adjustments before your wedding day.
Helpful tips & things to consider
Unless not an option, 90% to 95% of bridal sessions are done at a bride’s wedding venue. In most cases, your venue will provide this option free of charge. In cases where your wedding venue is not an option, with the exception of using our studio in Jacksonville, NC, please note that almost all locations used for bridal sessions will have a session location/permitting fee of between $150 to $250.
Bridal sessions are normally a mix of indoor and outdoor photos. Select a location that has an indoor location. Why is having an indoor location so important?
One of the main goals of having a bridal session is to create images that are as flawless as possible. This includes your dress, hair, and makeup. As weather, humidity, and wind are so unpredictable, we will normally start sessions in an indoor space before moving outside to allow for your hair, makeup, and dress to stay as pristine as possible for the majority of your gallery.
Weather back-up. As so often, bridal sessions need to be scheduled closer to your wedding date, the availability to reschedule can be limited. Using an indoor space allows us to have a weather backup, even on days when the weather may be great the day of but where the ground is muddy from rain the previous days.
Getting ready. To prevent wrinkling, we always recommend changing into your dress once you have arrived rather than before. Having a location where there is access to an area where you can change (oftentimes, you will need help!) will help to make getting in and out of your dress much easier.
If your venue doesn’t provide the option or is unavailable when you need to schedule your bridal session, please know you can schedule your session to be in our studio. (Please see below for more information.)
Choose a day mid-week. Bridal sessions typically occur mid-week when it is more likely for locations and your hair and makeup artist to have availability.
Timing of your session. As a standard, we only schedule one session per day to allow for the utmost flexibility to work around your schedule so please know you don’t need to know your exact start time when scheduling your session. (We’ll confirm all the details with you during our pre-session overview call!) For bridal sessions, our start time is normally centered around your hair and makeup trial and your venue/location availability. However, if you do have an option, we always recommend setting the start time of your session as late in the day as possible, when the sun is a little lower and there is more access to shady areas (this also helps during summer months as it can be really hot and humid outside!)
Make sure there is an area where you can change into your wedding dress. We typically try to also capture a picture of your dress on the hanger, so we do recommend changing into your dress after you arrive at the location. Please keep this in mind and choose a location with an area available where you can change.
This is a great way to have a test run! A bridal session is a great opportunity to do a test run of your makeup, hair, and nails before your wedding as these sessions are a perfect time to schedule your hair and makeup trials.
Check your alteration timeline. You will need your wedding dress altered for the session, so you’ll want to schedule it for a time after when you receive your dress back from the seamstress or store of purchase.
Have a bouquet. We always recommend trying to have a bouquet for your session, if possible. Oftentimes, florists will have a discounted rate for bridal portrait bouquets.
Ordering prints or canvases for your wedding day? If you plan on ordering prints from your bridal session for your reception, please be sure to schedule your session at least one month before your wedding day.
Your dress can get dirty. Please also remember that your wedding dress can get dirty during your session. While great care is taken to prevent this, you may have to have your dress cleaned before your wedding. This is especially true for silk and satin gowns. Be sure to check before booking your session on availability and pricing for cleaning your dress just in case it is needed. You can also find some helpful tips to keep in mind during the session to help prevent your dress from getting dirty.
Putting on the Dress. As it is more likely that the outer and upper areas of your dress will touch the ground as you get ready, bring a bed sheet or light blanket with you that can be put on the ground where you are getting dressed.
Bugs. Bugs love to crawl in wedding dresses, especially ones with lace and tool. If you see one in our on your dress, resist the urge to smash it and coax it out safely as these little guys and definitely leave behind a mess otherwise.
Keep Your Dress Tucked in Beside You. As you walk from place to place, grab the sides of your dress and pull them in front of you to prevent it from brushing up against walkways, doorways, and plants.
Super concerned about your dress getting dirty? Schedule a studio session instead! Our fine art bridal studio sessions are available in our Jacksonville, NC location and provide a safe and more controlled environment that helps to prevent unnecessary dirt from getting on your dress. You can use our normal online availability calendar to schedule (add a note that you would like for it to be a fine art studio session) or use the calendar found here if you are scheduling a session within the next 60 days.
Bring a friend. Bring a friend or two who can help carry your train if you can. As a major plus, friends are super helpful in making you laugh during your session. However, it is important that you bring someone with you who is super supportive and remind them that this session is a time for you to have fun and not point out your flaws. If you get into a doubtful or self-conscious mindset during the session, it can be hard to pull you out of this head space, which will show in your photos. Please know that we try to be conscientious of what we are capturing and will always combine adjustments we mention to you with what we know we can adjust in editing while trying to make sure that you feel as confident and comfortable as possible.
Save your shoes for your wedding day. As so few photos (especially with dresses long enough to cover your feet) will show your shoes, and there will be a lot of walking and standing during your session, so opt for comfy shoes and preserve your wedding day shoes for your detail photos on the wedding day.
What time should I schedule my hair and makeup for? At least three hours before your bridal session. For bridal sessions, in most cases, you’ll be scheduling your hair and makeup trial the same day as your bridal session. It is so important that you give yourself the time to be able to communicate with your hair and makeup team and try new things, which is why we always recommend giving yourself at least a three hour buffer between the start of your hair and makeup appointment and the start of your session.
Length of session. Bridal sessions typically last approximately 60 minutes and will have an end product of approximately 60 images.
Bridal sessions in our studio. If you are having your session in our studio, here are a couple things to know:
Your hair and makeup artist is welcome. If you are using a hair and makeup artist who exclusively travels, please know you are welcome to have them come to the studio. Our studio is outfitted with dual beauty stations set next to natural light. When making your booking, schedule for the time you would like for images to begin being taken and add a note or email us to let us know what time you and your hair and makeup artist will be arriving that day.
We have a variety of setups. If you have a specific feel in mind, please don’t hesitate to let us know. You can find more information about backdrops, furniture and studio features by clicking here.
Benefits. Because studio sessions provide a more controlled environment with ideal lighting, they can produce better images, especially if you have concerns about your dress getting dirty or concerns with being too cold or too hot and humid during your session.
Ready to schedule your bridal session?
Bridal sessions are most typically scheduled between 4 to 10 weeks prior to the wedding after your dress has arrived and has been altered. Please note, our availability is always very limited in the months of May and October so be sure to keep this in mind as you plan out your bridal session timing.
Decide on your indoor location. If you are using your venue, check with your point of contact at the venue for availability.
Ready to book? Yay!!~ When you are ready to book your session, you can view online availability and select your date by clicking here.
