Getting ready

You have spent months, maybe even years choosing every last detail of your bridal look. From the shoes and flowers, to the beautiful earrings your Mom picked out and all the way to the necklace that every woman in your family wore on her wedding day. Every detail counts. Every detail is important. And every detail deserves to be photographed in the best way possible.

This week, I want to share with all of you the “YPP top 5 tips for your wedding day detail photos!” When you go to check out your bridal suite, or talk to your venue florist and Maid of Honor, these are the top things to consider!

Windows, Windows and more Windows

Whenever I walk into a bridal suite and see natural light flowing in and big, beautiful windows all around, my heart does a happy dance! Windows are a photographers best friend, especially in the Bride and Groom getting ready rooms! The natural light is the best light! It will make your rings shine like no other, your flowers pop and your dress look stunning and elegant all in one. Before your big day, take some time and talk to your venue or hotel to make sure there are plenty of windows in both the Bride and Groom getting ready rooms! We want to photograph your details with the best like as possible!

Put it all together!

You have a million and ten things going on the morning of your wedding, getting all the bridal details together shouldn’t be one of them! Sometime the week before your wedding day, put all of your bridal details together in a box (besides the dress of course)! This should include everything you want photographed! Here is the YPP List of Details to consider:

• Invitation
• Perfume
• Rings
• Shoes
• Earrings
• Bracelets
• Necklaces
• Other Jewelry
• Veil (maybe not actually in the box, but near it)
• Hair pieces
• Keepsakes
• Gifts

Bridesmaid Dress

If you are anything like me, you absolutely love color and tones, that is why your wedding colors are essential in telling your bridal story! Ask one of your bridesmaids to volunteer her dress while we photograph your details! It will add that little extra something to tie it all together!

Bouquets and Extra Petals

You can never have enough flowers on your wedding day! They are elegant, fresh and beautiful! Have your florist deliver your bouquet to your getting ready location! This will give us plenty of time to photograph the incredible bouquet you will be holding as you say “I do!” When you chat with your florist the week of your wedding, ask them if they can include some extra petals or the flowers that they clipped off when finishing your bouquet! The petals and extra flowers will be an incredible accent for your detail photos!

Enough Time

I always suggest at least 45 minutes for the bridal detail photo portion of the morning! I know, you might think it sounds like too much time, but those 45 minutes fly by and your bridal details deserve to be captured and forever remembered! You carefully selected each and every bridal detail, let’s make sure we have plenty of time to feature them!

There is something so special about capturing a woman’s bridal details. It is so personal, intimate and incredibly touching. Your details deserve the best light, the best care and the best love we can offer and if you ask me, these five tips will let you love your details in the best way possible!

“Do you know how to do this?” the Best Man asked me as he held up his boutonniere in confusion. I smiled. This is a question I get asked at every wedding I photograph. No matter how many groomsmen there are or how many weddings they have all been to, this (along with the pocket square) is always a question and a debate. There is always that one guy who knows how to do it.

Do you want to be that guy??!

Great! Here is how to properly secure a Boutonniere!

First thing is first… Boutonnieres go on the left. 

Follow these 5 steps to ensure that all the boutonnieres look on point and consistent!

1. Position the boutonniere on the left lapel.

   The boutonniere should be pined in the middle of the lapel, above the pocket square and lower than the tie or bowtie. If you are pinning the boutonniere on to someone else, it should be to the right of the tie.  People are going to ask you “Are you sure it goes on the left” YES, you are sure!

2. Fold the Lapel over the boutonniere.

   I like to call this “the taco move.” Once you have the boutonniere in the correct place on the lapel, hold the flower in place and fold over the lapel. The lapel should form a taco-like shape, hence “the taco move.” The boutonniere is the beefy delicious substance and the lapel is the shell that holds it all together.

3. Pin starting from the back of the lapel.
   

   
   Once you have your flower taco, take the needle, (which should have been supplied with the boutonniere), and insert the pin into the back of lapel and boutonniere in a downward angle.

4. Pin through the thickest part of the flower. 

   You want to make sure that the pin is going through the thickest part of the boutonniere, which will be the stem flower.  Remember, the thicker the more sturdy it is!

5. Check the boutonniere is secure.

   The best way to ensure the boutonniere is securely fastened is by inserting the needle at a downward angle. Check to make sure it is secure by moving the boutonniere from side to side. Use a second pin if necessary.

With these 5 easy steps the bridesmaids, and more importantly the bride will be insanely impressed by your fabulous boutonniere skills!

It feels like every time I scroll through Instragram or hop onto Pinterest there are more and more adorable photos of bridesmaids in cute matching outfits (and this is coming from a photographer who gets to see it on a weekly bases)… and every time I see a new idea I think “OMG, that is SO cute, I want something like that!” So I completely understand if you are overwhelmed with all the amazing options!

How do you decide which one is right for you and your getting ready photos!? Do you go for the matching Pajama set? Floral Robe? Do you get really funky with it and get all of your girls matching onesies? Or, do you go for the casual plaid shirt, yoga bottom combo!?