Getting married is undeniably a once-in-a-lifetime experience and a bridal portrait session that captures your best self will be such a sweet memento of that special time. After all, a shot in which a bride is dressed in her complete wedding look does complete a couple's wedding album beautifully. Furthermore, having a special session dedicated especially for you will immortalize the intimate moments and emotions you experience as the bride. Today, Melissa of Studio June shares her thoughts and advices so you can create a timeless bridal portrait session even for years to come.
When Should It Be Done?
Depending on the bride and the wedding day schedule, some brides may have the time to do their bridal portrait session on the wedding day. Ideally, it should be done right after the bride is finished with her hair & makeup and all dressed up for the wedding day procession.
Some other brides, however, might feel that a bridal portrait session on the wedding day is a stressful task to do. Especially for destination weddings that usually have a tight wedding schedule. "We often recommend doing one not long after or maybe the day after the for destination weddings. Without the pressures of the wedding timeline, the bride is usually more relaxed and the photographer will also have more time to explore and be creative with the location, theme or poses," Melissa recommends.
What Theme Should I Use?
The theme of the shoot will determine the look & feel of the photo results in the end. "We feel that the theme should be unique to each bride. It should reflect her personality, story and what she wants to express through the photographs," Melissa explained.
Nowadays, it's really easy to gather inspirations from social media, which is useful indeed. "But it can also be overwhelming and cloud the bride's vision of their ideal bridal portrait session. Thus, consider not to blindly follow what's 'in trend'. Instead, pick a theme that is most enjoyable and expresses your personality the best," Melissa added.
On top of it all, good communication with the photographer and stylist is the main key to a successful bridal portrait session. "Trust us. Just relax and enjoy the moment," Melissa said.
How Much Though Should You Put in the Details?
Personal details and properties are essential to make a bridal portrait session more intimate. But then again, it will be different to each bride; it should really depend on what she wants. For instance, if you love flowers and prefer an outdoor shoot, then it would be a great idea to include your wedding bouquet and shoot the photos in natural surroundings.
If you want, you can also combine the bridal portrait session with a boudoir session as well. As more and more brides have decided to have boudoir shots on the wedding day, it is absolutely an option worth considering. "It can be a wonderful present to your husband and combining these sessions will produce delicate and intimate photos. There's nothing dreamier and sexier than delicate lingerie and a beautiful veil," Melissa said.
Melissa also recommends incorporating something that has deeper meaning for the couple or the bride for the session. "Whether it's an heirloom passed on by parents or your favorite pet, if it makes the bride feel more comfortable, then the options are limitless!"
In conclusion, there is no standard rule in arranging a bridal portrait session as it should be personal and expresses the bride's true character. Being a film photographer herself, Melissa commented further regarding the differences in shooting with film or digital. According to her, it's only a matter of different formats and the way the photographer works. "At the end of the day, no matter the medium is, the bride should trust their photographer. Because we want nothing else but to make her look beautiful, capture her emotions and convey her unique personality through each picture," she closed.
Scroll back up to see bridal portrait inspirations, shot and styled by Studio June!
