Are Detail Photos Really That Important?

The first 45 minutes of a wedding day are typically reserved for photographing the brides details. These could include the invitation suite, jewelry, shoes, dresses, gifts, and any other small things that have big significance. If you’ve followed any photographer for any length of time, you’ve noticed that we LOVE detail pictures.  But are they really important in telling the story of the day? In short…YES!

1.) As a bride, you’ve put a lot of thought and heart into your details. It would be a disservice as your photographer to NOT capture them! 

If you’re anything like me, you may have tried on 12 different necklaces before taking one to the cash register. Or perhaps you wanted to incorporate your grandma into some part of the day – and you landed on wearing the earrings she wore on her wedding day. Your engagement ring was probably the most perfect surprise – or maybe, you and your boyfriend spent 2 months picking a style before he bought one for you. When you try on “the dress”, it may hit you for the first time that you’re marrying the man of your dreams. Although they may be little in size, these details take a big place in your heart. They help tell the story of your wedding day – so of course they should be photographed!

2.) Details help tell the color story of your wedding day 

Wedding themes and colors are something you may decide on before you even choose a venue! The design process for a bride is more than picking pretty tablecloths and centerpieces. It’s identifying the aesthetics you love and bringing that dream to life. In the wedding album especially, the detail shots can help bring your design all together. They honor the story and design you worked so hard to achieve!

3.) It will be fun for your kids and grand kids to see one day!

If you’re anything like my parents (or Monica and Chandler from Friends!), you’ll get your invitations framed and hung on the wall. The invitation for my mom and dad’s wedding is hanging on the wall in the dining room; it may be a little faded, but it’s sweet thinking about them mailing those out before any of us kids even existed. It would be so fun to see that invitation styled with the shoes my mom wore and their wedding rings! I wore my grandma’s pearl earrings on my wedding day. What if there was a picture of her invitation with the earrings, and then a picture of MY invitation and her earrings? How special!

 

One tip I give brides is to get all their details ready a couple of days before the wedding. Taking the tags off and boxing them up together saves everyone time. The bride doesn’t have to remember where she put everything, the maid of honor doesn’t have to start cutting tags off, and I can start shooting immediately upon arrival. Us photographers love those ring pictures, but I hope you’ve learned that it’s not just because they’re shiny (although that doesn’t hurt!).

To see some of my favorite detail shots, click here, here, and here!