A Bride’s Checklist for Amazing Wedding Detail Shots

Hey, brides! We want to let you in on a little secret – more often than not, we see small details forgotten that can make a huge impact on the quality of your wedding photos. There are so many details that go into planning the entire wedding that many people forget little things like a pretty hanger for the wedding dress. Items like that are so minute in the grand scheme of everything, but make a huge difference in the quality of your wedding detail shots.

We know some of you are probably thinking, “Who the heck cares about wedding detail shots? They aren’t important to me.” We hear you and totally get it!

To be frank, if we didn’t see the differences in detail photos with and without the items we are about to mention, we would probably say the same thing. We’re pretty practical people around here! We are sharing this list because we feel it’s important, and the items below are so easy and make a HUGE difference in your wedding detail shots. The small details are a part of framing your entire wedding story.

We teamed up with an amazing photographer, Christine Kim owner of Ji Chérir Photography, to put together a bride’s checklist for amazing wedding detail shots. Her passion for capturing all of the details throughout the entire day is incredible.

Christine’s vision for every wedding is to create a story with her couple’s photos. “Brides spend anywhere from 9-16 months planning their wedding – capturing all of the details is incredibly important and worth going the extra mile. So, for me, it’s just not a pretty flat lay, it’s how I tell their story from the very beginning. Designing by using sentimental items such as rings or their invitation suite is the least I can do for them. It helps them to remember their entire wedding, from when they chose their invitation designs to them saying “I do.” In the end, the only thing that’s left from your wedding is your photographs.”

Here’s Christine’s checklist of essential things to capture amazing wedding detail shots!

Time

If you enjoy detail photos, give your photographer enough time! Christine recommends 30-45 minutes for detail shots.

Florals

Ask your florist to leave you extra flowers and greenery. Bringing an organic element to the flat lay (the gorgeous detail photos of your invitations, accessories, etc.) makes a world of a difference!

Box It Up

Christine recommends for brides to put everything for detail photos in a shoe box or a container. Your shoes, accessories, rings, invitations, etc. are organized and ready to go! Time is of the essence; the last thing photographers want is to send someone on a scavenger hunt while you all are enjoying the morning!

Hangers

Every wedding professional cringes when they see a gorgeous dress on a plastic hanger. So many brides miss this little detail!

Why Christine is AMAZING! – In case you forgot pretty hangers, she has them in her photo kit to avoid such a tragedy. Christine recommends buying a pack of wooden hangers for your dress and the bridesmaid dresses at HomeGoods!

Ring Boxes

This isn’t for everyone mostly because of the price tag. However, having a velvet ring box that matches your wedding colors is a photographer’s love language. The infamous Mrs. Box is known to the wedding industry as one of the most iconic ring boxes out there, especially for detail photographs. But with a hefty price tag, a lot of brides will skip on this. You can go on Etsy to find similar options, which are also excellent! Having a display case for your rings makes it easy for photographers to take beautiful eagle eye detail shots.

When we get client’s wedding photos, we love seeing the progression of the day. From the bride getting her makeup done to the couple breaking it down on the dance floor, the photos capture special moments that create a story and can bring back memories years later. Every great photographer captures the smallest details that help portray the entire story of the day. When you are working through the final logistics, remember this checklist so you can have amazing wedding detail shots that complete your story!

All photos by Ji Chérir