Bridal portraits are still somewhat of a Southern tradition. Being that I spent several years in the south planning weddings, I have come to adore bridal portraits and love seeing them of all lovely brides. In fact, when I was getting married, I have slight regrets that I opted out to take them before my wedding day.
Below, we’re sharing a beautiful styled shoot captured by Erika Aileen of Erika Aileen Photography.
The photographer says, “This shoot came together as the perfect mix of free-spirited modern design elements and feminine florals. Yellow tends to be such an underplayed color with weddings and we wanted the beautiful yellow flowers to be the star of the show as the other elements remained natural and not overly dramatic.”
“This shoot came together as the perfect mix of free-spirited modern design elements and feminine florals.”
On having a separate bridal shoot before your wedding Erika says, “I honestly love this tradition! My grandmother and mother both had bridals done and those images are actually some of the ones I remember hanging on the walls of their homes when I was little that began to pique my interest in photography and the sentimentality of it all. “
Feeling inspired by these images, I’ve thought of five fun reasons to get Bridals taken before your wedding day:
1.) Decor purposes- If you take your bridals in enough time before the wedding, your photographer can edit and deliver them for you to print for reception welcome decor! (Tip: Have your coordinator place the portrait and cover it so no guests or your future spouse, lays eyes on them until after the ceremony. Then, your coordinator or decorator removes the cover before guests enter!)
2.) Hair and Make Up Trial runs- If you booked a stylist that is doing both your hair and make up, what added fun to that trial that you get to put your dress on after and take photos! Its like a wedding day dress rehearsal!
3.) Save photo time on your wedding day by doing Bridals in advance- Your wedding day schedule will be jam packed enough between first looks, group shots, family photos and post-ceremony couple portraits of you as newlyweds. If you want to dedicate a special time for you to do bridals and not feel the pressure of the timeline and waiting guests, doing them before saves the time!
4.) Memento- Portraits from bridals can be a frozen in time memento. A forever bride-to-be image to share with your posterity.
5.) Ultimately, it’s never a bad idea to have a fun, personal excuse to wear your wedding dress for more than one day. Look how much fun this beauty had for this shoot!
Did you do bridal portraits? Share you experience in the comments!
Other Participating Vendors:
Wedding Photography: Erika Aileen Photography // Floral Designer: Dogwood & Twine // Styling: Erin Gough // Model/Bride: Abby Hayes // Wedding Dress: Nha Khanh // Jewelry: Shane Co. // Hair & Makeup: Lola Hair Artistry // Flatware: Hearth & Hand // Chairs/Rentals: Heart’s Arrow Events // Invitations: Artifact Uprising // Macarons: Sweet Revolution Bake Shop // Ribbon: Silk & Willow
