Let's Do A Bridal Session! What They Are + Why You Should Do One
There's this magical thing called a bridal session that is pretty big over in the PNW, and I'm over here wishing it would become a thing in the Midwest as well (I'll even settle on having it just be a Chicago thing, that's fine too).
First, let's define what a bridal session even IS. A bridal session is a photoshoot that can take place before or after the wedding where the bride and groom get dressed up in their wedding attire for an additional photo sesh.
Now, I know what you're thinking. Maybe something along the lines of, "That seems a little excessive, why don't you just get all the pictures of me in my dress/tux on the DAY OF the wedding...isn't that what we hired you for?" Or perhaps more along the lines of, "I don't want my husband/wife to see me before the wedding in my dress/tux, so this wouldn't work for me." Or maybe even, "For the love of god, how many more photo sessions could possibly be involved with a wedding?"
I hear you, but lemme educate--
Reasons why bridal sessions are amazing + also why you should do one:
1) You don't get to pick the weather the day of your wedding.
I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but no matter how many rain dances you do, Mother Nature is just gonna do her thing regardless of it being your big day, and we will have to plan accordingly. HOWEVER, if we plan a bridal session, we get some say in this whole weather situation. Rainy day? Reschedule. 30+ MPH winds? Reschedule. Anything but blue skies and butterflies? Reschedule. We can literally pick the SEASON for your bridals. See where I'm going with this? It takes a WHOLE lot of pressure off your wedding day if you know that you will have perfect pictures of you and your partner regardless of Tom Skilling's forecast.
2) You get to actually BE at your wedding. Like, all of it.
Here's the thing, a bridal session only includes the bride + groom, so there will still be some time carved out of your wedding day for pictures, obviously. And honestly, most brides+grooms express that the bridal party picture portion of their wedding day is a blast. The other thing is that while we don't have to worry so much about checking off every shot on the list, I still want to document every minute of your day, so I will still be taking pictures of the two of you just as I would had you not booked a bridal session. However, the bridal session allows us to not worry about squeezing in pictures every free moment you guys have, and it frees up some time for you guys to get a beverage at cocktail hour or, dare I say, sit down and EAT. And freedom is a beautiful thing, my friends.
3) We can choose a sweet destination.
Let's say the feel of your wedding is more natural, bohemian, and outdoorsy, but you wish you were able to incorporate the city feel into your images. Or, let's say the opposite, you got married in the city, but you'd love the beautiful, airy, outdoorsy bridal images you've been pinning to your secret wedding Pinterest board since 2011. With a bridal session, you can have it all. We can go somewhere completely opposite of where your wedding will be, or have a completely different vision than the one reserved for your wedding day. Your bridal session also allows you to choose a bunch of places you wouldn't have been able to get to within the timeframe carved out for pictures on the day of your wedding. It's a win-win-winwinwin.
4) You can treat your bridals as a trial run (this is for before the big day bridal sessions).
Brides, you get a trial for your hair and makeup, no? Well, what better opportunity to see how your hair and makeup will look in pictures than to schedule your bridal session the same day as your trials, so you can get the feel of how everything will come together on the day of. If you decide to do your bridal session after the wedding, you can go for a completely different look than the one you chose for your wedding day. Torn between wearing your hair up or down? Not sure if you want a smoky eye or something more natural? I've got an idea on how you can have both...are you starting to see a pattern?
5) They say "You only wear it once."
And until bridal sessions that statement was true, and it kinda sucks. I wish I had excuses to wear my wedding dress in public again, but it's not 1994, and I'm not Dennis Rodman. But I'm here to give you an excuse to do exactly that! Get more wear out of that gorgeous gown/handsome tux of yours, and when you're done with your session, book yourselves a dinner at your favorite restaurant and have a second reception. Guaranteed you will at least get free drinks or dessert waltzing into the restaurant in your dress and tux. Are you starting to see the value, here?!
6) Science says, it's good for you.
Or maybe it doesn't, but you know what is good for you? Things that bring you joy, and based on my scientific findings, bridal sessions bring joy to my clients 100% of the time. Getting dressed in clothes that remind you of one of the happiest days of your life, and then having a beautiful set of images documenting all the memories from this time in your relationship can't help but make you all warm and fuzzy, and warm and fuzzy is good. Therefore, bridal sessions are good for you. Science.
Are there any readers who did a bridal session? What was your favorite part? Let us know in the comments!
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@shellyshimonphotography
