Bridal sessions are great for many reasons, and the majority of my brides go ahead and include this session in their collection. The most common reason to do it is so you can frame a gorgeous giant print or canvas to display at your wedding reception! Guests love to see a beautiful image of the bride right there when they walk in, since they won't get to see any other images for a few weeks after the wedding! It's also a kind of test for your wedding day - like if there are adjustments needed for your hair and makeup choices, your dress, your bouquet, etc, these photos will show you that and give you time to pick something you'll like better.

Here are some of my best tips for you to prepare for your bridal session!

Retouching a sunburn, tan lines or sunspots is pretty difficult in post production, and can mean extra retouching fees (depending on the severity). Try to stay away from the sun or use a great sunscreen for at least a week before the session, if not longer. 

Please consider not using spray or lotion tan products. If you do decide to get a sunless tan, make sure you do a practice run (way before our session so it has time to wear off if needed) with your product of choice to make sure it doesn't turn you orange, AND when it's time to tan for the bridal session make sure you do it a few days in advance so it's less likely to come off on your gorgeous white gown if you sweat.
Also note: sunless tanning products have come a long way in recent years, but certain ones still may photograph a bit more orange-y than they look in person. If you do a sunless tan, you may end up a little more orange in photos than you think you are in person!

Is the person you're bringing positive and uplifting? Do they make you feel confident or do they make you feel stressed? Bring someone who will add love, lightness and laughter to your shoot. It's totally normal to feel a little nervous about having portraits done, but having a fabulous, familiar person there can make you feel more confident.
If you feel more comfortable with nobody watching, that's fine too! I can help you with your dress and everything myself (and I definitely bring the positivity and love).

Trust me, you'll enjoy the shoot much more without trying to dedicate part of your brain to texts, phone calls and pictures. It can be really distracting to you (and to me, if your friend is snapping photos on their cell phone throughout the session) so it's best to just unplug for a little while and enjoy the moment!

Time of day is super important for bridal sessions. Wedding gowns tend to be made of some pretty reflective materials, so it's imperative that we choose the right time of day to reduce glare and reflections on the dress. We want you to be glowing, but not because you're reflecting the sun! I recommend shooting the last hour or two before sunset.

1. STAY OUT OF THE SUN A WEEK BEFORE YOUR SESSION

2. consider your sunless tan plan

3. Bring the right person to the session

Get a bouquet and bring all your accessories. You'll want your veil, any hair pieces, and all jewelry. Get your ring cleaned (and a manicure for those nice closeup ring shots). If you have your wedding band, you might want to wear that too!

During your bridal session we'll be traipsing all over creation (probably) and your shoes will get dirty. It's somewhat unavoidable. Since shoes are more of an accessory that is photographed with the details on the wedding day, you can wear any pair of shoes under your dress for the bridals (I suggest something comfy with the same height heel that you had your dress altered for) and save your pretty bridal shoes for the wedding day. The one exception would be if your dress is shorter and your shoes are actually visible all the time!

If you're planning to hire a hair and makeup artist for your wedding day, you should definitely use them for your bridal session. Like I said in the intro paragraph, a bridal session is almost like a test run of how your dress, hair and makeup (and bouquet) will all come together and how it will all photograph. It's also your chance to make sure your hair and makeup artist hears your vision and can give you what you're looking for, especially if it's someone you've never worked with before!

To follow up on tip #8, you should also be mindful of your makeup. The two biggest things I see are these:
- Make sure your artist isn't making your face a shade lighter or darker than your body and
- I highly recommend AGAINST using any kind of fiber lash mascara; it does not photograph well at all.

6. bring a bouquet + accessories

7. probably don't wear your actual wedding shoes

4. leave the cell phones in the car

5. be open to the right time of day and location

8. get your hair and makeup done professionally

9. be mindful of your makeup

"Hey Corrie, will my dress get dirty at my bridal session?"

The short answer? Maybe.

I know, I know. You really don't want your dress to get dirty. I get it! And I don't either. We will do everything we can reasonably do to keep your dress clean; we'll hold it up when you're walking around and I definitely won't stick you in the middle of a mud puddle or lean you against a greasy tractor.

But many brides still ask about bringing a big sheet of fabric or plastic to put underneath the dress whenever we set it down, and my advice on that is this: the dress won't lay right with a big piece of fabric or plastic under it, you won't feel as mobile and free and the photos will suffer (they'll end up looking stiff and super posed). Think about it - how many times are you going to get to wear this dress? Twice.

So this is kind of a YOLO situation (except I guess it's YOGTWTDT - You Only Get To Wear This Dress Twice) and I encourage you to have fun with it - lay in the grass, walk through the field and laugh in the face of dirt! You can always get it dry cleaned before the wedding (and some bridal shops even let you bring it back for a spot cleaning).

1. Bring yourself some water. I usually remember to keep a cooler with water in my car for shoots on warm days, but just in case I forget, swing by somewhere and grab yourself a big Route 44 ice water from Sonic (that's my fav, anyway). Wedding gowns and everything that go with them tend to be heavy and sometimes sweaty, and you'll be on your feet for a while. It's important to stay hydrated!

II. Go to the restroom right before you put your dress on. This applies to your wedding day too! Bathroom visits are rather tricky with the dress, and sometimes we'll be in locations that don't have bathrooms anyway.

III. Be confident. I have done a bazillion sessions with gorgeous brides like you (most of whom think they're "awkward in front of the camera") and gotten fantastic images every time. Instead of thinking about how you look, just relax and be in the moment. The best photos we'll get will be made when you trust me and let yourself feel like a queen. Remember, you're in excellent hands!!

JUST A FEW OTHER THINGS

Whew! Just like the engagement session tips page, I know that was just a ton of information. I hope it's helpful for you as you prepare for our session together, but if you have any questions that aren't covered here you can always reach out to me via text (479-200-7919) or email (corriechildersweddings@gmail.com). I can't wait to see you in your gorgeous dress and make some amazing bridal photos with you!

xo
 Corrie