My All-Inclusive List of Wedding Detail Shots

For Photographers

Jun 24

Brides, you spent months (if not a year or more) planning your wedding day, choosing your flowers, designing your table settings, organizing your centerpieces, and more. But on the actual day, you spend the entire morning getting ready and spending time with your family and friends, then you take pictures, actually get married, take more pictures, maybe eat dinner, cut the cake, dance, and have your exit. Then, you’re off to your honeymoon, and the venue team cleans everything up.

You may not realize that you missed out on all those details because your wedding day can feel like such a whirlwind, but you should get to see what you spent so much time on. That’s where detail shots come in.

Typically, while the bridal party is getting ready, I’m borrowing the bride’s bouquet, the groom’s corsage, jewelry, shoes, and anything else the bride wants in those shots, and I’m taking several different detail shots. But the detail shooting doesn’t stop there. After I do the traditional flat-lays, I travel through the venue, getting shots of all the details. Whether you’re a photographer deciding what to shoot or a bride deciding what to put on your shot list, this post is meant to inspire you to expand your detail shot list and capture the WHOLE wedding day story.

Flat-Lays

detail flat-lay photo including vow books with rings on top surrounded by white ribbon on a brown wooden background

In a traditional flat-lay, I typically photograph the invitation suite and save-the-date, the bouquet and corsage, the rings, and any other wedding day jewelry. However, there are so many things you (as the bride or the photographer) can add to make the flat-lay more personalized! This bride wanted their vow books to be included, along with her perfume for the day. Oftentimes, the bride’s shoes can give a flat-lay more dimension, along with the bouquet. I also added a ribbon to the background so that it would seem a little more playful and less organized (in a good way). This is also a great place to use a table runner if you don’t have a ribbon, or you could use small floral arrangements from the centerpieces (if they’re available) to give the detail shots a more floral look.

I also focus pretty heavily on the rings and flowers. I take closeup shots that highlight the important elements: the rings. The flowers are used as a focal point as well, but they can also be beautiful background pieces. The simplicity here makes sure that the focus is on the most important items of the day.

white bouquet of roses and baby's breath with gold wedding rings nestled in the center rose

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Other Bridal Details

Anything you can do as a photographer to add height and depth to detail shots is key. The traditional flat-lay shots are great, but you can also do so much more with detail items.

indoor shot of bridal veil hanging over her shoes with her bouquet to the right

outdoor shot of bridal veil hanging over her shoes stacked on top of each other with the bouquet to the left

Use. The. Veil! The first photo is a zoomed-out version of the closeup shot of the rings and flowers, and the second photo is a similar one taken in a different light. In both, the veil and upright shoes provide some much-needed height.

lace long-sleeve wedding dress hanging in a window on a light brown hanger with white chairs and ceremony arch in the background

indoor shot of lace long-sleeve wedding gown hanging on light brown hanger in front of window with white sheer curtains

The last (and probably most obvious) detail shot is the dress. The most ideal situation is to have somewhere to hang the gown in natural light so that you can see the entire thing. I typically take a few shots from different distances to capture every angle of the most beautiful gown the bride will ever wear!

“Shots of the couple tell a great story, but so do the detail shots. ”

Ceremony and Reception Details

This is where what I said at the beginning of this post comes into play. Obviously, the bride is going to see her own dress and flowers, but she may not see all her table settings and centerpieces. Here are some detail shots from this wedding that I absolutely LOVE.

bouquet of white flowers with eucalyptus attached to brown triangular ceremony arch — I always have to get shots of the ceremony florals! They are always so beautiful, and this arrangement is no exception.

bar menu sign listing all available drinks next to glass jar with dried elements and a black caddy with straws and stirrers — The signage at this wedding was absolutely dreamy, and the gold frame and dried elements in this set-up make it even better.

white welcome sign with black text hanging by white ribbon from a gold frame with eucalyptus stems woven around it, LED last name sign on greenery wall in the background — I always try to get a shot of the couple’s welcome sign, and this one had eucalyptus beautifully woven around it. I just loved the detail set-up at this wedding— it was the perfect balance of trendy and timeless!

table setting with gold chargers, white napkins, and name signs with a white table runner covered by greenery and scattered with white candlesticks in glass holders, includes champagne flutes — The table settings are part of the day the couple may miss out on. The only time they’re really walking around the venue is to say hi to people and thank them for coming, and even then, they’re probably not looking at the centerpieces before people have filled their plates with food.

two white cakes on silver cake platters with wooden feet on a white tablecloth with greenery and white roses running underneath and in front; one cake has a gold cake topper with the bride and groom's name — The shots of the cake at this wedding were beautiful, with the florals and white tulle lining the tables underneath the rustic cake platters. I loved their gold accents throughout their decor, including their cake topper.

gray barn with green tree covering part of it — Some of the shots I always try to get are of the outside of the venue— especially if it’s decorated! These images are really nice for the couple to look back on to remember the place they got married without having to make a visit.

Shots of the couple tell a great story, but so do the detail shots. They tell a story that the bride and groom especially will appreciate, and that’s always my goal when I create and deliver a gallery.

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