Your pre-wedding photoshoot can come up quickly amid the busyness of wedding planning. Separate from engagement photos, many couples choose to plan bridals or formal photos before their big day, too. This minimizes the stress of trying to get all the perfect shots on your actual wedding day. That way, you can breathe easy knowing you already captured the photos you hoped for in a separate photoshoot.

If you would like a custom wedding photography quote that includes this type of shoot, click here. As your shoot nears, refer to the list below for what to bring to your bridals shoot. You may not have thought of some of these, and they will help you be prepared for any situation!

What to Bring To Your Bridals

A Friend or Parent

Having someone to help hold your bouquet and smooth out your dress can be a gamechanger for your bridals. Plus, an extra eye to make sure every hair is in place never hurts! I will always step in and help with these things as much as possible. However, bringing a helpful friend along will probably help you feel more comfortable while also optimizing shooting time.

Bridal Bouquet

Don’t forget to work with your wedding florist to have a seperate bouquet made for your pre-wedding day shoot! Some brides opt for a smaller bouquet for these photos, but personally I think this is the best time to document your dream bouquet. However, as you’ll see in the photos included in this post, bride Rubina opted for no bouquet in this formal session with her fiancé Hailame. I think this is a great option too if you love simplicity!

Makeup For Touch-Ups

If you do have a friend join your shoot to help out, put them on touch-up duty. You never know when you might need to freshen up so you feel your best!

For inspiration for your bridal shoot hair and makeup, click here! I am constantly saving new bridal inspiration to my Pinterest.

Comfortable Shoes to Get to Your Location

I have a friend who recently underestimated the location for her bridal photos. She ended up hiking an ocean cliffside barefoot, for much farther than expected, to avoid ruining her beautiful wedding heels. Learn from her mistake, and don’t forget an extra pair of comfortable shoes! Even if the terrain isn’t rough, I always recommend wearing regular shoes and only changing into your fancy pair for the actual photos.

An Umbrella

As your shoot nears, I will keep an eye on the forecast. But, in the case unexpected weather arrives while shooting, it is best to be prepared! Personally, I don’t mind some surprise clouds, as you can see in this recent mountaintop engagement session. However, protect the fancy bridal updo and gown and bring along an umbrella just in case.

A Bustle For Your Dress

Some wedding gowns come with a bustle, if yours does not, one usually can be easily added during alterations. This allows your train to be lifted off the ground, or even your whole skirt to be gathered out of the way as you move around. This is especially helpful for outdoor photo locations, as I love to move around for a variety of backgrounds.

Because these photoshoots take place before your wedding day, it is important to take care and keep everything in pristine condition. But just in case, I would go ahead and book a dress cleaning appointment in-between your bridals and your wedding day.

Plan Your Own Bridals or Formal Shoot

If you are currently planning your wedding photography, click here for more information. I am based in Southern California and Utah, available for travel worldwide. I am happy to put together a custom package that includes all of the wedding shoots you are dreaming up!