What Are Bridal Portraits? 6 Reasons to Consider Them

Have you been hearing a lot about Bridal Portraits and Bridal Sessions lately? Wondering if it could be a good option for you? Let’s talk about it!

What are Bridal Portraits? What is a Bridal Session?

First, let’s dive into what a bridal session is! A bridal portrait session is a photography session that focuses on the bride in her wedding attire. While we can always capture a few of these portraits on your actual wedding day, a complete bridal session is normally done about a month ahead of your wedding day.

Now you might ask, is it worth the extra effort to get my bridal portraits done early?

As a seasoned DFW wedding photographer, I’ve seen the pros of having a focused session for your bridal portraits greatly outweigh the cons! So, here are 6 reasons why you might want to consider this beloved wedding tradition! (Along with some bridal portrait ideas, poses and inspiration!)

1. Prepare a Trial Run

Picture this: a sneak peek into your wedding day glam before the big day itself! Doing a bridal session is like a practice run for your hair, makeup, and your wedding dress before the big day. This gives you the chance to see how everything comes together and how it will all photograph together. This can be invaluable! Trust me; what looks fabulous in the mirror might end up surprising you in photos. So, it’s your chance to fine-tune everything and make sure you’re completely confident in your choices and decisions leading into your wedding day.

This is also a useful chance to meet and work with your vendors. To figure out how best to do things. And if necessary, together you can tweak colors or styles so everything is just right for your big day.

2. Enjoy Diverse Locations

Next, having bridal portraits gives you a little bonus location! We can explore a variety of locations you may not see on your actual wedding day due to time constraints. Take an extra hour to walk along the creek or to pose in that gazebo! 

Who says your wedding photos have to be confined to the venue? With bridal portraits, we get to include a variety of locations that might be a bit tricky on the actual wedding day – or explore entirely new locations altogether. The possibilities are endless with additional portrait time.

Another bonus: it’s a great failsafe for your venue too. For example, if it’s raining on your wedding day, you can rest easy knowing you already have a set of outdoor photos to enjoy.

3. Try Out Multiple Looks

If you’re planning on including two separate wedding looks, your bridals are a great excuse to do both. Some brides have more than one dress. Others want to honor family/cultural traditions. If these traditions don’t align with your wedding day plans, use your bridals to incorporate them. Bridal portraits are a convenient way to say yes to all your ideas.

4. Display Bridals as Wedding Decor

When a bridal session is done sufficiently in advance, you can display your bridals at the wedding. Imagine walking into your wedding venue and seeing your beautiful bridal portraits gracing the space. It’s not just a photo; it’s a piece of art that can elevate your decor. They can be used in centerpieces, an “About Us” table, or a display of family generations – your bridals can be a personal addition that further personalizes your decor and tells your love story.

5. Save Time – and Stress – on Wedding Day

Let’s talk about one of the best perks – time-saving and stress-relieving!

If you have a tight schedule during your wedding celebration, you might miss having a more thorough portrait session. Every moment on your big day is precious, and I want you to savor them without feeling rushed or having a tight schedule looming over you.

Or if your wedding day timeline is running a little behind, you don’t have to worry about sacrificing bridal portrait time at all. You can relax knowing you already have an entire gallery of beautiful portraits. Relieving so much unnecessary stress on the day of.

6. Benefit From More Photos

And last but certainly not least, you’ll walk away with more photos to love and cherish! Because let’s be real, I have yet to have a bride regret having MORE photographs documenting and celebrating this exciting chapter in her life.

Still searching for the best Dallas wedding photographer? I’d love to capture your bridal portraits and every magical moment after! Reach out and let’s chat about your unique vision.