Flatlays of all your wedding details are one of my favorite things to photograph on the wedding day! When I’m at a wedding, I always allocate time in the beginning of the timeline to shoot the small, but important pieces of your big day. But before we get into how to prepare for these photos let’s chat about what exactly makes up wedding details flatlays.
First, what are Details? Details can consist of all sorts of things – invitations, RSVPS, menus, place setting cards, decorations – all the little things that you put a ton of work and planning into. Additionally, the little things may not seem like a big deal, but they play a big part in the wedding day, such as the items you’ll both be wearing and significant symbols of your love/family heirlooms. Details for the groom might consist of his shoes/socks/tie, his watch, the boutonniere, etc. Bridal details consist of your wedding dress/shoes/jewelry, maybe even the bridesmaid dresses, the bouquet, etc. And then of course any details that are meaningful to you like all three of the rings and any family heirlooms like a handkerchief your grandma gave you.
Next, what is a Flatlay? A flat lay is a way to bring all of those little details together so you can have a picture of your wedding day all in one image. From a flatlay, you can see the color palette of the wedding, the design/theme, and we can feature all the bits and bobs that are important to you.
Lastly, I always tell my brides to get a box – any kind of box – and put everything in there for the Flatlay. That way all you have to do is hand me the box on the wedding day and you don’t have to stress about going around and digging for all these little details the day of your wedding.
Now, for a list of things to include so I can put together a beautiful flatlay for you!
Invitation Suite
I always tell my brides to give me an invitation and a save-the-date. They can mail me the invitation when they mail it to everyone else. Or, I’ll ask them to just put one aside. Include the full invitation suite; the envelope, the invitation, the RSVP, and the Save the date card. Another useful tip – give me 2 sets of the entire invitation suite so that we can show off the front and back of the design in one photo! Put them aside and put it in your box that you’re going to hand to me on the wedding day.
These invitations get overlooked often, but there’s usually a lot of effort that goes into the work. Brides can hire a designer for them or put it together themselves. Sometimes, they have custom watercolor paints. Or even higher a calligrapher to write their invitations. This takes time and effort and money so it should be exciting to photograph them!
Wedding Rings
Both the engagement ring and bands should be included in your wedding details. Put them all in their ring boxes and then put the ring boxes in the details box for me! It’s a safe place. We know where they are and we don’t have to run around to find it the day of! And don’t worry! Once I’m finished photographing them, I’ll hand the rings back to the bride and groom personally, so they are not lost.
Additionally, a lot of people use colored ring boxes to go with the colors of their wedding. But don’t worry if you didn’t. I’ll bring several colored boxes to photograph so that your ring will have a special, pretty box to match all your other details!
Shoes
Brides oftentimes have special shoes that they’ve picked out for their wedding day. And those are so much fun to include for Flatlays! Sometimes, their shoes might not even be in a lot of pictures because of the bride’s dress being too long and covering the feet. But, It’s fun to have a pic of your shoes in a different way and a Flatlay does that for us.
Vow Books
Many couples have a book they’ve been writing their vows in the months leading up to their wedding. So, these writing books or notes can be featured. Especially if they were specifically made for you and your groom!
Special Heirlooms
Maybe you’ve received something to hold onto from a family member for the wedding. Maybe it’s a mirror or a watch. Or these could be from your “Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.” These are all things that we can feature on a Flatlay for your wedding details.
Perfume
Many brides and grooms will purchase special perfumes or colognes for their wedding day. People associate memories with smell; so anytime you wear that scent, you’ll be reminded of the day that you married your best friend and started your life together so don’t forget to include these!
Florals
It’s great when we have the entire bouquet and boutonniere to photograph but some extra florals go a long way in tying the look together perfectly! I always encourage my brides to ask their florist to set aside some extra florals for detail photos. If you tell the florist that the photographer has requested them for detail photos, most florists are happy to provide some extra stems because they love getting extra photos of their work!
Flatlays are fun and a great way to tie everything in a wedding together. Follow these simple instructions and the photographs of your wedding details will turn out super easy and beautiful!
Emily Quigley shoots wedding, engagement and newborn photography in Fayetteville Arkansas and beyond. She’s been featured in Glamor and Grace, Aisle Society and several other online websites. Click here to get your booking today!
If you liked this blog post, check out some of my others:
3 Tips for Building Your Wedding Day Timeline
Spring Wedding Inspiration at Osage House in Cave Springs, AR
5 Tips to Make the Most of Your Bridal Session
Arkansas Elopement at St. Catherine’s at Bell Gable & Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel
Madi + Ty’s Engagement Session in Downtown Little Rock, AR
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