Your Guide to Wedding Detail Flat Lay Photos

30 Ideas for Meaningful and Aesthetic Wedding Flat Lays

(Click here to skip to the list of ideas)

☼

The Details of Your Wedding, All Together

A wedding day is made up of months, years, sometimes a lifetime of dreaming, planning, and dedication. From the invitations, earrings, and grandfather’s cuff links—the details are everything.

My favorite way to begin a wedding day is by photographing these details. It’s a way for me to begin photography and be present while you’re still finishing up your hair and makeup, and it sets the tone for your wedding gallery.

Types of Wedding Detail Photos

The types of detail shots that you’ll see in your wedding gallery depends on the aesthetic of your wedding, as well as your photographer’s style.

Here are my some of my own favorite detail photos that I love to include in my couples’ wedding galleries:

• Styled flat lays, which include their wedding rings and invitation suite

• The engagement ring in a ring box or nestled in a bouquet

• The couple’s shoes and jewelry, arranged with flowers from their wedding florist

• Photos of a bride’s dress hanging in the bridal suite

• Grooms’ accessories and shoes arranged on a wooden side table, window sill, or chair

Be sure to look at your photographer’s portfolio or ask your photographer about their approach to capturing details, and let them know if there are any details that are particularly significant and meaningful to you.

The Secret to a Calm Wedding Morning: PREPARATION

Because the detail shots are the first thing that a photographer works on the morning of your wedding, putting all of your details together is the best way to start your wedding day in a peaceful, organized, and efficient way.

The night before your wedding, gather all of your details together in a bag or a box in the bridal suite or in the room of the partner whose getting ready process will be photographed first, so your photographer can get to work right away while you’re finishing your hair and makeup. (Of course, you’ll want to coordinate this with your own wedding photographer and ask them which room you should put your details in, because everybody works differently.)

The less time the photographer spends gathering details from around your suite, the more time and care they’ll be able to put into doing your wedding detail photos justice.

Florals Tip: Ask Your Florist to Deliver Flowers to the Bridal Suite

If you are working with a florist on your wedding day, they will likely deliver your flowers to the bridal suite in the morning. I’d highly recommend asking the florist if they can also bring some scraps from your arrangements that your photographer can use in the detail flat lays.

If you aren’t working with a florist and don’t have any floral arrangements, let your photographer know what your color scheme is. Personally, I bring along some accessories in my details kit to add texture and color to my detail photos when I feel it will add to them, and I like to match those to the wedding’s aesthetic.

Timeline Tip: How Long Should Wedding Detail Photos Take?

If you want thoughtful, well-designed detail photos in your wedding gallery, you’ll need to ensure there is enough time for this in your wedding day timeline. Preparing ahead of time by collecting all of your details together in a box or bag can help keep the photographer working efficiently, as well.

I’d recommend setting 30 minutes at the beginning of the day for the styling and photographing of wedding day details.

15 Ideas for a Bride’s Wedding Detail Photos

A lot of the items on the following list are things you’ll already be bringing to the wedding, such as your wedding outfit and jewelry, but some are things that you’ll have to plan ahead to bring (such as two copies of your invitation suite).

By no means do you have to bring every single item on the list—it’s meant more as inspiration. Rather, you should bring items that hold meaning and significance to you, your wedding, and your unique connection to your partner.

All three wedding rings: the engagement ring and both wedding bands (after the detail photos, arrange to have the bands brought to whoever will be keeping them before the ceremony)

1. Wedding dress and veil

2. Invitation suite: save-the-date, invitation, envelopes, stamps (two copies of the whole suite, if possible)

3. Shoes

4. Jewelry

5. Bouquet or loose/scrap flowers (see note about florists above)

6. Perfume

7. Vow books

8. Ring dish or ring box

9. Garter

10. Any extra ribbons or accents that have significance or represent the day

11. Meaningful heirlooms, such as a bouquet pin

12. A celebratory drink that your wedding party is drinking

13. Guest favors/welcome bags

14. Any gifts or notes from one another

15 Ideas for a Groom’s Wedding Detail Photos

Just like with brides, most of the items that will be included in a groom’s flat lay or detail shots will be things that he’ll already have in his suite. The groom’s details are usually a little simpler than a bride’s details, as most of the main items (the invitation suite and rings) will be in the larger bridal flat lay. A good way to think about groom’s details is that they’re usually just the things he’ll be putting on during his getting ready photos.

Also, please note that for same-sex or nonbinary partners, the same does apply: Ahead of the wedding, we’ll determine which flat lay will be the main one, and that is the partner in whose getting ready suite I will begin my day.

As with the bride’s details, I’d recommend putting all of the groom’s details together in a box or bag the night before your wedding day, to keep things stress-free and running smoothly the morning of your big day.

Here is some inspiration for a groom’s detail shots:

1. Suit

2. Tie/bowtie

3. Shoes

4. Cuff links

5. Socks (if you have special socks that you’d like photographed, please be sure not to wear them until after the detail shots!)

6. Handkerchief

7. Suspenders/belt

8. Boutonniere

9. Vow book

10. Cologne

11. Any extra ribbons or accents that have significance or represent the day

12. Meaningful heirlooms

13. A celebratory drink that your wedding party is drinking

14. Guest favors/welcome bags

15. Any gifts or notes from one another

Details that Represent Your Wedding Day

In conclusion, preparing for your wedding detail shots is an exciting and essential part of your special day. By putting care into selecting and packing the items you’d like included in your flat lays and wedding detail photography, you can make sure that your wedding photographer captures these images with artistry and precision.

Remember that you don’t need every single item on the lists above. Rather, I hope that the lists serve as inspiration for what would hold the most significance to you. Your attire, accessories, and personal touches are all woven through your wedding day, and flat lays and detail photos can represent this beautifully and exist forever in your wedding gallery as lasting reminders of the love and beauty of your wedding day. So my advice would be to invest time in packing thoughtfully for your wedding detail photos to create a visual narrative that you’ll cherish for years to come.

☼

All photos captured by Los Angeles wedding and engagement photographer Pamela Tatz Photography.

☼

HI THERE, I’M PAMELA!

I’m the owner and lead photographer at Pamela Tatz Photography. I know that the choice of the best wedding photographer is a deeply personal one, and I’m grateful you found your way here.

My rates for wedding photography and photo sessions are all available, as well as some answers to frequently asked questions. You can learn more about me and my business, as well as check out some resources I’ve put together to help anyone planning their California wedding, destination wedding, elopement, or engagement and my portfolio of past weddings and photo sessions.

If you’re interested in working with me or just want to say hi, feel free to reach out! ♥

☼

MORE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY RESOURCES AND INFORMATION