I have heard it asked time and time again:
What is a bridal session?
Why on earth would I chance getting my dress dirty before the wedding?
Why would I take bridal photos when I will have photos of myself on my wedding day?
Why would anyone do that?
What's the point?
What is a bridal session?
To put it simply: A bridal session is a photo session taken in your wedding dress, typically on a different day from your wedding.
Why should I do a bridal session?
A bridal session can be beneficial for a variety of reasons:
- Participating in a bridal session gives you another excuse to wear your dress more than once. After likely spending a good chunk of money on your dress, having another reason to wear it prior to your wedding can never be a bad thing.
- It gives you the ability to print a photo in advance to display at your wedding. Many brides like to enlarge a bridal photo or print it on canvas and display it at the reception, perhaps on an easel.
- It allows you to preserve more memories in your wedding dress, more specifically, by yourself. Most of your post-ceremony wedding pictures will include other people in them, as they should. A bridal session will provide you with a larger variety of individual photos.
- It gives you the ability to memorialize a location that is special to you in your dress. You can definitely choose a location you have never been to or that you find beautiful to take your bridal photos at. But you can also choose a location that is special to you. The place where your fiancé proposed to you? The city you grew up in? Where you went on your first date? Your fiancés family land where you spent a lot of time together? The city you fell in love in? A place that is meaningful to your relationship? The options are endless. Think of your life and your relationship, and what places would shine a spotlight on that piece of your life.
Still not sure if you should do a bridal session?
Whether you participate in a bridal session or not is a personal choice. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to this, and hopefully the information above taught you a little bit about why it may or may not be a good choice for you. If you are on the fence, reach out to your photographer and explain your feelings in regards to a bridal session. See what opinions and suggestions they may have. If you are stuck and can not think of a location, they will also be able to provide you with a lot of suggestions based on places they have shot at in the past, or by taking your personal relationship and preferences into account.
