Hey! I’m Brittany, a Green Bay, Wisconsin wedding photographer and I’ve been photographing weddings long before detail shots became a mainstream trend—since 2010, to be exact!
I’m fascinated by how wedding trends take hold, like the art of laying out invitation suites and styling them for photography. Upon researching, I found that this trend became a staple in wedding photography over the last decade, largely due to the rise of social media and an increasing emphasis on visual aesthetics. While beautifully designed invitations have been around for much longer, platforms like Instagram and Pinterest have made these detail shots more prevalent and expected in modern weddings.
What Are Wedding Detail Shots?
Detail shots are close-up photos of meaningful wedding items, such as your invitation suite, rings, shoes, jewelry, and floral arrangements. These images help set the scene for your wedding album and capture the essence of your carefully curated wedding aesthetic. I know how much thought and care couples put into their wedding details. These small elements tell the story of your day—from the shoes you chose to the perfume you’ll wear down the aisle. Capturing these details beautifully requires a bit of planning. Here’s everything you need to know about wedding detail shots, including what to bring and a few pro tips to make the process seamless.
What to Bring for Your Wedding Detail Shots
To ensure stunning flat-lay and styled shots, here’s a list of essentials to gather before the big day:
For the Couple:
Florals: Extra flowers, bouquet, boutonnieres
Invitation Suite: Two copies of the full suite (if possible)
Other Stationery Pieces: Programs, menus, vow books
Accessories: Shoes, jewelry, hairpieces, veil
Rings: Engagement ring, wedding bands, ring boxes
Fragrance: Your wedding day perfume
Sentimental Items: Something old, new, borrowed, blue
Groom’s Details: Tie or bowtie, cufflinks, cologne
Photographers Often Bring / Bonus Styling Items:
To elevate the aesthetic of your detail shots, many photographers (myself included) carry a styling kit with items like:
Flat lay backgrounds
Ribbons and wooden spools
Ring boxes
Vintage stamps and wax seal tools
Gold vintage trays and white circle trays
Vintage scissors and keys
Small blocks and napkin rings to create depth and layering
Tips for Perfect Wedding Detail Shots
Communicate with Your Photographer: Let them know how important these shots are to you. If they’re a priority, we’ll plan accordingly. Some couples would rather spend their precious photography minutes focusing on other aspects of the wedding day and don’t want to prioritize too many detail shots—have that conversation with your photographer. Maybe there is an item that's super sentimental to you, like an heirloom necklace or cufflinks, or maybe you paid a lot for your invitation suite and it was custom-made.
Have Everything in One Place: The morning of your wedding is hectic! Keep all your details in a container or box so they’re ready to go when your photographer arrives.
Allocate Time for These Shots: Detail shots are an art form and require about 30 minutes in your timeline.
Consider a Pre-Wedding Detail Session: Some photographers (like me!) offer the option to photograph details on a separate day before the wedding, allowing for more time and creativity. But do keep in mind that we won’t have your gorgeous flowers.
Where can I get custom luxury invitations like this?
These stunning invitation suites were crafted by Thoughtfully Yours Design. A company that creates fine art stationery weather it's gorgeous Calligraphy or bespoke engraving,
Final Thoughts
Wedding detail shots are more than just pretty pictures—they capture the essence of your style and the sentimental elements of your day. By preparing in advance, you can ensure these details are documented beautifully.
Videos
If you want to see this blog post come to life, check out this video series:
Part 1 Video - What to Bring for detail photos
Part 2 Video - Tips for couples for their Detail photos
Work with me ᵕ̈
Do these photographs and moments resonate with you? I would love to capture your day, As I mentioned above, I am based in Green Bay, Wisconsin but I travel worldwide!
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