All About Wedding Flat Lay Photos
Everything You Need To Know About Wedding Flat Lay Photos
Recently I found myself going through wedding galleries of past clients, perusing, remembering, smiling and taking stock of the way my photography has changed and what has stayed consistent. The flat lays, detailed and dazzling continued to catch my eye as I scrolled through thousands of wedding photographs. These photographs are simply a brain pleaser with all the texture, variations in surfaces and reflective properties. The array of colors that are found even in the simplest wedding flat lay photos vary from wedding to wedding, creating a unique viewing experience that captures the essence of the wedding’s aesthetic.
Your Wedding Flat Lay Photos Should Look Unique Because The Details Are All About You.
Create meaning in your wedding flat lay photos by adding family heirlooms.
What are Wedding Flat Lay Photos ?
A pleasing arrangement of personalized wedding details, accessories and heirloom keepsakes laid on a flat surface and photographed from above. The wedding flat lay photos encapsulate the aesthetic, color palette and personality of the couple and their wedding. The wedding flat lay photo also provides a whimsical opportunity to honor and incorporate family and heritage passed with tokens or inherited items.
Wedding flat lay photos have endless possibilities when it comes to design, feel and aesthetic to match each Bride’s wedding vibes. From simple and clean to bursting with color and texture, there are personalized wedding flat lay photos waiting to be created from your keepsakes and wedding details. I like to remind the couples I work with that the flat lays are a great place to add cherished items that may not be used or worn on the day of the wedding, but have meaning none the less. The above photo is a great example of this! The purse was not used or worn by the bride, but it belonged to her Great Grandmother on her wedding day! What a great way to immortalize an heirloom of immeasurable value while honoring your family heritage on your wedding day. The flat lay is the perfect place for time pieces, precious jewelry, embroidered handkerchiefs and any precious item you want to include.
Below is an example of a casual flat lay I created using a gorgeous velvet armchair at the wedding venue Stone Ridge Hollow (check them out here). Exquisitely furnished, the bridal suite at Fox Ridge Hollow radiated timeless warmth with rich dark woods, velvet and ornate embellishments. The gorgeous golden orange armchair created the perfect backdrop to showcase the rich tones in this couples details and invitation. The show stopping detail to accompany the modern items in this image, the antique bridal purse, belonged to the bride’s Great Grandmother. The customized ring dish, the non-floral clippings and customized ring box pull this photo together in a way that is personalized to the couple while celebrating their wedding aesthetic.
The below photo is also a great example of a flat lay that isn’t 90% the brides things with a hint of the grooms existence in the photo. The wooden ring box and lack of florals in the picture add a masculine tone while still having the brides earrings and ring on display, with the grooms ring and especially his watch taking up a lot of visual space in this simple flat lay photo.
Should I Request Wedding Flat Lay Photos?
When consulting with couples about their photography priorities, flat lays and detail images are always a point of discussion. With some brides enjoying shopping sprees on Etsy to find as many customized details as possible, wedding flat lay photos become a priority. Other brides and grooms may have beautiful details but would rather not spend precious time photographing them laid out together. Whether the couple chooses extensive flat lay detail photos, the bare minimum or no detail photos, I honor their wishes.
While some brides request I use a table, chair, floor or something pretty at the venue, other brides prefer the clean white look and request I bring a white backdrop for their wedding flat lay photos.
While I have never been to a wedding venue that didn’t have some beautiful surface for me to create my wedding flat lay photos on, knowing I will be using a white backdrop is nice as it cuts out the hunt for the right surface in the right lighting.
In the photo above I utilized a sheer white tablecloth as the backdrop for this brides wedding flat lay photos. The background is neutral but has depth and texture due to the layering and sheerness of the cloth. When I saw this bride’s shoes I immediately knew I was going to get to play with the color red running throughout the wedding flat lay photos and I was so excited to take them! This was definitely a fun set of wedding flat lay photos for me.
I love featuring the brides perfume bottle in these flat lay photos! It’s a beautiful way to memorialize the scent worn in a visual way since scent isn’t something we can capture on camera. Put the bottle in your flat lay and you’ll never forget your wedding day scent.
Above is an example of a purposeful white background being used in this set of wedding flat lay photos. The clean, neutral backdrop is perfect to showcase each individual keepsake and detail without losing anything in the background of the wedding flat lay photos.
I was SO excited to hear that orange was one of this bride’s wedding colors as it is my personal fav! It was really fun to play with a rarely used wedding color throughout these wedding flat lay photos.
I usually do my wedding flat lay photos while the bride is finishing up hair and make-up and hasn’t put her accessories on yet. Once the flat lays are done, then we do getting ready photos and move on to the First Look! Wanna learn more about a First Look? Check out my article to find out “What Is A First Look At A Wedding?“
In short, your wedding flat lay photos should be customized to you, match your wedding aesthetic, fit your vibes and include something special to you. This is a trend I don’t see leaving the bridal community any time soon as it is captivating to view, it’s a great way to memorialize all those custom pieces, little details and unseen accessories into a beautifully curated piece of art for you to look back on for decades to come.
Interested in chatting customized flat lays for your own wedding? I’d love to dish with you! Contact me about your wedding!
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