Detail shots might be a bride’s favorite wedding day to-do. Why? Because you don’t need to worry about them! This is where your wedding photographer (and the details you took such care in planning) really shine. And the best part? It doesn’t take any time from you on your big day. You’ve already put in the work to make every detail picture perfect. Now let your wedding photographer preserve them forever in a meaningful way! Not familiar with these images? Let’s talk dreamy detail shots—and why they’re an important part of every wedding gallery.

What Are Detail Shots?

Detail shots help to tell a whole story by highlighting a smaller part of the big picture. When it comes to wedding photography, these images can bring focus to the smaller details that help make your big day so special! 

A few examples of photo subjects would be:

• Your invitations
• Your guest book
• Your food
• Your dress/suit (without you in them)
• Your shoes
• Your rings and other jewelry
• Perfume/cologne bottles
• Bouquets/corsages 
• Signage/decor
  
  

Why Do You Need Them?

Yes, the traditional wedding photos, both portraits and candids, are an important part of your wedding gallery. In fact, they’re probably the first images that spring to mind when you’re booking a wedding photographer! But capturing those lesser-known elements is just as important. These are the sentimental touches that will be harder to remember over time, and your detail shots will preserve them forever. 

Think of it this way… after you choose a wedding dress, you wouldn’t skip the accessories, would you? The veil, hair and makeup, shoes, and jewelry decisions are all part of the complete bridal look. And the detail shots make for a complete wedding album when all the “I Do-s” are said and done.

What Should You Bring?

While detail shots won’t take up any of your wedding day time, there are some things you can prepare (or assign to someone in your circle) ahead of time. These are things that will set your wedding photographer up for success—and they’re all things you can start to put in a box in the weeks (or even months) leading up to the big day as you think of them.

Here are a few things you’ll want to pack:

• Two copies of your wedding stationery (your invitation suite, save-the-date card, program, menu, etc.) Why two sets? So we can get both sides in one great photo!
• Polaroids or old film photos of the bride and groom
• Nice hangers—Yes, you’ll have your dresses and such packed already, but you’ll want something more than a plastic Target hanger for the detail shots of your gown!)
• Boxes for jewelry and shoes—Just like the hangers, your photographer would appreciate a few fancier options for displaying your sentimental pieces.
• Cake toppers—make sure your photographer gets a hold of it before you place it on top of the cake!
• Empty photo frames—this might sound strange, but having a frame that suits your style or wedding colors/theme can do a long way in showcasing your important details.
• Loose florals—This might be a day-of grab, but it’s an in-advance ask! Check with your florist and request a few loose florals thrown in separate from the traditional structured pieces. That way your photographer can use them in staging the perfect detail shots that encapsulate the day’s design!
  
  

Of course, even if you forget or choose to forego any of these items, the most important thing is to communicate with your wedding photographer. Are you wearing your mother’s ear rings? His great grandfather’s cufflinks? Will the inside of your wedding cake be as fancy as the outside? Will photos or items be used or displayed to honor family and friends who aren’t present? Make sure your photographer knows! These are the meaningful details that make this not just any wedding, but YOUR wedding. They deserve as much care and attention as you put into planning them!

Wedding photos are a tangible record of a significant life event. More than that, they’re documented proof of your love story, capturing a monumental chapter with images that will forever make your heart swell. But between the engagement, rehearsal dinner, bridal portraits and the wedding day gallery itself, those images can start to add up. 

When it comes to weddings, I typically produce 100-150 professionally edited images per hour. Book 8 hours of wedding day coverage and that will give you a stunning gallery filled with around 850 files. If that sounds overwhelming, don’t worry. You don’t need to make sacrifices! Every phase of the process is worth documenting. All you need is a few tips for storing and organizing your wedding photos. 

Storing and organizing your wedding photos:

Digital Images

Once you receive a gallery of images from your wedding photographer, it’s important to download them onto your computer. Over time, your gallery could be archived, and you’ll want to make sure you have all your images for yourself when that happens. Since most files are high-resolution, this could take up a lot of room on your device! That’s why I recommend saving them to a reputable (and free!) cloud storage service like Google Drive, DropBox or iCloud first. This will allow for quick and easy access, too! 

In addition to cloud storage, I also recommend saving your wedding photos to an external hard drive. It’s always good to have backups, right? Should something happen to a server, or you forget your password after a few years, you’ll always be able to pull your images from a safely-kept drive. You can usually find an external hard drive anywhere from Target to Best Buy or Amazon, and depending on the size you choose, it should run you less than $50. For reference, there’s 1,000 gigabytes in 1 terabyte, and 1,000 high-resolution images should take up about 20 gigabytes of storage space. 

Once your images are downloaded, I recommend separating the images into different files. Sifting through 800+ thumbnails can be exhausting! You want your wedding photos to be accessible and easy to navigate. Separating them into different categories can help you do just that! You’re welcome to come up with your own system, but here are a few folders I’d suggest:

• Engagement Photos
• Getting Ready
• First Look
• Portraits
• Family
• Ceremony
• Reception
• Details
• Favorites

Pro Tip:

Once your “favorites” folder is filled with a highlight reel of your big day, I’d save that particular folder to your computer itself, too. You never know when you’ll want to upload a file for canvas prints and holiday cards, or even just to share with someone electronically. If you know your go-to wedding photos, having them readily available to share can come in handy. Can you narrow your favorites down to a top five or 10 images? Transfer those images to your phone, too. That way they’re ready for any social posts or text messages, and they make great lock screens and wallpapers, too. 

Printed Images

There are so many benefits to printing out your wedding photos! Okay, in this day and age maybe you don’t want all 850 images. But having a wedding album is such a valuable keepsake, from a simple photo album to a fully designed custom photo book. Professional prints, canvases and framed wedding photos make great gifts, too, especially for parents, grandparents, or even your anniversary. 

While you don’t need to print out your entire digital gallery (though you certainly could), having tangible proof of your wedding is definitely a must. 

Here’s how I’d go about it:

Option 1:

Fill an old fashioned photo album with your favorite images. That’s right, they’re making a comeback—one that’s a perfectly nostalgic way to keep your wedding photos. If you want to go big, you can even invest in a set of matching albums, one for each category of images: portraits, ceremony, reception, etc. 

Option 2:

Create a custom photo book. If your wedding photographer doesn’t offer printed photo books, there are plenty of websites out there that can do the trick. Think Mixbook, Shutterfly, Vistaprint or Minted. This will keep all your images in one place, beautifully designed to give you a keepsake worth sharing. And the best part? These printed images will be saved digitally, so you can always go back and order additional copies as gifts, or should something happen to yours. 

Pro Tip:

Make sure your photo albums are stored in a cool, dry place, away from any direct light. This will keep your wedding photos from fading, and will keep your prints in high-quality shape for generations. 

No matter how you’re planning to preserve the day, I’d love to help you preserve the memories. Planning a wedding? Let’s chat! From that first dream wedding Pinterest board to safely storing the images forever, every step of this journey should be a joyful one.