How to hold your bouquet on your wedding day.
When you imagine your wedding photos, I’m sure you are picturing gorgeous flowers accenting the ceremony, aisles, and centerpieces, as well as the bouquets you and your bridesmaids will hold. You and your florist will work together to ensure all of your colors, preferences, and wedding style are incorporated into stunning floral arrangements. All of those arrangements will certainly be captured in your wedding photos, but for many brides this may be the first time you’re holding a large bouquet. So how do we make sure your bouquet looks just right in each photo?
Every side of a wedding bouquet is beautiful, but florists artfully design each bouquet to be seen from a certain perspective. If the florist hand delivers your bouquet, she will instruct you on what side is the front. If your flowers are being delivered or picked up, check for where there is a roll or a few pins holding the ribbon in place. These pins are strategically placed to indicate the back of the bouquet. You’ll place your your thumbs on the pins in the back to make it a little easier to hold the bouquet.
For many of our portrait shots, you’ll be holding the bouquet with both hands in front of you with your elbows bent. Keep in mind that you’ll want to keep it low enough so it doesn’t cover up your face or the beautiful details on your dress bodice. If you keep your elbows near your waist and then lower your hands about 45 degrees, that should be perfect. But don’t be too self-conscious! I’ll be there to ensure we get the perfect shot!
In our action shots you’ll be doing stuff like dancing or walking. If you are holding your bouquet upside down, just pretend it weighs a million pounds and is dragging slightly behind you. I’ll make sure it’s facing the right direction to capture the perfect angle on the flowers! In the action shots, we’ll be focusing more on how joyful and ecstatic you look than on your bouquet.
While it’s helpful to think about what will make for the best wedding photographs, it can also be overwhelming to think too much about all of the angles and expressions on your wedding day. That’s why hiring a photographer you trust and are comfortable with is important! My job is to give you all the right cues at all the right moments to make sure we capture every last detail and special moment in just the right way!