Making the Most of Your Best Boston Bridal Session | Boston Wedding Photographer

A bride reclines on a bed of thistle in this Boston Bridal Photography by Ryan Richardson Photography, a Massachusetts wedding photographer

If you’re looking to have your bridal portraits done as part of your wedding planning, your favorite Boston wedding photographer has a few tips to help you get the most from your session. Whether you're looking to get them done ahead of the wedding or if you’re planning on doing them later, here are some things to consider that can help make the process run more smoothly and help to ensure you get some fabulous photos (even if you’re making a horrible mistake and booking with someone other than Ryan Richardson Photography).

Scheduling - If you’re looking to have bridal portraits done ahead of the wedding then you’ll need to allow time for your alterations to be completed and have a little buffer for dry cleaning (or change your alterations when you find that the dress won’t let you bend more than a little bit). Typically this is one or two months ahead of the event (which also gives time for editing and ordering prints if you’re going to display them at the wedding, more on that later). For brides looking to shoot after the wedding, there’s a lot more flexibility: you can have it soon after the event to add images to a wedding album; wait until the next season for a little change of atmosphere; or you can wait and turn a bridal session into an anniversary session.

Location - A bridal session can be a great excuse to go somewhere different with your wedding dress. Are you having your wedding on Cape Cod but imagined some portraits on Boston’s Waterfront? Does your venue lack the elegant grand staircase of your imagination? Bridal sessions can make magic happen, but you have to answer a few questions about locations first.

What story are you looking to tell through your bridal session?

What time of year are you planning to have your Boston Bridal session?

Do you want photos indoors, outdoors, or maybe both?

Once you’ve answered these questions it can help you narrow down your options. You’ll also want to consider where you’ll get ready for the shoot (and getting your dress to and from the location), as well as any permits and permissions you might need to have (since it’s a lot harder to sneak around some place in a wedding dress).

Your Look - As you’re putting together your vision for your bridal session, think about your look. Do you want to have continuity with your wedding day styling? Or do you want to shoot off in a different direction? Either way you’re going to need to consider what your plan will be for hair, makeup, accessories, and possibly florals.

If you are getting your bridal session before your wedding, it’s a great opportunity to schedule your hair and makeup trial to see how you feel about the look and how it holds up. Just make sure to schedule things so there’s a bit of extra time to account for traffic or things running long (since sometimes you catch that something just isn’t working right away and change directions). If you’re having your bridal session after the wedding, it’s always nice to have an excuse to get glammed up and have a night out.

Your Stress - A bridal session should be fun and stress free. You get to enjoy spending time in your bridal look without the pressures of a wedding day. Make sure you get the day of your session started on the right foot - clear your calendar, go to bed a little early, have a nice little breakfast, and then do all those little rituals that make you feel great before you get in that makeup chair. One big tip to make your day easier is to bring in an extra set of hands, one or two friends that can help you navigate the day, be your cheerleaders and help you with your dress when needed.

What are you planning for your Boston Bridal session?

Ryan Richardson is a wedding and engagement photographer serving Boston and beyond; including Cape Cod Weddings, New England Weddings, Massachusetts Weddings and Rhode Island Weddings.