So I've mentioned bridal portraits before, but if you're like me, you had no clue what they were until you got pulled into the wedding world. Katie Cotton, my hair and makeup artist from out west, said it was purely a "southern tradition."
What Are They?
They are simply photos of you, and you alone, in your bridal gown. It's a chance to get some beautiful photos without tons of people around you (as they will be on the day of your wedding), test hair and makeup and get accustomed to working with your gown.
Are They Necessary?
Absolutely not. If saving money is your goal, this is a very skip worthy item. It's just a second opportunity to take pictures of you in your bridal gown. If you're set on doing them, I recommend using a trusted friend or speaking to your photographer about an extended package. Here's why:
My Bridal Portrait Experience
For those of you who read Wedding Festivals: What's the Big Deal?, you know I won a free bridal portrait session. For the photographer, it was a $220 fee just to take the photos. Because I won them, that fee was waived. From the drawing I also got one free 8X10 photo of my choosing. There were a total of 83 images. I picked 13 of my favorites, thinking I would just get the digital downloads/files. For that photographer, it was $40 per image just for the file! Multiply that by 13 and you get a whopping $520 (not including tax) for 13 pictures.
So I did some digging. For my photographer, Josh Jones, it would cost me $400 for an hour long bridal portrait session. This includes edited, high-resolution files of all images. To make it an even better deal, Josh won SC Photographer of the Year, so I know for a fact that I will get beautiful, unique images.
The photographer I had for the bridal session was great. She was really nice and knew what she was doing. The images were beautiful! But to me, it's simply not worth her price.
If I choose to redo them, which I'm still considering, I will probably go with Josh rather than a friend. It will give me a chance to get accustomed to his style of photography and get comfortable around him before the wedding.
So I did some digging. For my photographer, Josh Jones, it would cost me $400 for an hour long bridal portrait session. This includes edited, high-resolution files of all images. To make it an even better deal, Josh won SC Photographer of the Year, so I know for a fact that I will get beautiful, unique images.
The photographer I had for the bridal session was great. She was really nice and knew what she was doing. The images were beautiful! But to me, it's simply not worth her price.
If I choose to redo them, which I'm still considering, I will probably go with Josh rather than a friend. It will give me a chance to get accustomed to his style of photography and get comfortable around him before the wedding.
Lesson Learned
Ladies, this goes to show that before diving into something, do your research. Make sure you explore your options to find the best pricing. I'm glad I did! This doesn't apply exclusively to today's topic. It's for every aspect of your wedding! On the plus side, I still get a free 8X10. Put it in a nice frame and I have a nice gift for my mom and dad!
Dead Set on Taking Them?
Here's some modeling tips to get beautiful photos from Studio Uma.
- Adina