Planning a wedding is full of big decisions, and one of them is when to schedule your bridal portraits. While many brides wait until the day of, more and more are opting to have these photos taken ahead of time. The pros of taking your bridal portraits before your wedding day offer a range of benefits that can make your entire experience smoother, more enjoyable, and even more beautiful. Here’s why an early bridal session could be the right move for you.

1. Less Stress on Your Wedding Day

Wedding days are busy—there’s no way around it. Between the ceremony, reception, family photos, and everything in between, time flies. By taking your bridal portraits beforehand, you free up precious time in your day-of schedule. This means less stress, fewer time constraints, and more freedom to enjoy your big moments without feeling rushed.

2. A Full Hair and Makeup Trial with Real Results

Scheduling your bridal portraits ahead of time doubles as a full hair and makeup trial. You get to see how your chosen look photographs, how it holds up during a shoot, and whether it feels comfortable. If anything doesn’t look or feel quite right, you still have time to make adjustments before the wedding.

3. More Control Over the Setting and Weather

On your wedding day, you’re limited to the time and location set in your schedule. When you plan your bridal portraits ahead of time, you can choose the perfect time of day for lighting, select a scenic or meaningful location, and reschedule if the weather isn’t cooperating. This control can make a big difference in the quality and style of your photos.

4. Confidence Boost

There’s something special about seeing yourself fully done up in your dress before the big day. A pre-wedding portrait session lets you take everything in without distractions and builds confidence. Many brides report feeling more relaxed and self-assured walking down the aisle because they’ve already seen how stunning they’ll look.

5. Gorgeous Prints for Display at the Wedding

If you do your portraits in advance, you can have a large framed print, canvas, or a slideshow ready to display at your wedding or reception. It’s a beautiful way to personalize your venue and let guests see your bridal look up close. It also gives you and your photographer time to edit and perfect the images.

6. A Special Moment Just for You

Let’s face it: your wedding day will be filled with shared moments. A pre-wedding bridal session gives you quiet, personal time to soak in the experience of being a bride. It’s a chance to enjoy the dress, the glamour, and the moment, just for yourself.

If you’re on the fence about when to take your bridal portraits, consider the many advantages of doing them ahead of time. From reducing wedding-day stress to getting those perfect beauty shots and having prints ready to display, the pros of taking your bridal portraits before your wedding day is a decision you’ll likely be glad you made. It’s not just about photos—it’s about creating space to enjoy one of the most important roles you’ll ever step into.

To see more of my work, click here! To book with me, click here!

---

Kind Words

“Katelyn makes EVERYONE not only LOOK amazing in their photos, but feel good too.
She is a funny and down to earth person, that knows how to create stunning images that take you right back to the moment. The variety she got blew me away during our shoot, details of my ring, close ups, portraits, and wide shots without me even realizing that she was doing. She is also the queen of detail photos on a wedding day… they are stunning and never disappoint!”