Everything You Need (and Don’t) for Your Wedding Flat Lay
I love a good wedding flat lay. Why? Wedding flat lays allow me to showcase all the pretty little details that make each wedding unique. In other words, it’s the entirety of a wedding day in a single image.
Through wedding flat lays, I can effectively tell the day’s story. This also preserves the memories for the wedding couple. Also, these images enhance wedding albums as well! And for me, the photographer, it is a valuable marketing tool for websites and social media platforms. I mean, the end result of wedding flat lay photos are P R E T T Y photos.
What Is a Wedding Flat Lay?
You’d probably recognize a wedding flat lay if you saw one, but the actual term might be something you’re not as familiar with. A flat lay is one of the most popular wedding detail shots. While “detail shot” can refer to anything from flower arrangements and macro ring photos to place settings and cakes, a flat lay differs. As your wedding photographer, I carefully plan this photo using your wedding stationery, accessories, and other personal items.
How? I arrange items on a flat surface, such as a styling mat or clean floor, and photograph them! Easy right? The goal of a wedding flat lay is to create a visually appealing and cohesive composition (AKA, a great photo) that tells a story. This photo can highlight the theme of the wedding and document the smaller, often intricate (or overlooked) details that are a part of the wedding day.
Some common details in a wedding flat lay include wedding accessories, shoes, bridal bouquets or loose flowers, invitation suites, wedding rings, and other decorative items or sentimental objects. Let’s dive deeper into these items below!
How to Prepare Your Wedding Details for Photos
Having all your flat lay essentials IN ONE PLACE makes it easy for me! I can swoop in the bridal or groom suite, access the items, and get to shooting! I recommend keeping all your details in a shoe box or bridal bag. Anything you wish to have photographed in the room should be in one area of the room and simple to find (such as your bouquet and wedding dress). Once I am finished, I can quickly return the items to the places they belong to!
Further, consider cutting off tags or removing any stickers from your items. This will also allow me to quickly photograph your details in enough time to stay on track with the wedding timeline.
What to Include in Your Wedding Flat Lay
The specific items will vary from couple to couple, but there are a few details I photograph at almost every wedding. You don’t need to buy anything specifically for your flat lay. Start with the things you already chose, wore, carried, or brought with you because they are part of your wedding day.
Wedding Invitation or Invitation Suite
Wedding invitations often serve as the base of a flat lay. Set aside a clean copy of your invitation along with any other pieces from the suite, such as RSVP cards, detail cards, envelopes, or stamps. If something is printed on both sides, an extra copy is helpful so I can photograph everything together.
Wedding Accessories
Gather the accessories you plan to wear, including shoes, earrings, jewelry, a veil, hairpieces, cufflinks, watches, or other smaller details. Having everything together also means I can photograph these items before you need them to get dressed.
Wedding Rings and Ring Boxes
Include engagement rings and wedding bands. Ring boxes are also a great addition, but you don’t need to purchase one just for photographs. I bring a few with me and can also photograph your rings without a box.
Bouquet or Loose Flowers
Keep your bouquet near the rest of your details if it has already been delivered. Loose flowers or greenery from your florist can also be incorporated into a flat lay. If your florist has a few extra stems available, I will gladly put them to use.
Perfume or Fragrance
If you’re wearing a particular perfume or fragrance on your wedding day, add it to the pile. This is especially meaningful if you chose a new scent specifically for the wedding or already have a fragrance you wear regularly. The bottle itself can also add another shape or texture to the flat lay.
Heirlooms or Sentimental Items
This is where your flat lay becomes much more personal. You can include family jewelry, a grandparent’s handkerchief, a parent’s watch, photographs, pins, or other heirlooms. If something has meaning to you, I want to know about it.
Vows or Love Letters
Handwritten vows, vow books, or letters to each other are some of my favorite details to photograph. They are completely specific to the two of you and help document more than what your wedding looked like.
Additional Details
You can also include stamps, antique hand mirrors, handkerchiefs, fabric, ribbons, and other small items. These aren’t requirements, and you don’t need to collect extra things simply to fill the photograph. If something is already part of your wedding or has personal meaning, throw it in with the rest of your details and let me decide how to use it.
What to Leave Out of Your Wedding Flat Lay
While there are no strict rules about what to include or not include in a wedding flat lay, it’s essential to consider the overall aesthetic. Here are some items you might choose not to have in your wedding flat lay.
- Personal Items: Avoid adding items like medications, personal hygiene products, or other items that may not be aesthetically pleasing or relevant to the wedding theme.
- Unnecessary Paperwork: Avoid including paperwork or documents that don’t support the wedding’s theme or story.
- Oversized Items: Large or oversized items can overpower the flat lay, making it challenging to create a balanced photo.
- Tacky or Out-of-Place Items: Consider the overall style and theme of your wedding. Items that don’t match the aesthetic or feel out of place should be left out.
- Distracting Colors: Be mindful of the wedding color palette, and ensure the items you include harmonize with your wedding’s overall color scheme.
- Garters Are On The Way Out: It is now rare for a garter to be used in a modern wedding flat lay. Consider keeping it out, especially if you are not including a garter toss at your reception.
Do You Need Wedding Flat Lay Photos?
Whether you decide to have your wedding photographer create flat lay photos on your wedding day is entirely up to you. You don’t need to include this in your timeline.
But, if you decide it is worth it, do it WELL. Be prepared for me to ask for those items when I arrive at your wedding venue and have them available.
Whether you decide to do a flat lay or not, I would love to be a part of your wedding day. Please review my other Tips on a Wedding Day and contact me for a quote!
