Wedding Flat Lays: Tips for Preparing Your Details

Flat lays are a beautiful way to capture many of your special details in one photo! Today I'm sharing all of my tips for making it happen...

What to Include

Everyone includes different items, but these are the most common pieces to consider:

- Invitation suite (include two copies so we can get the front and back in one photo)
- Vows
- Rings
- Ring box
- Earrings, necklaces, bracelets, cufflinks, tie clips, watches
- Ties or bow ties
- Shoes
- Veils (these make a lovely background for items to be placed upon)
- Family heirlooms and charms (many couples pin these to their bouquets or inside jackets/dresses to honor them)
- Embroidered hankies
​-  Your "something borrowed, something blue"

Vow Styles

​Most couples choose to write their vows in vow booklets. Including both of these booklets in your flat lay will be a reminder of the commitments you and your partner shared on your wedding day.

As an alternative, you may prefer to each write your vows on a single flat sheet of paper. This will make it easier to read them during your ceremony, but it also provides us with the opportunity to include all of these words in your wedding images. The photo above was taken at an elopement, and we included it in their wedding album. This provided them with a "backup" of their vows in case anything ever to happened to the originals, and now they get to look back on these messages whenever they sit down to look through their album together. They'd also make a beautiful matted and framed piece of art for your walls or nightstand!

Logistics

Communicate with your photographer to ensure you have time designated on the timeline. For couples who want these, I like to have 10-15 minutes set aside during the getting ready portion of the day. If we’re not including jewelry/shoes, this can also happen before the ceremony. 

Put all of the details you want to include in a box, and remove unwanted pieces like tissue paper, tags, and receipts. This makes setup faster for your photographer so we can focus on the photos!

​Place the box in a safe location, such as next to your outfits.
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Styling Florals

​For bonus points, talk with your florist in advance about adding on a set of styling flowers (never assume they’ll have extras) and confirm what time they'll arrive. This instantly levels up your flat lay, incorporates your wedding colors, and creates a stunning image for your wedding album! Below you can see the difference before and after the florals were added in.

​Like all things in wedding planning, remember that there are no rules! Include the pieces that are special to you, and have fun with it!