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You’ve probably seen the stunning wedding details shots with the shoes laid out and the invitation suite perfectly placed, looking like its a photo straight out of a magazine. No? Even so, this blog will tell you everything you need to know about wedding flat lay photography and give you 25 wedding flat lay ideas to give you the most perfect details shot! Whether you’re a bride, wedding photographer or videographer, this checklist is sure to make your life a little easier when it comes to wedding planning. There’s always a ton of things you have to worry about on the day of your wedding, don’t let the wedding flat lay be one! So let’s dive into all the nitty gritty details of a wedding flat lay!
What Exactly is a Wedding Flat Lay?
A wedding flat lay is a details shot on your wedding day. It’s a way to photograph all of the little aspects of your wedding that you put a LOT of thought into but won’t be displayed for everyone to see: i.e. the invitation suite. Wedding invitations can get UP THERE in price and no doubt you spent a lot of time piecing them together, hot gluing wax seals, embossing envelopes, maybe even designing calligraphy for the addresses. This is their time to shine!!
Wedding flat lays are typically the first photographs in your wedding photo gallery. It sets the mood for the gallery, showcasing all the intricate details of your shoes, jewelry, and rings. They’re the video footage in slow mo at the start of your video while one of you is talking over the footage, reading letters or vows. It’s the serene beginning to your most perfect day!
A wedding flat lay is a fancy term for wedding details shot. The two are interchangeable! You can have as many details or as little details as you want. You can also have multiple sets: such as a bridal flat lay, groom’s flat lay, all together flat lay, the list goes on and on!
There’s no rhyme or reason to creating the “perfect” flat lay! It really all just comes together on the day of! But there’s a few things you can do to prepare so let’s chat about that next!
Who puts together a Wedding Flat Lay?
This is probably the most common question I see! Couples are stressed because they think they have to create the flat lay and design it and they don’t have a “creative mind” to do it! Have no fear! If I am your wedding photographer (which I definitely should be), I will do it for you! I spend the first 30 minutes to an hour of your wedding coverage taking details shots. This covers everything from setting up the flat lay, to hanging the dress, to hair + makeup details, to the getting ready venue – I really mean everything.
If you have a wedding planner, sometimes they like to set it up if they have a specific vision. The wedding videographer could also set it up, however I’ve seen most videographers just follow my lead! Either way (unless you realllllly want to) you don’t have to set it up!! Hooray! One less thing off your plate.
HOWEVER, here is the most important thing you need to do for your wedding flat lay – GET IT ALL TOGETHER AHEAD OF TIME!!! Grab a shoe box, extra empty bin, a ziploc bag, a jewelry organizer, really anything, and collect all the items you want photographed. Have it ready so when I arrive, you can hand it on over and you don’t have to stop your hair and makeup to go find things!
But Whitney, I don’t know what to pack and put aside? Bestie, you know I’ve got you!
Wedding Flat Lay Checklist
Below you’ll find a never ending checklist of items that COULD be included in your wedding flat lay photograph. Do all of these items NEED to be included? NO! Could they? Sure! It’s totally up to you as to how little or how much you want photographed! I’ve done as little as shoes and rings to almost everything on this list!
Make sure to include the items that match your day, decor and really represent you two! Don’t include vintage scissors + stamps if you have more of a rustic wedding theme! Don’t include something old, new, borrowed, blue if your wedding is more modern and bohemian! Like I said, you could use 2 things in this list or all 25 (although that could be a bit much!)
So print out this list, refer back to it, and mark it off when you put it in your shoe box!
- Invitation suite (2) – invitation, envelope, details card
- Rings – both engagement ring(s) and wedding bands
- Ring box or Dish
- Earrings
- Necklace(s)
- Bracelet(s)
- Garter
- Handkerchief
- Cuff links
- Tie
- Shoes
- Perfume
- Cologne
- Watch
- Personal vow book
- Vintage stamps
- Wax seals
- Wax seals stamps
- Ribbons used to make invitations or other details
- Heirloom pieces
- Veil
- Lipsticks or other personal makeup items
- Something old, new, borrowed, blue
- Dried florals
- Fresh floral pieces (ask your florists to give you some extra!)
Where can you buy the little details to add in a Wedding Flat Lay?
Okay, you’ve collected everything in your shoe box or ziploc bag… what now? What about all the little extra decor things like vintage scissors, stamps, or ribbon? Who brings that? First step is to talk to your photographer! Sometimes your photographer comes with a whole slew of things to add to details, some photographers like to use what’s available.
If your photographer doesn’t bring a tackle box of extra detail decor items to add to the flat lay but you want to purchase some for them to have, I’ve got you covered! Here is a list of a few places to find little decorative pieces to add to your flat lay!
For plain and simple ribbons, vintage scissors, vow books you can shop my Wedding Flat Lay Amazon Idea List! It has everything you could need linked and all in one place!
For more personalized and specific themes you can head on over to my good friend Etsy! This shop called TheStylingSource has all kinds of flat lay photography items – maybe even more than you could choose from! But if you’re looking for specifics – they might be the place to go!
Another pro tip is to look around the house, airbnb, or hotel and see what you can find! Most ring dishes and items used (like the ones pictured below) were found around the airbnb and they matched the colors of the wedding perfectly! Check soap dishes, ring dishes, ash trays, and accent pieces to see what you can find!
Wedding flat lay photography is stunning and sets the mood for your wedding photo gallery. Some are over the top and gorgeous and some flat lays are plain and simple, nothing extra and also stunning. While deciding what you want to include in your wedding flat lay, remember a few things:
- Less is more – you don’t have to include all 25 things! Only include what you care about and what you want photographed. If you put time and thought into it – photograph it!
- Stick to your color scheme or aesthetic when picking decor! Don’t pick a pink ring dish if your wedding colors are earthy greens or classic whites! But also don’t feel like you have to pick a white ring box, dish or ribbon just because that’s a “wedding color.” Pick what fits your style and aesthetic best!
- Don’t think too much about this! There are plenty of things to worry about on your wedding day and wedding flat lays shouldn’t be one! Just collect your items and have them ready and let your photographer do all the work and make the magic happen!
Want me to do all the work and make the magic happen for you? I’d love to chat more! Feel free to inquire with Les Petits Bijoux Photography and we can start making your wedding photography dreams come true!
Flat Lay Inspiration
Want to keep perusing? Check out other blogs I’ve written!
Author:
April 12, 2024
This was such a good read, and it covered a topic that people don’t usually think to write about. You gave so many good tips!
DEFINITELY saving these for flatlay inspo! wow!!
This is so helpful!! Taking notes for my future flat lays!!!!