What Is a Bridal Portrait Session, and Why You’ll Want One After the Wedding

Here’s something nobody tells you about your wedding day: it lasts about eleven minutes.

Okay, not literally. But ask anyone who’s married and you’ll hear the same thing. One second you’re getting zipped into the dress, the next you’re waving goodbye, and somewhere in the middle you got twenty rushed minutes for portraits while your coordinator tapped her watch and your guests wondered where the appetizers were.

I photographed weddings for years and watched it happen again and again. The portraits, the photos that end up framed in your hallway, got whatever time was left over. That’s exactly why bridal portrait sessions are one of my favorite things to shoot.

So, what is a bridal portrait session?

A bridal portrait session is a photo session that happens after your wedding day. You get back in the dress, your groom gets back in the suit, and we go take the portraits your wedding day didn’t leave room for.

No timeline. No guest list. No one asking where the cake knife went. Just the two of you, looking as good as you did on the day, with time that’s only about you.

Traditionally, “bridal portraits” meant the bride on her own, photographed before the wedding. Lovely, but not what I mean here. My version is the two of you together, after the “I do,” when the pressure is off and you’re simply two married people who are ridiculously happy about it.

Why you’ll want one after the wedding

You get your wedding day back. Every minute you spend on portraits during the wedding is a minute away from the people who came to celebrate you (and from the cocktail hour you paid for). Move the big portraits to another day and you get to actually be at your own party.

You choose the place and the light. You picked your venue for a dozen reasons: the headcount, the catering, your mom’s opinion. It may not be your dream backdrop, and your ceremony time may have put portraits in harsh midday sun. For this session we plan around golden hour at a spot you love, whether that’s a beach in Santa Cruz, the cliffs in Big Sur, or the golden hills right here in the East Bay.

You’re relaxed, and it shows. No nerves, no schedule, no audience. You’ve been married for a few weeks or a few months, and the way you look at each other when nobody’s rushing you is the thing I most want to photograph.

You wear the dress again. You spent months finding it and wore it for about eight hours. It deserves a second outing. And this time you don’t have to be precious about it, so yes, we can walk through the tall grass and let the hem get sandy.

You get a do-over on anything you missed. Maybe it rained. Maybe the day ran late and the sunset photos never happened. Maybe you eloped, or had a courthouse ceremony in a different outfit, and you’d still love photos in the dress. Whatever the reason, this is your second chance.

What a session with me looks like

We start with a quick call so I can hear about your wedding, what you loved, and what you wish you’d had more of. From there I’ll help you choose a location and a time of day, and I’ll send over tips on what to bring.

On the day, plan on an hour together. There’s no shot list to race through. We’ll walk, talk, and I’ll give you little prompts that get you laughing and moving so you never have to wonder what to do with your hands.

Fair warning: I am a full-on hype woman behind the camera. You will hear “oh my gosh, YES” more than once. Then I’ll step back and let the two of you have yWhy you’ll want one after the weddingour moment, because those in-between seconds usually turn into the favorites.

Questions I get all the time

How soon after the wedding should we do this? Whenever you’d like. Some couples book a few weeks after, once the honeymoon glow has settled in. Others save it for their first anniversary. There’s no expiration date on getting dressed up with your person.

What if my dress has already been cleaned and preserved? If you’re reading this before the wedding, plan your session before the dress goes to the cleaner. If it’s already boxed up, a different white dress you love works beautifully too.

Does my partner have to come? I’d love for them to be there, since my sessions are built around the two of you. If you’d like some solo portraits in the mix, we’ll absolutely make time for those.

Do I need to redo my hair and makeup? That’s up to you. Some couples recreate the full wedding look, and others go softer and more relaxed this time around. Both photograph beautifully.

Where do you shoot? All over the Bay Area, plus Santa Cruz and Big Sur. If you have a dream spot in mind, tell me about it.

Ready to get back in the dress?

Your wedding day was for everyone you love. This one’s just for the two of you.

If you’re recently married (or about to be) and want portraits you never had time for, I’d love to hear from you. Send me a note and tell me all about your day. 🤍