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March 20, 2026
March 20, 2026
Love Story, Morning of the Bride, Boudoir Album: Photo Sessions That Tell Your Story Better Than a Thousand Words
author
author
Alexey Savinauthor
The main part of celebrations usually happens in plain sight, so the scenario is well known to everyone: City Hall, the couple's walk, and the reception. While close friends may or may not appear in some shots during the outing, at the reception the wedding photographer should pay attention to every guest. The hosts of the celebration usually want everyone invited to be captured with them, and in the groupings they want: individually, with spouse, with children, with parents, with the cat...
Our parents' generation was already snapping away with film cameras at parties and hiking trips. A roll of film held 36 shots (wow!), first black-and-white, and about 30 years ago mass color printing arrived.
Now we shoot everything we see on digital: from food to skydiving. The result is instant, storage is unlimited — it's convenient, but on the other hand, it makes us lazy about choosing the meaning and texture of each frame. We just... shoot. But don't we also want, first and foremost, to tell our story in an interesting way? "Hold still, watch the birdie!"
Love Story Photo Shoot
Photo by Marina Nazarova
No two couples are alike, because every relationship is unique. A love story is a tale of love that two people tell while a third captures it on camera. A romantic shoot before the wedding, besides producing photos, gives you a wonderful opportunity to get to know the photographer you'll probably invite to your big day. During the session, you'll learn how to make your photos sensual and alive. Later, at the ceremony, this skill will come in handy for those who think they're not photogenic, don't know how to pose, or feel shy about kissing in front of the camera.
Photo by Marina Nazarova
I recommend doing a Love Story photo shoot before the wedding shoot for several reasons. I'm a firm believer in starting from the couple themselves — their wishes, their personalities. A wedding photographer doesn't create a love story; they tell it through their photographs. The story is created by the couple themselves. So you should ask yourselves: what do we want? You need to meet the photographer beforehand so you're not worried about some stranger showing up on your most important day. It's best to meet for about an hour before the wedding day — just to chat. And honestly, you don't always need a concept. You can just go for a walk along your favorite city streets. You can ride scooters if that's your thing. You can just sit on the embankment, play guitar and drink wine if that's your thing. You can go for a picnic in the park, and so on. Then you need to make sure everything looks good in the photos and that you work well with this photographer: that you really look alive and happy, that your emotions are genuine.
Photo by Marina Nazarova
Advice from EventForMe
In sunny conditions, the most spectacular shots happen before 11 AM and after 4 PM. On cloudy days, it's the opposite — wait until midday.
It's best to create your love story a few months before the wedding: for example, right after the engagement or after sending out invitations. And to give your story an interesting continuation, you can repeat similar photo shoots on your wedding anniversaries.
There's another important point: these are the photos you can use to design your wedding website. Such a website will be very useful both during event planning and afterward. For example, it will help you quickly get responses from invited guests and their RSVPs.
You can also post all kinds of additional information: directions to the venue, the menu, the evening's program, coordinators' phone numbers, and so on. So you can share it all with one click. And after the wedding, it would be wonderful to record and post a thank-you video for everyone who came. Or photos from your honeymoon.
Boudoir Album
Photo by Marina Nazarova
A collection of artistic photographs of the bride in an intimate setting is a great way to surprise your spouse. Those who spend a lot of time on business trips will especially appreciate such a gift.
The main "dress code" for a boudoir shoot is beautiful lingerie. Depending on the look and style, it can be complemented with stockings, robes, peignoirs, sheer dresses, and wraps. That said, some might prefer short shorts and a t-shirt, or even a men's shirt — you can borrow one from the groom. Some are comfortable with real erotica and nude-style photography.
If you want to do this shoot as a gift for the groom — these feminine, intimate photographs that highlight the beauty of your curves — it's better to do this session separately from everything else. You need to prepare for it. This kind of shoot doesn't tolerate rushing; everyone needs to get in the mood, and time is needed to find the most flattering angles.
Photo by Marina Nazarova
Advice from EventForMe
Before a boudoir shoot, don't wear tights or shapewear (or any underwear at all) — they leave marks on your body that you definitely won't want to see in the photos.
For an intimate photo session, prepare several sets of lingerie and cover-ups. Explain the task to your stylist/makeup artist. Should you look natural? Or provocative? And keep in mind that photo editing takes several days or even weeks if there's a lot of material and/or it requires post-processing (retouching). Schedule your "boudoir" session (this could be a room in a nice hotel or a studio) 3–4 weeks before the big date, so your spouse receives the gift during your honeymoon.
Morning of the Bride and Groom
Photo by Marina Nazarova
These days, couples often start living together long before the wedding, so they get ready together on the big day too. In those few hours before the start of married life, the excitement and anticipation the couple experiences can probably only be compared to Yuri Gagarin's feelings before his space flight. So put on your spacesuits... that is, your pajamas, bring coffee — scratch that — champagne to bed, and have a pillow fight, goof around, or help each other tie a tie or put on a shoe. This morning is special, so it's important to preserve it not just in memory.
Photo by Marina Nazarova
It's more about the mood, the state of being, about that part of the day when you're getting ready, feeling nervous. For me, "Morning of the Bride" doesn't necessarily mean when the bride is alone, when she's getting ready separately — no. Many couples spend the day before the wedding together. I think it's wonderful to wake up in your loved one's arms and then spend the whole day together. You can rent a hotel or apartment, relax at the spa the day before the wedding, unwind. If you book a two-room suite, then while the bride is being "put together" in the morning, the groom can sleep for another hour. In these conditions, the shoot goes very easily, it's fun. I usually arrive when the stylist is almost finished, when the bride is practically ready, and we begin. You can go to the bathroom, lounge in the bubbles and drink champagne there. Or just cuddle on the bed. Some people bring their beloved pets. You can read a book, play guitar, order hamburgers... Once I had a couple who were playing backgammon! It all depends on which of these stories is about you. The main thing is that you enjoy it all. That you're living it with pleasure.
Photo by Marina Nazarova
Advice from EventForMe
You don't have to shoot the morning of the bride at home, unless you're a fan of authenticity and documentary style. A couple will look more flattering in a neat and spacious hotel room. If you do decide to stay at home, remove everything unnecessary from the room so small details don't overcrowd the frame.
Don't forget about the wedding day timeline and don't fall behind schedule, or you might not have enough time to get properly dressed for the wedding.
Bachelorette Party and Bridal Preparations
Photo by Marina Nazarova
Every family has its own traditions: some families try to follow customs, so the daughter lives with her parents until the wedding. Some see wedding preparations as a morning continuation of the bachelorette party. In short, sometimes the couple gets ready separately.
If the bridesmaids come over, we start merrily drinking champagne, dressing and preparing the bride, maybe even crying or having fun. Or all of it at once! Sometimes the bride wants to spend this morning not with her girlfriends, but with her mom or dad, for example. It's always a very touching moment when mom helps put on the veil or fasten the dress — a moment full of excitement, tears, emotions... And all of this, of course, remains in the photographs.
Photo by Marina Nazarova
The ladies participating in bridal preparations could also use a stylist/makeup artist — build time for their work with multiple people into the wedding day timeline.
The Wedding
Photo by Marina Nazarova
The main part of celebrations usually happens in plain sight, so the scenario is well known to everyone: City Hall, the couple's walk, and the reception. While close friends may or may not appear in some shots during the outing, at the reception the wedding photographer should pay attention to every guest. The hosts of the celebration usually want everyone invited to be captured with them, and in the groupings they want: individually, with spouse, with children, with parents, with the cat...
A themed wedding, where all the visuals are connected by a unified concept, looks stylish and expensive in photos. However, this shouldn't become an end in itself: after all, you're not shooting a romantic drama or a western, but the first celebration of your family.
Photo by Marina Nazarova
Summary
- Decide what you want. Look at other people's sessions, browse photographers' portfolios, check out mood boards on the topic you need.
- Before the photo shoot, talk with the photographer in advance: discuss your wishes and expectations, choose a concept and style, location and time. Arrange the stylist.
- Sign a contract. Before doing so, find out exactly how the photographer's time is billed. Post-processing time for your photos may also be considered working time (i.e., billed at the shooting rate).
- Before the session, give your body rest, get a good night's sleep, and turn off your phone during the shoot so you're not distracted.
- Every photographer has their own approach to "loosening up" their subjects. Be prepared that "natural" shots might not happen right away.
- Timing: allow one hour for preparation for makeup, hair, changing, and lighting setup. Each photo session takes up to 3 hours depending on the complexity of the concept. Without professional skills, you shouldn't work in front of the camera longer than that — your fatigue will show in the photos. If the photo session is at a studio, factor in travel time there and back. The total could be up to 5–6 hours — almost a full workday.
- Being a photo model isn't that easy!
author
author
Alexey Savinauthor