Trial Run for the Bride’s Hair

Mother of the Bride, here’s an important hair tip for your daughter’s wedding day: Be sure to schedule a trial run. You don’t want to gamble with something as important as the bride’s hair on her dream-come-true day. A trial run will help you avoid disappointment and unmet expectations on the big day itself.

Many brides accomplish this crucial trial run when they have their bridal portraits done. Not only does this special photo session provide an hour’s worth of gorgeous photos of the bride in all her wedding adornment before the I do day arrives, it gives the bride and her hair stylist a chance to nail down and perfect the style the bride has envisioned for herself.

Not all brides choose to schedule a bridal portrait session, though. If your daughter falls into that group, MOB, go ahead and suggest a bridal hair run-through. It’s worth the expense of an extra appointment to prevent unwelcome surprises—and unnecessary stress—on the biggest day of your little girl’s life.

Mother of the Bride, as with so many other areas of life, better safe than sorry, right? And don’t forget to snap some photos to help chronicle your wedding planning adventures. It’s all part of the fun!

*You might also like to read Cake-Cutting Wedding Day Tip , 3 Tips for Working with Your Wedding DJ, and Wedding Photography Tip: Candid Shots of the Guests.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*The new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, comes out today. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.) Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*Flickr photo by Rona Proudfoot, Creative Commons License

Wedding Photography: Bridal Portrait Roundup

Mother of the Bride, if your daughter’s bridal portrait session is coming up soon, this roundup post of ideas should be helpful to you both. It’s always a good idea to have some photo ideas to share with your photographer, particularly if there are certain shots your daughter really wants.

As you and your daughter look through the options I’ve pulled together for you today, I hope you’ll find some that resonate with you. There are lots of other ideas out there as well so be sure to check other sources (like my Wedding Photography Ideas Pinterest board as well.)

Now for the roundup—here are the links to the bridal portraits I’ve featured thus far:

Bridal Portrait Shot: Watching for the Groom 

Beautiful Bride + Fancy Sofa = Perfect Bridal Portrait 

Bridal Portrait From a Spectator Angle 

Bridal Portrait Idea: A Stairway Shot

Bridal Portrait Idea: A Shot with Mom 

Bridal Portrait Idea: Windows Plus Great Light 

Bridal Portraits: Include Some Artsy Shots 

Bridal Portrait: Bride Seated with Bouquet on Train 

Bridal Portrait Idea: A Mirror Shot 

Bridal Portrait Idea: Fun With Sunglasses! 

Hope these help, MOB!

*You might also like to read Roundup: Popular Mother of the Bride Blog PostsBridal Bouquet RoundupWedding Cake RoundupWedding Registry Roundup, and Wedding Photo Ideas Roundup That Star the Groom.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, will come out in early November. Sign-up is FREE and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.)

*Photo by Stephtphotography

Bridal Portrait Shot: Watching for the Groom

Mother of the Bride, isn’t this photo gorgeous and precious all at the same time? I may be a little biased since the bride is my sweet daughter Kristin, but this particular pose of watching for the groom conveys so much—grown up beauty and the promise of joy as well as little girl excitement and overflowing love. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Notice how Kristin’s photographer, Chris Humphrey, chose a beautiful spot for this shot and took advantage of perfect afternoon sunlight coming through the windows. You might ask your daughter’s photographer if he knows a location where he might be able to get a similar shot of your bride-to-be.

So MOB, when it comes time for your daughter’s bridal portrait day—one of the most delightful wedding planning days you’ll experience, by the way—keep your fingers crossed for a “watching for the groom” shot. I promise it will immediately become a favorite!

*You might also like to read Bridal Portrait Idea: A Shot with Mom, Bridal Portrait + Fancy Sofa = Perfect Bridal Portrait, Bridal Portrait Idea: A Stairway Shot, Bridal Portraits: Include Some Artsy Shots, and Bridal Portrait Idea: A Mirror Shot

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride check out my Books/My Work page.

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, will come out in early August. Sign-up is FREE and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.)

*I hope this slightly revised encore post from July 2013 was helpful to you today!

*Photo by Chris Humphrey Photography

Beautiful Bride + Fancy Sofa = Perfect Bridal Portrait

Mother of the Bride, many photographers include a bridal portrait session in the price of their services. These sessions are often scheduled for a date before the wedding, but some perfect portraits of the bride alone can also be taken on the wedding day. Your photographer will certainly have some amazing ideas for some great shots, but you can also be thinking of ideas if you’re familiar with the wedding or bridal portrait venue.

If your daughter’s wedding or bridal portrait venue has a fancy sofa on the premises, the photographer can capture a stunning shot of your gorgeous daughter in all her bridal glory. Just have her sit on one end of the sofa and extend her legs toward the other end with her gown cascading to the side. Believe me, it will be absolute perfection, especially if the sofa is white or ivory. Different moods can also be captured with the photographer’s suggestions to the bride.

If this will work in your situation, MOB, share this idea with your sweet girl and see she what she thinks. Bet she’ll love it—and will welcome putting her feet up for awhile during the photo session!

*You might also like to read Bridal Portrait Idea: A Shot with MomBridal Portraits: Include Some Artsy ShotsBridal Portrait Idea: Windows Plus Great LightBridal Portrait Idea: A Mirror ShotBridal Portrait Idea: Watching for the Groom, and Bridal Portrait Idea: A Stairway Shot.

The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in early February. One lucky subscriber (new or current) will receive $15 gift card to Starbucks and a signed copy of my book to use personally, give as a gift, or donate to a library. Sign-up is free and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.)

Photos by Stephtphotography

Bridal Portrait From a Spectator Angle

Mother of the Bride, have you given any thought to specific shots you’d like to see included in your daughter’s bridal portrait session?

As a pro, her photographer will of course have lots of great ideas up his or her photo-snapping sleeve, but it never hurts to have a few ideas of your own to mention too—especially if you’ve seen a particular shot you’d love to see featuring your daughter.

One shot you might want to suggest is one taken from a spectator angle—one that looks as if the bride is looking at someone other than the photographer. Not only does it give a different vantage point of the beautiful bride, but it sparks the imagination of the viewer. Who or what is the bride looking at? Or watching for? What must she be feeling?

If you and/or the bride really like this type of shot, MOB, make a note to show it to your photographer when the time comes. You might even want to start a short list of shots you’d love to see him or her take. It will be fun to watch them come to life with your darling daughter as the star, right?!

*You might also like to read Bridal Portraits: Include Some Artsy Shots, Bridal Portrait Idea: Windows Plus Great Light, Bridal Portrait Idea: A Mirror Shot, and Bridal Portrait Idea: A Shot with Mom

*Flickr photo by atmtx, Creative Commons License