Flat Lay Design for Your Wedding
Have you been wondering how you can incorporate gorgeous flat lay designs into your wedding album? We can help!
A flat lay is simply an array of objects on a flat surface and then captured from directly above. This specific perspective, the bird’s eye view, is part of the design aesthetic and is seen a lot in wedding detail photography, but also commercial product photography. You may also notice a flat lay design used by food photographers and bloggers, as it is a great way to showcase an instagram-worthy meal.
We love using flat lay design when photographing wedding details, it is a great way to showcase an invitation suite, ceremony programs, the rings, other jewelry, as well as those special something new, old, borrowed, and blue trinkets. SO much planning goes into your wedding day, years from now you want to be able to enjoy all those sweet details when you flip through your wedding album. We know this, and that is why we work to capture both traditional detail photographs and take the time to create a beautifully designed flat lay with some of your details too.
There are a few things you can do to help your photographer create a flat lay with your wedding details:
Choose a photographer that displays wedding flat lay in their portfolio. Not every photographer has an interest in creating a well designed layout of important little details (and thats ok!). Because a wedding day tends to be very hectic and fast-paced your photographer needs to work quickly and efficiently to master a beautiful little tableau and still make sure not to miss any other moments from the big day. We make sure to discuss the timeline of your event, and add in enough time to cover any detail photography needed. We also come prepared! We have a dedicated camera and lens we use just for details. This saves time without the need to change lenses back and forth, and allows us to transition seamlessly from details to portraits, to documenting the any human moments that are also happening (usually photographs of the bride getting ready at same time). We also bring our design boards with us, as well as bits of ribbon and velvet ring boxes that match your wedding.
Ask your floral designer for any extra flowers and greenery to incorporate into the designs. This is huge, and makes such a difference in the texture and color of your flat lay. A lot of effort and expense goes into wedding flowers, make sure they are properly documented. It is also much more personal to use the flowers from your own wedding rather than photography props.
Gather your details. Do you have physical invitations, or a ceremony program? Using great-granny’s heirloom handkerchief? What about that perfect seashell you and your fiancé found on your first trip together? What other jewelry will you be wearing at your wedding? All of those are perfect for creating a flat lay. Keep an entire invitation suite for yourself (make sure to include rsvp cards and envelopes) and set them aside to bring on the day of the wedding. If you happen to have digital only invitations, send one to your photographer ahead of time, and they can possibly photoshop it in (we’ve done this! but this is not always possible, especially if your invite involves video). It is a good idea to prepare a little box beforehand and give to your photographer on the day of the wedding.
Make sure whoever is in charge of the rings knows the rings will need to be photographed before the wedding. That same person can even be in charge of getting your “important details” box to the photographer, and then making sure they are returned safely after they are photographed. We usually find an area with great lighting to set up our design boards with all the details and get to work. The rings are really important, and you will want them included in your detail photography, so make sure the photographer doesn’t have to hunt down the best man for the wedding rings. You also do not need to be the one in charge of this on your wedding day! With a little planning, you will not be worrying about where you left the heirloom crystal ring holder when you should be relaxing and soaking in the moment.
Keep the space where you are getting ready de-cluttered and neat. This is a good tip to keep in mind not only for photographing gorgeous flat lay designs, but for all of your getting ready/wedding day prep photographs. Your photographer may rearrange a little furniture and move a few things, but you do not want your photographer spending 20 minutes of valuable shooting time making the space look nice for your wedding album. We will always look for the best light as well, and that is usually near a window with natural light. We always bring our flash and strobe lights, so if there are no windows we can make it work. This is also why your photographer will want to be familiar with the venue before your wedding day.
Flat lay photography is a bit of an exercise in perfectionism, but we LOVE it. It requires precise lighting and attention to details, as well as the proper camera equipment, but those are all aspects of wedding photography that thouroughly enjoy.
Bring us your ideas and together we will create beautiful works of art you can treasure for years to come!
