Capturing all the moments at every wedding is my expertise! The details that go into the day are no exception. I love showcasing all of the small pieces. Not only because are they adorable, but also because I know how carefully these items were chosen by the bride and groom. Although I can photograph each piece while adorned by its owners, a flat lay of all the pieces together creates a really special keepsake.

Here are some of my best tips for creating a beautiful flat lay photo:

Background: I have a collection of styling boards to choose from. These boards are great because they provide a clean, solid space for me to work from. I choose the board color based on what matches the items or wedding colors.

Placement: There are a few different placements you can use. I switch between lining all the items up in a grid style and piling things together in a pretty little mess. Either way, I always look through my viewfinder before changing it up. Sometimes your naked eye doesn’t see what your camera will capture. Watch for uneven spacing between items!

Shadows: Shadows are really important when photographing flat lays! Oftentimes I use a white reflector to soften those shadows. I stand the reflector up facing the light, which bounces the light back onto the items. This makes for a light and crisp flat lay while still keeping dimension and perspective.

Just keep snapping: Take a ton of photos! When you think you’ve captured the photo perfectly, change angles and snap some more. Take some off to the side, leave more white space, or zoom in on a few things. Even though the items are the same, just by changing your angle or crop will create lots of different, interesting images.

Accessorize: I keep a collection of ribbons, trays, vintage stamps, ring boxes, and other small trinkets that I use to style my flat lays with. I always have my eyes peeled for new accessories to add to my styling kit. I find that smaller accessories work better, as you don’t want to upstage your main items; you know, the important things you’re photographing for your clients. I also ask my couples what their wedding colors are far in advance so I know what shades I should be keeping an eye out for while shopping.

Flowers: I remind my brides to ask their florists to leave a few extra flowers and greenery for me to use in my flat lays. The flowers are another choice the bride has made for her wedding that give her details a distinct look. Plus, they are so pretty and add so much character and personality to a flat lay image.

Have fun with it! Photographing flat lays is one of my FAVORITE things to do! I set aside a full hour of every wedding day to make sure I have plenty of time to document these intimate details in a really beautiful way. AND so I feel fulfilled in what I am doing. Pleasing my clients is very important to me, but if I’m not having a blast too, then what is the point?!

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If you have any tips and tricks you would like to share with me about how you create your own flat lays, I would love to hear about it! Or, if you would like to know more about my process or learn additional information, don’t hesitate to reach out! Happy styling!