Your wedding day lasts just that long – one day. It’s the pictures that last a lifetime. I know I’ve already emphasized the importance of a quality wedding photographer. But if you pour over pictures on stylemepretty.com you know good wedding photo props are key. These things usually don’t happen by accident – I mean you may pose in front of a street sign as a last minute decision but those oversize ampersands don’t just appear on the scene. You need to come prepared.

Shopping for wedding photo props is fun! Look through your wedding day inspiration folder – I’m sure you have a physical binder or dedicated folder for these photo downloads you’d like to duplicate. Choose the props that come up most often in your photo folder or the ones that stand out most to you. Here are a few of my favorites:

Ampersands. Your wedding day is about unity – two people becoming one married couple. Ampersands represent the essence of that bond and a wedding in general.

Mustaches. These simple little details add so much fun to your photos.

Chalkboard. You can write anything from you wedding date, a simple heart drawing or thank you for your cards.

If you’re planning an outdoor wedding, it might rain. I know it’s every bride’s nightmare and something you’d probably not like to discuss out loud but we can’t predict the weather so every outdoor wedding needs a contingency plan.

modern take on wedding shoes

Don’t let raindrops discourage you. These weddings embraced the wet weather and look how amazing their wedding photographs turned out! Take advantage of the fact that water is reflective and add a few artistic, angled shots to your photo shoot. Be creative and order an umbrella for two in case it rains on your outdoor wedding – what a creative and interesting solution. Umbrellas add an element of interest to traditional photos so order a few to have on hand in traditional black, clear or an assortment of your wedding color palette.

Just remember your wedding day is about celebrating so if it rains embrace it; your wedding photos will look better with raindrops than tear drops. When planning an outdoor wedding it’s better to be safe than sorry – and what’s a few umbrellas compared to the rest of your wedding budget?

i love modern wedding shots like this one

Your wedding is the only time other people will happily allow you to put your love on display at a nauseating level so take advantage. Most couples do this with a slideshow of pictures of themselves or a collage on display at the reception. Take this idea and put on a modern twist with this idea inspired by Taylor Swift’s video Mine. Does that girl do anything that’s not adorable?
These hanging photos are an easy do-it-yourself project that would look great among the falling leaves in an outdoor fall reception. This display of love is so romantic and whimsical. And I do love any wedding decorations that hang from trees.
Having an indoor wedding? This idea can easily be taken indoors. Or use these hanging photos as part of an engagement shoot – I love it.

love her boots

The Bride-to-Be: Jen

The Groom-to-Be: Brett

The Photo Shoot Location: Denver, CO

The Wedding Location: Mill City Museum, Minnesota

How They Met: Brett and I met through work — I worked an agency that ran a press conference for his company.  It was illuminating for us both to see each other in a professional capacity.  He’s so smart!  After the work was done, Brett and I kept in touch and he flew me to Denver — I lived in Chicago at the time — so I could see his life and meet his world.  I met his friends, family, and pretty much the entire city of Denver that weekend and we decided someone had to move.  Brett decided to move to Chicago a few months later.

changing outfits made for a fun shoot

Inspiration for the Engagement Photo Shoot: Though we love to travel and considered a destination wedding, there’s something about a hometown wedding.  Because we were getting married in Minnesota but our life is in Denver (my job is promoting the city), we wanted to show our favorite places and our new life here in the Mile High.

mismatching plaids are so cute

Perks of Your Engagement Shoot: Troy, our photographer, just had a natural ease behind the camera.  He went above and beyond to accommodate the many locations we wanted to capture, and found ways to tell a different story at each venue.  He helped Brett and I feel comfortable in our own shoes while on camera, something we definitely wanted to make sure of before the big day.  And it was easy to tell he’s great with every audience — from cute, curious little kids to passersby that miiiight just stick around a little long.  He handled every situation well and delivered fabulous photos.

For more details about Jen & Brett’s engagement photos, check out their feature on Bellagala’s blog.