Do you want to learn how to style wedding invitations because you don’t have a method to your madness? Would you like to be more efficient when photographing the bridal details?
Let me know if this resonates with you!
You’re at a wedding. The bride hands you a bag with all of her details. You find a spot that has great lighting and are ready to start shooting. By now, you only have less than 30 minutes to photograph all of the bridal details and start to panic. You feel overwhelmed!
You’ve seen all of those gorgeous detail shots on Pinterest, but are not able to recreate them. You just don’t have enough time. Also, those beautifully styled flat lays… yes, they were most likely shot during a workshop, not a real wedding.
So, today I want to show you a few different ways that you can style the invitation suite at a REAL wedding. You know, a wedding where the bride only hands you one invitation and one envelope. Nothing else. Because that’s what usually happens when you work with real couples.
First off, if you haven’t read my blog post about the 3 composition rules for more dynamic images, make sure to read that first, then come back to this post.
1. With the Flap Open
If you take a look at the first image, you’ll notice that it looks a little bare. One way to add dimension to your stationary flat lays is to always carry an envelope in your styling kit. With the flap open, you can place the invitation in the middle of the envelope. Another option is to rotate the invitation sideways and place it on top of the envelope. And lastly, you can place the invitation inside of the envelope.
Remember the 3 composition rules I mentioned above? Now it’s time to add in different elements to elevate your flat lay by following the 3 composition rules. For the sake of keeping things simple so that you can replicate this on a real wedding day, I am only going to use flowers, a ring, and a ring box. Here are the final results.
In the first image below I used the diagonal line rule. In the second image I used the “S” curve rule. And in the third image I used the fibonacci spiral rule.
2. With the Flap Closed
When the flap of the envelope is closed, I can think of at least 3 options of how to style the wedding invitation.
→ invitation on top of envelope (if you have ribbon in your styling kit, you can tie a bow around the invitation)
→ envelope peeking out from behind the invitation
→ envelope and invitation pointing in different directions
In the first image below I used the diagonal line rule. In the second image I used the “S” curve rule. And in the third image I used the fibonacci spiral rule.
And that, my friend, is how to style wedding invitations on a wedding day without the stress and overwhelm. Remember, if you are only given one invite and one envelope, you have at least 6 different ways that you can style it. Use the 3 rules of composition for more dynamic images to elevate your flat lays. You don’t need a whole lot of props, some florals/greenery and a ring box can go a long way. To take a peek in my styling kit I use for weddings, click here.
Want more help with your flat lays? Check out the Bridal Shoes Styling Guide in the ATP Shop.
