KY Winter Wedding | Photo by Keith & Melissa Photography

The Lowdown on Styled Wedding Shoots

January 23, 2018

Blog

Have you ever noticed how many wedding images on social media aren’t even from real weddings. Weird, right? These inspirational images are from what are called styled wedding photoshoots. Why do styled wedding shoots exist? Good question. You would think that wedding creatives that do a gazillion events a year wouldn’t need to put forth the extra effort to do a styled photoshoot, but there is more to it than that. Styled photo shoots play an important role in the development of wedding professionals and the entire wedding industry.

At a styled shoot wedding creatives aren’t worried about pleasing a couple so they are free to try new things, be more creative and express their own style. Vendors can show off what they are capable of and demonstrate the type of work/client they would like to attract in the future. Oftentimes their ideas for styled shoots become trendsetting inspiration for real brides. The freedom allows vendors to think outside the box and push the industry to evolve. For example, the florist may try a color palette that she doesn’t get to use often or attempt that hanging backdrop she has been wanting to do for years. The goal is always to do something new and eye-caughtingly different.

Unlike real weddings, styled shoots follow a relaxed time line to give wedding creatives time to perfect their contribution to the event and test scenarios to see what looks best. Does the bouquet look best with short or long ribbons? Try both. Which lens should I use for capturing the tablescape details? Try a few. There is time to try, fix and change things that aren’t ideal making it safer to try new things. Styled shoots allow vendors to practice and learn the ascetics of angles, lighting, color, shape and texture so that they are able to do their job better and faster at a real wedding than before. Determining what does and doesn’t work before a real wedding is a huge stress reducer for everyone. As a result, wedding creatives can better advise their clients on the time and money required to make certain styles, designs and looks work. More educated vendor = More educated couple = Better / More Beautiful Event

Additionally, styled wedding shoots bring together a diverse group of people working together to showcase everyone’s best work. Beyond the networking and relationship building, vendors learn valuable lessons about the wedding industry. Vendors work directly with each other without a middleman since there isn’t a couple involved . It is so fun to see the process /work flow / practices of other creatives. With a greater understanding of what other types of vendors need/want and when, we will be able to work together more flawlessly during real weddings. Great wedding creatives think beyond their particular role in an event to consider how their work compliments and impacts the work of others. Styled shoots expand every vendor’s awareness making for not only stunning styled images, but also fabulous real weddings in the future.

For all of these reasons, Warrenwood Manor hosts several styled wedding photoshoots a year. Last winter we had the pleasure of working with a dream team (listed below) on a Kentucky winter themed shoot. It was so much fun and the product was published in Kentucky Bride Magazine and on the Keith & Melissa Photography Blog. See for yourself the rewards of a styled shoot.