There’s already so much happening on a wedding day, so anything that gives you a little more time to actually enjoy it is a win in my book. That’s one of the reasons I love bridal portraits at Vickery Gardens and sessions like this in general. Instead of trying to fit every photo of the two of you into an already full timeline, you can set aside an hour or two before (or even after!) the wedding and have that time completely to yourselves. You still get all those wedding-day portraits you want, but without feeling like you need to rush through them to get to the next thing.

Why Take Bridal Portraits Before Your Wedding Day?

I think people sometimes hear “bridals” and assume it means portraits of just the bride, but it can absolutely be a session with both of you. You’re already dressed up, your hair and makeup are done, and you get to spend a couple of hours together without a ceremony, family photos, or reception timeline waiting for you. It can even be a great time to schedule your hair and makeup trial so everything has a purpose.

You can also make the session as meaningful as you want. Have your first look, exchange private vows, or simply spend the time walking around your venue together. And if you’d rather save those bigger moments for the actual wedding day, you totally can. The point isn’t to recreate your wedding early, it’s just to give yourselves more space for the photos and moments you care about.

Bridal Portraits at Vickery Gardens Without the Wedding-Day Rush

For this session, we had two full hours to wander around Vickery Gardens and really use the property. There was no rushing through a portrait list or trying to squeeze everything into twenty minutes. We could take the classic photos, play around with her veil, walk through the gardens, and slow down for those closer, quieter shots of the two of them.

And I think you can see that slower pace in the photos. Between the greenery, gardens, and open spaces around Vickery Gardens, we had plenty of variety without needing to go anywhere else. Their neutral wedding looks also worked so well against all that green, and having extra time meant we could create a mix of traditional portraits, black-and-white images, and some more playful shots without feeling like we were taking time away from anything else.

More Portraits Now, More Time With Your People Later

One of my favorite reasons for doing a separate portrait session is actually what it gives you back on the wedding day. Of course, I’ll still want to sneak you away for a few photos at your venue or when the light is really good. But we don’t have to put nearly as much pressure on that part of the timeline when we already know you have a full gallery of portraits together.

That means more time at cocktail hour, more time talking to the people who came to celebrate you, and more time actually being at your reception instead of spending a huge chunk of it taking photos. Your wedding day goes by ridiculously fast, and if we can get you back to the party a little sooner while still giving you a ton of photos of the two of you, I’m always here for it!

Want to Plan Your Own Bridal Portrait Session? Let’s Chat!

Leena Rose Photo | Virginia & Destination Wedding Photographer

Whether you want to do bridal portraits at Vickery Gardens, head somewhere completely different the day before, or put your wedding outfits back on the day after, there really aren’t rules for how this has to look. If having more time for photos and a little less pressure on your actual wedding day sounds like your kind of thing, I’d love to help you plan a session that feels like you. Head to my contact page so we can chat about the ideas you have! If you want to learn more about me and what I do, click here. Can’t wait to hear from you!