A bridal shoot can be a lot of fun as well a great way to give the dress a test run! One of the great things about a bridal shoot is that it gives you an opportunity to wear the dress for several hours and move around in it and make sure that all the alterations were done correctly. We’ve had several shoots where the bride realized some major work still needed to be done and we were so happy it was realized then, rather than on the wedding day! It’s also a great way to do your trial run for hair and make up. It’s a great idea to have it done by the same person that will be with you on your wedding day so they know exactly what to do on the big day and there won’t be any surprises for you. A bridal shoot also gives you one less thing to worry about on the wedding day as we’ll be able to focus more on pics with you with your groom and not have to carve out time specifically for those solo shots. And while it doesn’t often rain on ADV wedding days, if there is inclement weather, you’re going to be limited to indoor photos which typically aren’t nearly as nice as an outdoor shoot. The bridal shoot also gives you the option of having photos made at a location different from the wedding day venues. Below are some frequently asked questions regarding bridal shoots!
- When should I schedule my shoot? You obviously want to try and avoid our hottest months which are typically June, July and August. We can still shoot during those times if needed but we start much earlier in the day to avoid the midday heat. You also want to schedule at least 2 months prior to your wedding date and be sure that all alterations will be done in time. Two months will give us enough time to get our schedule lined up with yours as well as your hair & make up people. Then, if weather should interfere with our first scheduled date, we’ll have enough time to re-schedule before the wedding.
- What about getting a print for display at the reception? Once you’ve chosen your image it takes about one week to get the print made. If we don’t have your chosen frame in stock that can take up to two weeks to receive.
- Be sure to hydrate and eat before arriving for your shoot! It may sound crazy but there have been many times when a bride has, or was about to, pass out during the shoot.
- Bring extra water and snacks or granola bars to keep you going!
- We do our best to help you keep your dress as clean as possible, but just accept that it will most likely pick up a little bit of dirt. Tell mom it’s ok, most dresses are made of cleanable materials 🙂 It’s also not that expensive to have a dry cleaner give it up a touch-up afterwards to have it perfect for the wedding day. You only get to wear the dress twice, so let’s make the most of it!
- What if the weather calls for rain on the day of my bridal shoot? We will be monitoring the weather a couple days out from your shoot, and on the day before if the rain chance is 60% or greater than we’ll reschedule. If it’s 50% or less we’ll allow you to make the call.
- Should I have a bouquet for the shoot? We think it’s a good idea because it’s a nice prop, and adds nice color to the images. Most florists will make a smaller version of your final bouquet for the shoot. If it’s not too big a deal to you, you could also just ask for something simple so that you have flowers for your photos.
- Props are also highly encouraged! We’ve seen parasols, baseball bats, firemen’s coats, mardi gras masks!
- Where should we shoot? – Well, it really all depends on you and your style. An easy way to choose is to simply click on our bridal galleries and that will give you a good idea of how we shoot at certain locations. https://artedevie.com/?cat=3 Do realize though that the posing and lighting we choose will be based on your style and not the location, so if you’re more traditional we won’t have you do too much bending and getting you all curvy, etc. 🙂 We always encourage our brides to choose a location that fits their style and it’s really cool if the location has some sort of personal meaning. The more popular locations for New Orleans brides are: Houmas House Plantation, French Quarter, City Park (around the park & in the Botanical Gardens), Longue Vue House and Gardens, and Race & Religious. But we’ve also photographed in stylish hotels, country clubs, people’s homes and are always excited to shoot in a new and different location, so don’t be afraid to challenge us!
What do the popular locations charge?
- Longue Vue House & Gardens: 1-2 people $160 for 2 hours; $100 each additional hour 3-5 people $285 for 2 hours; $100 each additional hour
- Houmas House Plantation: Monday and Tuesday from 9AM to 5PM (must be completed by 5PM) Wednesday through Sunday from 9AM to 7PM (must be completed by 7PM) A photo session fee of $160 allows use of the grounds by a photographer and two guests. A fee of $24 per person will be charged for any additional guests. These fees apply to children, regardless of ages. A private dressing area is included. Photos taken on the interior of the Mansion will cost an additional $200 and will allow a total of 4 people to enter the Mansion. There is a 1 hour maximum for interior use. We (ADV) personally don’t feel like shooting in the interior is necessary unless you’re really set on the spiral staircase shot. The outdoors area provides plenty of opportunities for beautiful shots.
- Race & Religious: Bridal sessions are weekdays 9-5. The cost is $200 for the first hour and $100 for each additional hour.
- City Park – There are several areas that can be used in the Park. Each area has it’s own $50 permit, but from what we understand, the permit for the Botanical Gardens will also cover you for the general park area.
General Park area: https://www.neworleanscitypark.com/info/commercial-photo-film-policy
New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA): https://noma.org/pages/detail/238/
Botanical Gardens: https://www.neworleanscitypark.com/botanical-garden/photo-shoots
- Jackson Square in the French Quarter: $50 https://www.nola.gov/parks-and-parkways/rules-regulations/photography-in-jackson-square/
- Nottoway Plantation: $400 https://www.nottoway.com/html/weddings-bridal-portraits.htm
*Please always be sure to check a venue’s open and closing times on the day you’re looking to schedule your shoot.
** There is a $100 travel fee to Houmas House & any location outside a 45 mile radius of the greater New Orleans area. $150 for Nottoway & any location between 75-100 miles outside the greater New Orleans area.
