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Alright, you saw the headline of this post, and nope, we are not talking about camera gear.

We are talking about other items that are a MUST HAVE on wedding days to be ready for any situation so you’re ready to serve your clients with not only amazing images, but an amazing experience. And brides, this is for you too, because while we have all of these items in our toolkit, not every photographer does.

Not only is this list incredibly valuable and packed with tips, but we’ve linked our favorite and super affordable items from Etsy for you, so you don’t even have to go looking…yup, you’re welcome!

Christmas Mini Photography Sessions Charleston SC

Christmas Mini Photography Sessions Charleston SC

Let’s get right to it:

Canvas or Flat Lay Mats

Having one of these flat lay mats is a lifesaver.

We always kick off our wedding day documentation by starting with the details and flat lays can be a huge part of that. Depending on the venue, there may be an area or a surface that ends up working out in your favor, but sometimes there’s not or you don’t have a lot of time to go searching.

We linked a flat lay mat, but another option is to buy a canvas from your local craft store and purchase different fabrics to lay over it.

PRO TIP: Have your couple set aside a details box, so as soon as you arrive you can just grab the box and get shooting. That way they are prepared and no one has to run around looking for items, nothing gets forgotten and the timeline for the day can stay on track.

We are absolutely IN LOVE with this suede flat lay mat!

Ring Boxes

This is a big one.

Most engagement and wedding rings come in their own ring boxes, BUT they aren’t always the most decorative or prettiest things, or they just don’t go with the vibe of the wedding. Even worse, sometimes the couple has two different ring boxes that just don’t mesh well together. Having a few of these in your back pocket can add so much to any ring shot or flat lay.

We personally love the velvet hexagon boxes, but if you decide to get multiple styles, be sure to talk to your couple before the wedding day to figure out which one fits their aesthetic the most.

Ribbon, Vintage Stamps, Wax Seals

There’s not much to explain here – when it comes to details, having more of them always helps, so we lumped these three items in together. We found an amazing shop on Etsy, oliveandoakmats, and she’s got all the things! We definitely recommend checking her shop out; you won’t be able to walk away empty-handed!

Hanger

When we were super fresh to shooting weddings, we made this mistake. We would recommend certain items to our couples, like a nice hanger, but we ultimately left it up to them to get. But not anymore, fam. We HIGHLY recommend investing in a nice wooden hanger. Whether that’s just a plain Jane one from Target or deciding to gift a custom-made one to your couples – this is not an item to overlook. There is nothing that stands out more in a photo than a very expensive, beautiful wedding dress hanging on a cheap, plastic hanger. Don’t do it!

Those are our wedding day detail secrets. It took us some failures and lessons learned and lots of studying other photographers’ amazing work to figure these things out, but we are happy to pass them on freely. We hope these tips bless you and get the creative juices flowing to help you serve your clients with an amazing experience and so much value.

Did you use any of these tips or check out these items? Share your photos and tag us on Instagram, @justinandlauren!

Have a great day, friends!

-Justin & Lauren

wedding photographer must have gear

wedding photographer must have gear

Christmas Mini Photography Sessions Charleston SC

wedding photographer must have gear

*Disclaimer: We may receive an affiliate commission or discount if you utilize the links or promotion codes provided, however, we have not been paid by any of these companies to publish this post or review their service