Caroline and I planned to do her bridal portraits at Bald Rock. We regularly checked the weather and the chance of rain kept increasing. We started to think through backup options and had a hard time deciding where to go because we really wanted her portraits to be naturally lit. Finally, going to the Wyche Pavilion dawned on me! I love the Wyche Pavilion in downtown Greenville, SC and I've always enjoyed taking pictures there. This Pavilion is actually right next to the venue where my husband and I had our reception (the Certus Loft). I'm so glad we came up with a backup option because it poured rain the entire day of Caroline's portraits. It rained so much there was even a flood warning! Caroline kept a great attitude about the weather even though she had to walk through downtown Greenville in her dress in the POURING rain (not an easy task!). I told her that all the rain hopefully meant she would have a beautiful wedding day and we we right! Her wedding day weather was perfect and 75 and sunny. Despite the weather, I think her bridal portraits turned out beautifully and I'm so happy with our location decision!

Here's some of my favorite pictures of Caroline (I can't wait to share wedding pictures with you soon!!):

This post is part of a series for brides (and grooms!) or for those who are helping someone plan a wedding. My goal for this series is to help you make informed and educated decisions about your wedding day so that it will be as beautiful as possible! If you're joining me for the first time, you can catch up here:

1. Should I Do an Engagement Session?
2. What Should I Wear for My Engagement Session?
3. Should I Do Bridal Portraits?

Should I Do Bridal Portraits_NC Wedding Photographer

I'll start this post of by saying that I don't think Bridal Portraits are something you "must" have. When my brides choose not to do a Bridal Portrait before their wedding, I make sure I set aside 10-15 minutes to get shots of just them in their dress on their wedding day. However, I do think there are several good reasons for getting Bridal Portraits done:

1. Doing a Trial Run is Extremely Helpful!
Bridal portraits give you a trial run with your hair and makeup, your florist, your wedding dress, and your photographer. It's SO helpful to be able to look at your pictures and see things you want to tweak slightly with your hair/makeup, flowers, dress, etc. From my own experience, after looking at my portraits I was able to see a few minor alterations I wanted to make to my dress before my actual wedding day. I didn't notice the need for those alterations when I looked in the mirror but I noticed them in my pictures. Having bridal portraits also gives you a lot more confidence that everything is going to look just the way you want it to on the day of your wedding.

Should I Do Bridal Portraits_DiPrima Photography_NC Wedding Photography

2. Get Comfortable with Your Photographer and With the Camera
Just like engagement pictures, bridal portraits are another great way to get comfortable with your photographer and in front of the camera.

3. Wedding Days Are Rushed
While I always get a few shots of the bride alone in her wedding dress on her wedding day when she doesn't get bridal portraits done, wedding days are always rushed! It's nice to be able to cut one thing out of the schedule. You'll also several more pictures and a much larger variety in locations and poses from a Bridal Portrait session than from a wedding day because you have an hour or two to devote just to your bridal portraits.

Should I Do Bridal Portraits_DiPrima Photography_NC Wedding Photographer

4. You'll Have Beautiful Images to Display at Your Wedding
Displaying a bridal portrait at your wedding is a longstanding tradition. It's no longer necessary or expected at every wedding, but it still very prevalent and done frequently! Unlike traditional pictures from the past, brides typically aren't standing in front of portrait backdrops anymore and instead they're using their creativity and having pictures taken at unique and beautiful locations that fit their unique style and personality.