Bridals
Before the vows — just you, your dress, and all the time in the world.
Your wedding day moves fast.
Bridals don’t have to.
What Is a Bridal Portrait Session?
A bridal portrait session is a dedicated photography appointment — separate from your wedding day — focused entirely on you in your wedding gown. No timeline. No guests. No groomsmen running late. Just you, your dress, and unhurried attention.
Bridal portraits are distinct from engagement sessions, which typically feature both partners in casual or semi-formal attire and serve as a couple’s portrait. Bridals are solo, formal, and focused on the gown as much as the person wearing it. They’re also distinct from wedding day portraits, which happen under real time pressure between ceremony and reception.
Think of bridals as the portraits your wedding day simply doesn’t have room to make.
One session.
A lifetime of portraits.
Bridals is everything wedding day photography isn’t — quiet, intentional, and entirely focused on you. No timeline pressure. No waiting on the groomsmen. No family members needing direction.
We work in your studio or a location that means something to you. We take our time with the light, with the details, with the moments between the posed ones. The result is a set of portraits that stand completely apart from your wedding gallery — images that exist solely because you were worth the time.
Because you were.
“My mom had a portrait like this made of her at her wedding.
— Ashley
It made her cry to see the image recreated.”
The details
Simple. Intentional. Yours.
Location
Studio or on location — your choice. If you have a place that feels like you, we’ll shoot there. If you’d rather let the studio work for you, it’s ready when you are.
What to Bring
Your dress. Your veil if you’re wearing one. Any accessories you want to include. A second look if you have one. Everything else is mine to handle.
Hair & Makeup
Can be arranged, but not included — but we have a recommendation. Schedule your bridals on your HMUA trial day. You’re already in the chair. Might as well leave with portraits.
Schedule bridals on your hair and makeup trial day.
Most brides do a full HMUA trial run before the wedding — hair, makeup, the whole look. You’re already camera-ready.
Bridals turns that appointment into portraits. One day, two wins, zero extra prep time.
When to Schedule & What to Expect
When to Schedule
Most brides book their bridal session four to eight weeks before the wedding — close enough that alterations are complete and the gown fits exactly as it will on the day, but with enough lead time to incorporate images into wedding décor if desired.
The single best scheduling strategy: book your bridal session on the same day as your hair and makeup trial. You’re already in the chair, already camera-ready. Bridals turns that appointment into portraits at no extra prep cost.
How Long Does a Session Take?
Plan for two to three hours for a studio session. On-location sessions may run slightly longer depending on travel and light. That time includes getting comfortable in the space, working through multiple looks if you have them, and making sure we’ve captured everything before you leave.
There’s no clock pressure. If something is working beautifully, we stay with it.
Studio or Location?
The MDK studio in the Metro East Illinois area is available for all bridal sessions. If you have a location that carries meaning — a family property, a historic building, a St. Louis landmark — we can work there instead. Outdoor and on-location sessions are subject to weather and light conditions; we’ll discuss contingency planning during your consultation.
Investment
Add bridals to your wedding commission.
$500
Bridals are available as an add-on to a full MDKauffmann wedding commission.
Studio or location session, delivery alongside your wedding gallery.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between bridal portraits and engagement photos? Engagement sessions feature both partners, typically in everyday or semi-formal attire, and serve as a couple’s portrait ahead of the wedding. Bridal portraits are solo sessions focused on you in your wedding gown — more formal, more focused on the dress and the moment just before everything changes.
When should I schedule my bridal session? Four to eight weeks before your wedding is the sweet spot — alterations are done, the gown fits perfectly, and there’s still time to use images in wedding décor if you’d like. The HMUA trial day is the most efficient scheduling option for most brides.
Do I have to be booked for a full wedding commission to do bridals? Bridals are designed as an add-on to a full MDKauffmann wedding commission and that’s how most clients book them. That said, if you have a specific situation in mind, reach out — we’re happy to have that conversation.
How long does a bridal session take? Two to three hours for most studio sessions. On-location sessions may vary. The pace is entirely yours — we don’t move on until we’ve made something worth keeping.
Can I include a second look or additional outfits? Yes. If you have a reception dress, a meaningful heirloom piece, or any other look you want documented, bring it. We’ll work it into the session.
Looking for something beyond traditional bridal portraits? Our sister studio mIsFiTs Like ME specializes in intimate, expressive, and boundary-forward photography for brides who want something entirely their own.
Today an Event. Tomorrow a Memory. Forever an Heirloom.
Still thinking? That's what the consultation is for.
Every MDKauffmann commission starts with a conversation — not a sales pitch. We talk about your day, your priorities, and what "forever" looks like for your family. If we're the right fit, you'll know. If we're not, I'll tell you honestly.
Start the Conversation →Dates book fast — especially May through October.