Lauren’s Bridal Portraits //The Bowden, Keller

The weather was perfect the day of Lauren’s bridal portraits at the Bowden in Keller. It’s always fun to have a long session with my brides in their wedding gown, this one especially because her sister Alyson, a past bride, was a part of her entourage. 

Having portraits at the venue prior to the wedding is something I always enjoy, because it allows me to work through the venue at a slower pace than I do on a wedding day. There are no guests to avoid or strict timelines to meet. It’s a great warm up for the wedding, even if I end up using different locations because the lighting is different on the wedding day.

For Lauren’s bridals, we started outside to get the chapel behind her because I knew the light would only get harsher as the day went on. Then we spent a good deal in the chapel—I love the twirling photos here—before heading to the willow tree behind the ballroom (must always shoot with the willow tree!)

 You’ll notice she doesn’t have her veil in all the portraits and this is something I highly recommend. One, it creates more variety with the images, especially if the dress has a dramatic back like hers. Two, long veils are stunning in portraits but can become a wee bit annoying and hard to “drive” for long periods, so it’s always good to give yourself a break. On wedding days, I suggest saving the veil for just before the ceremony, and if possible, the bride can take it off afterwards and we’ll put it back on during golden hour portraits.

Now enjoy these stunning portraits of Lauren, and if you haven’t yet, go check out her and David’s wedding blog.