One of the best parts of being a wedding photographer is always having a reason to buy a new outfit. You can never have too many dresses to wear, right?! I mean, it’s basically our uniform! My first year shooting weddings, I remember going to every store I could think of and trying to find a few wedding dresses that would be perfect. I found three and they are still some of my favorites to this day! Since then, my collection has grown, and I’ve found some that I love wearing over and over again to photograph weddings.
I typically wear dresses to photograph my weddings. I actually prefer them over pants (anyone else have a big booty and have to constantly hike pants up?! Ha! It’s such a pain on 8+ hour wedding days, so I just avoid it). I just wear grey or black spandex underneath and I’m good to go!
There are a few criteria I have in mind when finding a dress to shoot weddings in:
- Easy to move around in. You move a LOT when shooting weddings!
- Darker or more muted colors (but I prefer not to wear black from head to toe!). I want to blend in and look more like a guest than a vendor, but I don’t want to stick out with neon yellow or something bright! :)
- No white (I’m not even brave enough to wear my white dress with black stripes. I don’t want to take that away from the bride at all!)
- Not too short (not hard for me because I’m only 5’4″). Some of my favorites are midi dresses, because there is no risk! :)
- Not too low cut.
- Nice material that isn’t too heavy.
- Breathable. I at least have a few that are more lightweight for hot outdoor summer weddings!
- Pockets are a huge BONUS! I love having somewhere to stick stuff in when I need to!
My favorite stores to find wedding dresses are the Loft, Nordstrom Rack, Old Navy, and Roolee, but I have found dresses at Charming Charlie, Altar’d State, and Target too. I’ve found that I definitely gravitate towards blues, greens, and maroons/reds. I used to avoid patterns, but I’ve gotten a little more bold with that (I think it fits my brand, so I’m okay with it! Plus, a couple I have with more colorful patterns are lightweight and really easy to move in, which is so nice).
For colder wedding days or winter weddings, I typically pair one of my favorite cardigans with any of these dresses, a pair of tights, and my black (flat) booties. Instant warmth! I usually wear my warm knee-length jacket on top and I’m good to go for cold days. I find that I’m moving around so much that I don’t get cold! I just make sure to bring gloves for my hands!!
If you’re curious about what shoes I’m wearing in these photos, here are the links: Dr. Scholl’s Women’s Fresco Sandals
Also, if you want to know more about my Apple Watch I’m wearing here, click here!! I typically don’t wear a lot of necklaces on wedding days, because they get in the way a lot! But I always throw on my watch and a cute pair of earrings! :)
This first dress is from the Loft (aka my favorite store EVER). I seriously love this dress. It’s so lightweight, the material is so nice, and it’s amazing for warmer wedding days. It’s one of my favorites. It’s also a midi so I never have to worry about flashing anyone. ;) So comfortable!!
This one is from Old Navy! It’s actually a newer one I just bought but I love it. The polka dots are velvet which makes it look nicer while still being a more comfortable, stretchy material. This one is really cute paired with tights in the winter!
This dress is from the Loft! So comfortable and I love the pattern. I think it’s really pretty without being too bold! I paired this one with one of my favorite cardigans to show you guys what I would wear when it’s colder. I have this same cardigan in black and tan as well! It’s a little thicker material than most so it’s warmer, which is awesome!!
This dress is from Roolee! I just got it and I LOVE IT! This one will be so handy for really WINDY days, because a) it’s a midi dress and b) it’s not flowy, so there’s no chance of it flying up. AND, it has pockets!! It’s great for wedding days that are outdoors and a little more casual! :) They still have it in stock here!
This is another dress from the Loft! One of my favorites for the summer time. It’s so lightweight and doesn’t make me feel hot at all. This one is a little more casual too! I love the colors!
This is one of those three dresses I bought in my first year of shooting and I still love it. It’s from Nordstrom Rack and has really held up well over the past few years. It still looks brand new honestly and I’ve worn a lot! This one feels a little heavier on me so I typically don’t wear it on hotter days, but it looks really nice!
I got this dress from Charming Charlie! I don’t shop there much so it was a really random find, but I love it! Again, I paired this with a cardigan I would normally wear in the wintertime, just so you guys can get an idea! :) This dress is super stretchy and comfortable. It’s especially cute paired with tights in the fall/winter!
Another one from the Loft (did I mention its my favorite store?) This is one of my nicer dresses that I love. It’s not as stretchy as some of my others but it’s super lightweight and looks really nice!
I just bought this jumpsuit from Roolee a few months ago but I love it already!! It looks super classy and is SO COMFORTABLE. No hiking up pants or worrying about flashing anyone. I love it! ;) AND it has pockets!!! The material is super stretchy so it’s really easy to move around in. It’s actually really lightweight, so it’s great for weddings that aren’t necessarily really cold or really hot. And I can be sneaky and wear thermals underneath in the winter. ;) May or may not have done that, ha!
This one is from Altar’d State! This is another one I don’t shop at a lot but I saw this dress and it was perfect. It’s easy to move in and looks nice! Can you tell I love my blues? :) Also, on the right is a blazer I’ll sometimes wear to dress up an outfit!
You guessed it… Loft again!! Haha! This one is perfect for fall with the long sleeves and fall colors. I love this dress!!
To be honest, I think this one is from Kohls but I have no idea what the brand is… my mom gave it to me randomly and I actually really love it! Definitely one of my dressier ones! I think it’s so pretty!
This dress is from Nordstrom Rack! One of my favs, I mean, POCKETS, yes? I love it. And the color is a nice darker muted color!
I swear that everything I Google about wedding photography you already have a blog post for. So helpful. Thank you!!
Haha, LOVE IT!!! Happy to help :)
Love this it was a huge help thank you so much