Pre-Wedding Shoot: What to Expect and Look Out For!

Hey all! How are you doing?

October is here and boy, 2019 is ending soon! This year went by in a flash! Or is it age? Haha! I heard the older you get, the faster time seems to fly.

In this post I will be talking about my experience during my pre-wedding photoshoot. And on top of that my thoughts, personal tips and what to look out for during your pre-wedding photoshoot.



One of our photo for formal shoot.
Gown and Suit: The Gown Warehouse
Photography: Jeremy (The Gown Warehouse)
Bride's Makeup & Hair: Rayce Low (BeBlushInc)
Location: Istana Park

If you are not Singaporean, you might be unfamiliar to the term "Pre-Wedding Shoot". Pre-wedding shoot usually has 2 parts, formal shoot in wedding gown and suit, and casual shoot in your preffered casual outfit. Some brides have more than one gown for their shoot, it all depends on your package and preference. Some even travel overseas to get the perfect scenery!

Outside of Asia, most take their wedding photos on the wedding day itself because there are taboos and other concerns. Our friends from Europe were confused and then shocked to learn that we are doing a photoshoot 3 months before the wedding.

In the western countries however, there is a trend for westerners to have an Engagement Shoot. It's similar to our casual outfit shoot. Pre-wedding shoot is also becoming trendy in some countries that were unfamiliar with it. Like Japan, more couples are starting to do pre-wedding shoot, or Maedori (前撮り), so that they need not rush for time on the actual day.

My Experience & Some Advice

1. Choosing the Right Gown

As mentioned in my previous post, our pre-wedding shoot is included in our package with The Gown Warehouse. For a more detailed review on The Gown Warehouse, do check out the post here!

We first went for a fitting to choose my wedding gown and the hubs' suit for the shoot. Eunice was there to help us and we were impressed by her expertise. As I have no ideal wedding gown nor any specific preference, I asked if Eunice could recommend me some gowns. She was very fast in choosing different types of gowns that suit me and I could say they all did suit me well!

I had trouble deciding as everything looks nice to me (I love laces and white), so I needed feedback from others. The hubs, the mom (through Whatsapp), and the maid-of-honour (through Whatsapp) all chose the same gown!

Floffeh!

So my choice was this cream coloured, fluffy ball gown with ruffles, laced bodice with cup sleeves. This was before alteration so it fit slightly awkward and this photo + this model (aka me) really do not do this gown justice.

To be honest I was skeptical at first as I thought the sleeves made my arms look extra thicc but I later realised it was my posture and how I place my arms that matters.

I understand that many brides would want a long train in their photos. They look absolutely stunning and dreamy in photos. I wanted one too! But if you are doing an outdoor shoot, having a long train can be taxing, physically and mentally. Gowns with long train are very heavy and difficult to move in. If you are wearing high heels then it's even tougher to walk properly. You also wouldn't want dirt and stains all over your train.

So do consider your location, the terrain and amount of movement you will need to make while choosing your gown and shoes. Having someone to help you during the shoot is also advised. For me, Charie my consultant/coordinator from The Gown Warehouse and Rayce, my MUA followed and helped me.

If you chose your gown before you decide on the shoot location, then put into consideration movements in your gown that you will need to make.

I wouldn't want to drag a beautiful long train gown onto all the dirt and mud.

Also, having straps or sleeves helps reduce stress as you won't have to worry about your bodice moving or worst, slipping off. Having thick straps or sleeves also allows you to wear a regular bra instead of nubra, which a lot of women have no experience in wearing.

I sincerely feel that feeling comfortable is very important for pre-wedding photoshoot. If you are tensed or uncomfortable, it can show on your face and your smile would not be as genuine.

But of course, if you are doing your photoshoot indoors, then you have much lesser things to worry about. You won't even sweat! Haha!

2. How Many Gowns Do I Need?

My package allowed us 1 formal shoot and 1 casual shoot, i.e. 1 gown and 1 casual outfit. There are also packages with more gowns, but we did not take it up.

At first I was a little upset, because I've seen albums of other brides with many different gowns and dinner/coloured gowns. But when I was choosing photos, I was actually glad that I only had 1 gown.

I realised the more gowns you have, the more locations/backgrounds you will have, which leads to more photos being taken. It all sound good until the day you have to choose your photos, and realise the many traps some unethical bridal studio set up. You can learn more about these traps and why/how to avoid them in this post.

Most packages allows you to pick 20 to 30 photos. Even with only 1 gown, we took some time to select the 30 we really want.

1 Formal outfit at the Istana Park, 1 Casual outfit at Arteastiq Boutique Tea House.

3. Preparations Before and During The Shoot

Apart from a beautiful gown, you would want to consider putting in some thoughts on the following before your photoshoot:

• Skin Prep & Care
• Manicure & Pedicure
• Shoes 
• Shooting Location
• Transportation (for the day of the shoot)
• Body Toning & Work on Good Posture
• Casual Outfits

Skin Prep:

Technology is so advanced nowadays a filter can do wonders. But with your complexion in good condition, your makeup will hold up much longer and break down less. You will also feel more comfortable in the thick makeup for long hours.

It takes time (around 2 months) to prep your skin so do start to have a good skin care regime as early as possible and keep it going all the way till your big day.

And if you ask me, if your makeup artists sells you ampoules and say they will make your skin smoother, it's just placebo effect. A primer is sufficient for that job. And good skin does not happen over night, so don't say within an hour. Rayce did not push me to buy any, and I love that. If your MUA does, I'd still say go ahead and purchase them because it will make your MUA very happy. And happy worker produce good results usually. Well, unless it's unreasonably priced. I heard they costs around $20-$50.

Also, please remember to apply sunscreen on your face, limbs and body if you are having an outdoor shoot. I forgot all about it and got myself V-shaped tanlines on my chest that didn't go off even till my wedding day. Thank God by then it was less visible.

If you are not good at makeup, I highly suggest having your MUA follow you throughout the shoot, or at least be there to touch up for your casual shoot. Rayce, my MUA, follow us throughout the shoot. It was a pleasant surprise as we were not aware that she would be doing that or we thought she could stay in the hotel room while we are out shooting. But she took great care of us throughout the shoot! Thanks Rayce!

ALSO! Try not to wear tight bras with straps before your shoot! You don't want marks on the skin!

Manicure & Pedicure

Actually, your mani and pedi can't be seen unless you request for close-ups of your hands. But of course, having neatly trimmed and painted nails is still advisable just in case.

For my photoshoot, I went for an express manicure and had nude pink gel polish on. Nothing fancy. But no pedicure as my shoes are covered.

If you don't like to have nail polishes, hates the hard selling at nail salons or just don't want to spend too much money on nails (nail art costs much more than express gel), I recommend Dashing Diva Magic Press. They are fake nails with decor and nail art which you can paste on top of your nails. If pasted properly, they can last about a week or more.

The ones I got. So pretty!

They have collections that are very suitable for bridal. Like the Swarovski collection and they also have Wedding collections at times.

Apart from ordering online, you can find them cheaper on Qoo10 and also in SaSa when there is a sale. You can also keep a set for your actual wedding day in your emergency bridal kit. So do check them out. 

Shoes

Gowns usually are so long that they cover your shoes. So your shoes cannot be seen unless you opted for a mini dress or a high-low dress.

I wore a pair of really basic white flats during my formal shoot. As I had an outdoor shoot and did not need any additional height I opted for flats. Comfort is my priority these days that I'm starting to sound like a Granny.

My $15 trusty flats from Taobao through EZBuy. Photo belongs to seller.

If you have a lot of walking to be done, in the nature especially, you might want to consider wearing more comfy shoes that are anti-slip. Or if you really want to wear heels, bring along a pair of flats just in case you change your mind halfway through the shoot.

Apart from flats, some brides opt for sneakers or flip-flops. There are people who decorate couple sneakers so you can check those fun and personalised designs out too!

Shooting Location & Transportation

There are many factors to consider where to have your pre-wedding photoshoot. Some choose the best sceneries, some choose by style, or some by memories they share with their other half.

My shoot was in the Istana Park. My photographer said it was an unusual choice and also his first time shooting there. It was our top choice as it was the location the hubs asked me to be his girlfriend. Hehe.

There are some florals and a fountain there. So we managed to snap some photos that looked like we are in the nature when we are right beside Plaza Singapura.

You still get flowers here! Photos by Nparks.

Repeated photo but I just want to say we managed to shoot something forest-like in town! haha!

I vaguely remember seeing a night photoshoot featuring the Istana Park fountain. It lights up at night!

Sorry for this unpaid stock photo but you get the idea. Haha! Credits to Dreamstime.com.

While our casual shoot was in and around Plaza Singapura although we only said "Cafe". Really thankful to Jeremy, our photographer, Charie and Rayce. They were as excited as us, took great care of us while giving us suggestions and followed us to all the locations.

Working lunch at Arteastiq Boutique Tea House. Haha!

You might have noticed but yes, our props were the Wedding Pikachus! Because I am a huge Pokemon fan since primary school and we both love Pokemon Go. So if you have something that is significant to you, you can use them as props in your photoshoot!

The swings outside the other exit of Dhoby Ghaut Station.
It was empty with nice petals on the floor. Lucky us!

At the stairs outside of Plaza Singapura.
Simple backgrounds allow the focus to be on you and your partner. :)

Just outside of Arteastiq Boutique Tea House.
Very kind of them to let us shoot in their cafe. Thank you!

We did not need to arrange any transport, which I will explain why in the following paragraphs. But yes, you will need to arrange for transport and if your crew don't drive, you need to arrange for their transport too.

It will be easy if you or your partner drives, or get a friend (maybe the groomsmen or bridesmaid) to drive. If you don't drive or own a car, then you will have to hire someone. Some couples hire a van instead of a car so they have more room for touch up or even changing inside.

Okay, so about why we need not arrange any transport…

One plus point of our location is that we have a hotel right beside it. For this shoot we booked a one night stay in Concorde Hotel. And we were lucky as Concorde Hotel offers late check-out at 6pm for certain rooms. So it was perfect as our shoot ended around 3pm+ so we had ample time to change, shower, rest (we actually napped lol) and pack before check-out. It made the whole process stress free, we had fun during the shoot and the service at Concorde Hotel was superb so it felt like a staycation!

Still fresh after our formal shoot in the hot sun.

Our props! The wedding couple Pikachu on our huge hotel bed.

Sure, that was extra costs on us. But we figured it was worth it as we need not rush to get ready and travel in the morning. We also did not have to rent a car/van for the whole crew. The best thing was we need not stress about where to get changed and how. I wouldn't want to drag my gown into a public toilet or struggle in a changing tent in public because yours truly is big sized.

Of course, not all location are so strategic. But if it works for your location, do consider spending some money on a hotel room. People used to say money can't buy you health or time, but now you can as it helps you save time and lessen stress.

Body Toning & Work on Good Posture

I… did not lose weight for my photoshoot. Heck, I did not even lose any for my wedding! Haha! *beams*

But if you can, try toning your body for the shoot! It's not easy to spot-slim and you need a lot of time. So if you plan to work on those arms and waist, you got to start asap! I did not mention legs because meehhh, they can't be seen. Haha!

But if you are carefree like me, just make sure you maintain good posture throughout the photoshoot.

My posture is rather bad as I tend to hunch. I even hunched in some photos! But oh wells. If you tend to hunch, maybe get your partner or photographer to give you reminders.

Another trick for fat arms is not keep them stuck to your body. Doing that will make them spread and appear thicker. What I've learnt is that you can lift your arm a little, so your arms look thinner and your pose won't look awkward.

Bad example here when I first tried my dress and got all nervous.
Don't be too tensed! Relax~

As for poses, don't worry about it at all. Your photographer has taken thousands and thousands of photos and will know how to guide you or give you some ideas. Or if you want Google around for some ideas, save them, then show them to your photographer.

Casual Outfits

From the photos posted above you can see that we decided to keep things simple. White shirt and blue jeans. I believe both our shirts and jeans are from Uniqlo. Haha! Not that it matters.

Casual shoots are much more fun and can be in many different styles. Some like it to be comedic, some involve their pets or hobbies, some like it to be chic, some even do it in their new home! There's no rule so discuss with your coordinator and photographer to explore all the possibilities!

I personally like the type where the casual shoot reflects you and your partner as a dating couple. So that when you look at your photos in the future it reminds you of fond memories when you were dating, on top of the ones you made when you were taking the photos.

So that's it! 

Thank you for the patience! Another very long post but I hope it gave you a rough idea of how a pre-wedding shoot will be like and what to look out for. If I think of more I'll update here! Or if you have any suggestion do leave a comment!

In my next post I'll write about the "aftermath". Haha! So, you've done your pre-wedding shoot, what's next?