Classy Photoshoots with Your Bridesmaids Dress
Written by Nancy Gorman of Makeup by Nancy
The wedding bells rang, the cake was eaten, and the bride and groom left for the tropics of wherever to celebrate the start of their life together. As for you? Well, you have a beautiful bridesmaids dress to remember the occasion, but what if that stunning look didn’t have to sit in your closet?
Too often these colorful and form-fitting dresses rot away in darkness, never to see the light of day again. With a little creativity, the right photographer, hairstylist, and makeup artist, you can take your dress and have a day that’s all about you. The past few months have been about the bride’s big day. Why can’t you have one with the dress you may have fallen in love with?
When the wedding is over, there are no rules for your bridesmaid dress. Unless you have to return it the next day, you’re free to slip it back on and get gussied up for a personal photoshoot. The real question is, what kind of shoot should you do? There may be many answers, but the best one is to stick with something that captures who you are.
Have Some Fun
The most important thing to keep in mind is to have some fun with whatever you’re going to do. Unlike the wedding you wore the dress for, the only standard you have to worry about is your own. Keep it light and enjoy your time in front of the camera. There is no worry about impressing anyone or mucking up the bride and groom’s wedding day photos. Don’t be afraid to be silly if it means you enjoy your time in the dress and get the desired results.
Embrace Yourself
This day is all about you, so the photos should represent you and your personality. Embrace who you are by choosing a venue that perfectly matches your style. The same goes for your makeup. Your look may not be what your bride wanted for her big day, but she’s off with her feet in the sand. Her time in the spotlight is over – it’s yours now.
Every shot should show you embracing yourself. Regardless of whether you’re keeping it classy with a glass of champagne or hope to make things more sensual with a shower of red rose petals, it’s time to embrace your “inner diva.”
Let the Dress Shine
Part of the reason for the shoot is to give you more time in a dress you love. Since you want to see more of yourself in your bridesmaid dress, you should make sure it’s accentuated in many of your photos. Let the dress shine by picking a makeup style and backdrop that emphasizes its colors and features.
You already know the dress is complementary for you, so try to work in a venue or space that is complementary to the dress.
It’s All About You
The first time you wore your bridesmaid dress, you did so for someone else. You looked how they wanted you to look and posed how they wanted you to pose. This photoshoot is much more freeing and puts you in charge of what happens in front of the camera. It’s all about you, and that’s the most important thing to remember.
Though it may not be for a big event, you should still treat yourself to professionally done makeup and hair. It will be easier to achieve the style you want, but also, who’s to say you don’t deserve to be pampered a little?
Don’t hang up your bridesmaid dress just yet. Enjoy something for yourself by embracing your beauty in a photoshoot that puts you in the center.
Vendors:
Makeup: Makeup by Nancy
Photography: Jim Abrams, Shooting Star Photography
Model: Rachel Gordon, Instagram: @gordonracheleva