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Am I allowed to take photos in my bridal appointment?

Posted by Karen Whybro on
Am I allowed to take photos in my bridal appointment?

Without doubt, probably the most heard phrase in the boutique after "I LOVE IT!"

There has always been a lot of conversation around bridal boutiques allowing photos of dresses (or more importantly, brides IN dresses). Pre-internet, this was to protect the designer - a way to avoid brides taking the image to a dressmaker and having a replica dress made (breaking various copyright laws in the process, may I add and NOT something a reputable dressmaker should ever agree to!).

Nowadays, there is no protection in terms of copying but that's a different matter. 

However, MANY - probably the majority of bridal boutiques still refuse permission for photos of dresses to be taken when asked. 

can I take photos in bridal boutique

At Rock The Frock, we've always been pretty relaxed about this and allowed photos to be taken. We wanted to let brides have the space to reflect on how they looked in a dress and make the decision away from the boutique, perhaps showing people who aren't there to give a real-life opinion. We get it. But here are our reasons why this is might NOT be a good idea...

1. How you look in that picture is not how you look IRL

Just this weekend, we had a beautiful bride (let's call her Jemma) in the boutique who was caught in love with a few different dresses. It happens. Deciding between dresses is HARD & we understand the gravity of the decision! Jemma asked if we could take some photos and show her in each dress which we gladly did. It was OBVIOUS to me which dress she loved the most. Now, it might take years of working with brides to notice these things but, generally, the dress that a bride BEAMS from ear to ear in, can't stop touching and generally stays in the longest is usually proof enough. But it does take balls to go for the first dress you try on so many brides want to keep going.

However, this is what happened. Jemma scrolled through the photos and her face dropped. The photo of THE dress that she loved didn't reflect what she wanted it to and she felt like it made her look shorter than she truly is. Rewind a few minutes & she was in love - now not so much. BUT, thankfully, Jemmas lovely family assured her this wasn't how she really looked in the dress and it was a combination of having no shoes on, bad posture, and the angle of the photo that was causing said anxiety. 

Jemma got back in the dress, we took a BETTER picture and WHAM back in love. Jemma bought the dress & of course she is going to look INCREDIBLE in it. 

photos in bridal boutiques

2. You can't capture how you FEEL

Jemma is a case in point. That FEELING you get in the dress, that emotion you experience when you look in the mirror, THAT is what should make your decision for you. Yes, we all want to look our best, yes, we want to look amazing on our wedding day but following your heart is equally as important. Maybe you didn't imagine you would love a fluffy, tulle skirt or weren't expecting to fall in love at first sight. But, you know what? If it FEELS right, it IS right. No photograph is ever going to capture that feeling because it's not tangible. But it is REAL and the joy and confidence you exude on your wedding day will make you a million times more beautiful than feeling self-conscious! If you felt it; don't delete it!

3. Your family are terrible photographers

Sorry, mum, but your photos are crap. And NO-ONE ever takes a good photo sat down in front of someone standing up!!! "I don't know what to do with my arms" - ring any bells? Standing in a bridal boutique, out of context, without your hair & make up done is NOT going to result in the best photo of you! And, guess what? Professional photographers know how to create images that are PERFECT without you standing awkwardly!

can I take photos at my bridal appointment

4. Lighting is EVERYTHING

I'd be the first to admit that lighting in bridal boutiques is not always great. In truth, it's REALLY hard to get natural light into fitting rooms and quite often there is down-lighting which is the WORST when it comes to looking at yourself in a full-length mirror. We always try to make our fitting rooms have beautiful lighting but it definitely won't be the same as the wonderful job a pro-photographer will do to hunt out the best lighting & making you feel amazing!

5. iPhones are not professional cameras

Yes, mobile phones have come a long way & you CAN get a good picture on an iPhone but I'm sure professional photographers will tell you all about the difference between them and an actual expensive camera. So, please take iPhone images with a pinch of salt. It's nowhere NEAR the beautiful quality images you will be presented with after your wedding day!

We have even had brides who have had to come BACK to try the dress they've ordered because they saw a snap taken by someone at their appointment & had a serious wobble.

Our suggestion is that, at your appointment, we can take some photos FOR you that represent how you look and if you'd like them, we can send them to you after the appointment. That way, we can make sure you are happy with the photos and can make a decision without feeling deflated afterwards! 

Let us know your thoughts about photos in the boutique! 

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