Maternity Weddings, 6 Tips For Mom-To-Be Brides!

I will say something I’ve never said in a blog: It’s baby season! This spring, I had the honor of photographing so many weddings for gorgeously glowing brides at all stages of pregnancy. Some were showing a bump, others were flaunting it! One thing is for sure: I think pregnant brides are all the rage, and I’ve come to really look forward to photographing their weddings. So now that I’ve had plenty of experience working with their unique set of concerns and challenges, I have gotten together a list of tips to help you have the best wedding experience possible….while expecting!

First of all, when you look at the images I’ve included, you’ll notice that they were all taken at San Francisco City Hall. This is a fantastic venue for expecting brides to get married because you only have to stand on your feet for a few hours total for the whole experience. This brings me to my first tip.

1. Wear comfortable shoes. Your feet will probably swell, and those Jimmy Choos you thought you wanted to get married to are now enemy #1. A low kitten heel can provide a little glam and elevation without putting too much pressure on your lower back. If you go online, Etsy has all the custom blinged-out flip flops you could ever dream of! Even if you don’t wear them for the ceremony, you can walk between photo locations at your destination of choice.
2. Please treat yourself with extra love on this special day and bring snacks and drinks. Taking wedding photographs is always more work than it looks like, and you’re extra sensitive now to dehydration and low blood sugar. If you feel exhausted, it will show in your images. Yes, it will.
3. When to have the wedding? If you’re having a normal pregnancy, the second trimester is usually when your morning sickness starts to fade, and you’ll feel fabulous most days. That’s the best time to plan the wedding. You’re showing, but you’re still able to get around easily. You’ll have that glowing skin that all brides are famous for.
4. Lets talk about the dress! Let’s face it, aside from finding the right man, it’s the dress that everyone will be talking about. You can buy one new or Choose to purchase a gently used pre-owned gown from a growing list of websites. You can also have a custom gown created just for you.
   DO: Choose a comfortable dress that will allow for restroom breaks. Yes, I just went there, but let’s be realistic.
   DO: Choose an Empire waist or A-line dress style. These styles will look beautiful and be comfortable skimming over the little one inside.
   DO: Call your bridal salon first and tell them to expect you. This way, they can have enough gowns to accommodate you and your baby bump.
   DON’T: Select a dress in a binding or non-giving fabric. A dress that flows will be more forgiving of your changing baby. Trumpet or mermaid styles are OK in the first trimester, but this is probably not the best style choice as the pregnancy progresses.
   Don’t: Choose a stiletto or high platform heel. Aside from your feet swelling, your center of balance will have shifted, and you wouldn’t want to lose your balance while walking down the aisle.
5. Incorporating little props into your wedding photography is always fun, but when you have a baby on the way, this opens up a whole new set of ideas. Some brides choose pink or blue flowers or ribbons added to their dress to tell the guests who the secret guest of honor is. Others have combined baby booties with their ring shots. Some couples have brought little “it’s a girl!” signs.
6. Include the whole family! If you already have other children or pets, including them in the vows is nice. I just had one father who was getting married for the second time and presented his little girl with a ring of her own. This showed his commitment to being her dad and the new babies. Another dad kissed his bride at the end of the ceremony and then dropped to one knee to kiss his wife’s baby bump—everyone there teared up, including me.