Wedding Flat Lays: What they are, why to create one & what to include in yours

“Flat lay.”

You keep hearing the word from your photographer, your friend who just got married, and the wedding inspo accounts you follow on Instagram. As a Chicago wedding photographer, I’m here to help answer the questions and assist in the planning and creation of these photos for my clients both leading up to and on their wedding day.

So let’s talk about it, what the heck is a flat lay?

A photographer in a BRIDES article summed it up perfectly: “’A wedding flat lay refers to a styled arrangement of wedding-related items and details arranged on a flat surface, such as a table or floor, and photographed from above, These flat lays often include items like the wedding invitation, rings, bridal accessories, flowers, and other decorative elements that are significant to the wedding. They serve as a form of visual storytelling, allowing couples to showcase the theme, style, and atmosphere of their wedding.’”

Now to the next question, do you need to create and have a flat lay photo(s) on your wedding day?

Nope! It’s up to you if this is something you want dedicated time spent on the morning of your wedding day. If it feels like another added stress of a to-do list item for your wedding day and you wouldn’t miss the photos in your final album, don’t worry about it. If you’re on the fence, I recommend it, or at least a simplified version of one! Even if you don’t intentionally set out detail items for a flat lay for me when I arrive, you’ll still receive a lot of “detail” photos included in your final album, which I’ll take during down time while you’re getting ready. Plus, there will be many photos of you actually wearing these items throughout the day!

How long do flat lay photos take to create and photograph?

Depending on how many items you want featured in your flat lay, the process could take up to 30 minutes, which is important to factor in to your getting ready timeline.

Here are some common items featured in wedding flat lays:

• Invitation suite

• Shoes

• Jewelry

• Perfume

• Florals - ask your florist to bring “loose blooms” to your getting ready space!

• Rings (all)

• Excess material from dress alterations

• Purse

• Specialty hanger

• Specialty ring box

• Other pieces of decor

• Makeup products

• The “Somethings” - old, new, borrowed, blue

• Watch

• Cufflinks

• Tie/bowtie

• Cologne

• Ring

• Vow books

• Customized wedding items (i.e. matchbook)

**NOTE: This is not an exhaustive list. It is also not a must-have list. Some of these may not apply, or you may not feel it necessary to include some of these items. This is simply a list to help get you started. If one item is “missing” from your flat lay photo, even if it’s your invitation suite, that doesn’t mean it’s not a flat lay photo - there’s a huge number of items that can be included and what combination of items can be considered for a flat lay!

How can I prepare for the flat lay?

I’ve found it’s best when you place all items you may want featured in the flat lay into a box or a bag that is labeled on the outside. That way, as soon as your photographer arrives and is ready to create and photograph the flat lay, all the items are easily accessible and identifiable. If there are any caveats or special meanings or ideas around any of the items, touch base with your photographer before they begin creating and photographing the flat lay or mention something in your final timeline call.