Bridal portrait worth it?

It's not necessary. I'm not sure where you from but it's a more popular tradition in the south.

It's not necessary and it's more of a southern thing. Sometimes brides like to have portraits taken before the wedding, but it's not required. You can have photos of just you taken on your wedding day, so it's all done at once. If you WANT to do it, you can use your makeup and hair trial day on your bridal portrait day, to get more use out of it.

ETA: Work with your photographer for your wedding day timeline to make sure you have enough time for all the photos you want (getting ready, first look, bridal, bridal party, family, etc.) if you're worried about not having enough time.

I'm in an area where they used to be very common. But now I feel like most brides I know don't do them anymore. I know I'm not doing it, it's added expense. I can get the pictures I need the day of before the ceremony.

Besides the reasoning why brides did them is obsolete with the advances in photography.

SC bride here! I'm doing them, but it was included in the package I chose. Plus, who wouldn't want to see a large framed photo of me? Just kidding.

I think Bridals are beautiful, but I'm not going to frame and display a photo of myself. I'd rather display photos that have both me and FH. So for that reason, I don't see the value in doing a bridal session.

You guys are really helpful! I am in the south, but by no means am I typical "southern". I feel weird being by myself for these types of photos. I'd rather have engagement session too.

I am in the south too and I've seen a lot of brides here do it - I truly don't see the point. The photos always come out beautifully, but I really don't care to get my hair and makeup done twice and pose for photos by myself that aren't even me on my wedding day.

I'd much rather have an engagement shoot like you said! Good trial run for your photographer, plus you get great photos of you and your FH

An engagement session is definitely worth it It allows you to see actual photos of you guys taken by your photographer, so you can make sure you like his/her style in photos you'll receive. Plus it's a great opportunity to ease some nerves, get used to being in front of the camera, and get a good feel for your photographer to make sure you like him/her.

Our photography session included a pre-wedding session. I chose to do bridal portraits because we had a good friend offer to take our engagement photos for free. I did not display it at the wedding but did use the opportunity to have my hair and makeup trial that day. I loved how they turned out.

If you are that self absorbed that you need another 200 pictures of yourself, then yes. Otherwise, IMO, they are pointless, you get plenty on wedding day.

So I did both an engagement session and bridals...I'm in the south but not particularly "southern"/traditional...I wanted the e-pics for FH and I...my mother (super traditional southern lady) insisted on bridals. She paid for my entire wedding, and she really wanted me to do bridals-so I agreed. They turned out great, and I was surprised that I actually really enjoyed doing them. I did however ask her to refrain from printing/framing a bridal portrait to put out at the reception....I think its weird to look at a giant picture of me when I'm right there in the same dress...If something were to be put out at reception, Id want to include FH with me in a pic.

ETA: part of why she wanted bridals is that both my SIL's did bridals and she has them hanging in her formal foyer-so she wanted mine to complete the set for all her girls.

Huge waste of money, IMHO. I don't need any m ore pictures of myself.

I don't really understand the purpose of this. Can't you just do these pictures during before your ceremony? *Disclaimer - not Southern in the least.

I was a wedding photographer for 15 years (in the south LOL) and it was highly traditional to do that. It's less stressful than trying to get pictures of you by yourself on your wedding day, but more importantly it gives you time to see how your hair, makeup and dress are going to look on that day for all the pictures you REALLY want. For example, one bride hated hers because her hair was too "big"... so on the day of the wedding she had the stylist tone it down a little. It's not necessary, but it can be fun and unique.

My photographer is wonderful. She included bridals in the package I bought. After talking to her and others about it, I wasn't sure if that was something I would want. So instead (and with no additional cost) she is going to do a boudoir shoot so I can give those photos as a wedding gift.

Tennessee girl here! I'm doing them! But it's a family friend that offered to do it, she wanted to photograph the whole wedding but friendors are a bad idea. Soooo in lieu of gifts, she has offered to take me to Cades Cove to do bridal portraits.

I'd love to have a whole book of bridal pictures and wedding pictures. It's a good thing to pass down to kids/grandkids. I looooooved looking at my parents and grandparents pictures.

I'm in the south and I've never heard of this. Is it just pictures of yourself that you have taken prior to the wedding? If so, it sounds unnecessary.

My photography package included a bridal session. I didn't want it, so my photographer agreed to do two extra hours at the wedding instead.

My photography package includes either engagements or a bridal session. It was actually FH's idea that I do bridals. He hates having his picture taken, and we have a really lovely set of professional photos of us that were taken while we were on vacation overseas that we use for everything. Plus, we are planning an out of state wedding and it's easier for me to get time off to go to OK for things like this.

I'm using the shoot (which is on Monday, eek!) as an excuse to try my whole dress/accessories on and also to do my hair/makeup trial. My grandmother just passed last week, and I'm working on a way to honor her with a shot that I can give to my grandfather. He gave me a handkerchief and a brooch of hers that I want to incorporate somehow. My grandmother was a VERY traditional southern woman and wanted me to have bridals very much. So it's actually sort of bittersweet in a happy way.

There will be NO prints of the pictures anywhere near my wedding, though. That's a little tacky, imo.

Edited: I used the wrong form of "to" and aforementioned Southern grandmother would haunt me forever if I didn't fix it.

I actually wish I'd had them done because my wedding was mid-day at a church, so a lot of my pictures are in weird lighting/backgrounds & my hair isn't as good as I'd like. I would have loved to have pretty nature pictures where I didn't feel rushed and could be creative, not distracted. And I feel like pictures the day of the wedding can just get exhausting or in the way of spending time with family and friends...or they're their awkardly watching you fake smile. haha

I don't care so much about the giant print at the ceremony, although I do like seeing them at other people's weddings (but sometimes it's an engagement picture).