Do I need a second wedding dress for the pre-wedding photo shoot?

If you have the money to spluge on another dress then by all means do so. I would not want to risk messing up my ceremony dress for the pre pictures

We're wedding Photographers so we'll chime in our two cents. YOU WILL get your wedding dress dirty. And when you go to wash it and clean it, it's "not going to be the same".

For such situation we advise our clients to have the photosession after the wedding, it is not unusual.

I would get a casual outfit to do a pre-wedding photosession; and then have an worry free, "trash the dress" session after your wedding.

Have a great wedding!

-David & Kim (dKweddings.net)

I know lots of people who took more pictures after the wedding. "trash the dress" so-to-speak. They don't really TRASH their dress but they take the pictures they've wanted without having to worry about their dress not being clean on the wedding day or having to spend money to buy another. I would just wait until after.

That's what I was going to say too. After the ceremony have your guests mingle and go take few bridal pictures with your photog and husband.

As D&K said, do a pre-wedding shoot like an engagement shoot in other clothes. You WILL get the dress dirty no matter how hard you try to keep it clean. If you really want pictures in your dress, plan to have them done much earlier in the day, or after the wedding. There isn't enough time between the service and reception to get the mind blowing pictures you see sometimes. The best pictures we get are when couples make them a priority.

Everyone seems to want the standard posed pictures, mom and dad from both sides, bridesmaid, groomsmen, etc. Those take 30-45 minutes. Commonly people allow for an hour for photos. You can see why you now don't have time to go somewhere scenic for fun photos. If photos are a priority, I suggest this all the time to couples, you have to work a schedule with your photographer. The average bride & groom has NO idea how long it takes to round up everyone, pose them and run through all their required shot lists.

I have never heard of someone buying a second dress for their bridal portraits. That seems crazy to me. The point of the bridal portraits is to have pics of you in YOUR dress, not in some other dress. If it does get stained just get it cleaned. For mine, I was climing up tree roots and tip toeing through puddles and walking in tall grass. And my dress came out spotless.

Oh, and my portraits were taken 3 months BEFORE the wedding. My best friend had hers done in a botanical garden, she is a big klutz....and her dress was not dirty either.

Sorry, me again.......if you do it AFTER your wedding. What is the point? Then you don't have a bridal portrait up at your reception.

Yeah definitely just do it after the wedding. partly, because guys dont usually dont have that many things that they definitely want when it comes to the wedding. so if he pipes up about something he wants, listen. unless like the potters said, you wanted the pics to be posted at the reception. then i dont know what to say. lol

Another photographer to add in...yes, your dress will get dirty...based on our collective experience, just as the other two photographers mentioned. We can edit dirt off your dress for your photos, but in real life, the dirt can't be "edited" off for your wedding. If you're wanting portraits of you in your dress in the botanical gardens, schedule your portrait session after your wedding. Have new hubby in some of the photos & do something edgy & fun as well!

Being a garden venue: if you wear your wedding dress for pre-wedding portraits 1) many dress shops include one free cleaning - check to see if you're covered. 2) bring & use a white sheet below the dress hem. (Obviously) walk from location shoots w/ your hem up. 3) take a broom, we provide the photogs w/ one to brush off areas they may want to shoot in where debris has gathered. 4) check into Solemates for your heels, they cost $9.95 online.

Hi neighbor! I'm another photographer, located in DC.

I understand a lot of brides want their portraits done beforehand so it can be displayed at the wedding.

Before you decide to get another dress, see if you can get your current one spot-cleaned after the shoot/before the wedding. Cleaning along the bottom shouldn't take as long as cleaning the entire dress, and 1-2 months should be PLENTY of time for that!

Or you could change your location to something indoors if that's an option.

Let me know if I can help!

Another comment about pre-wedding portraits - it's a great way to test out potential issues for day of - how long it'll take to get the hair & makeup done, p/u the bouquet, get to the site w/ all the stuff, and get dressed. You'll also be able to get comfortable w/ poses, and if shooting at your venue, you'll discover locations w/ the photog that are your favorites.

I'm having my portraits done before the wedding in my dress but I'm taking the photos in a studio so hopefully it won't get that dirty. Have you considered taking photos in a studio and the garden after the wedding?

Hi there, I agree with leap - if you want your bridal portrait for the wedding in your wedding dress, then you should have that done in a studio so it will stay clean for your wedding day.

I really recommend a photoshoot the day after the wedding (TTD) "trash the dress". Every bride I have done a TTD for really love every minute of it! I am serious. It's a fun thing to do, because once the wedding is over, the stress is gone, after all the hours of dress shopping, fittings, accessorizing and work that goes into the dress you can finally have fun in it!

I really appreciate everyone's input thus far. I guess right now I'm leaning towards doing the garden thing after the wedding. I'm really clumsy and even got a "battlescar" just trying the dress on, so taking that risk of getting it dirty, would be a chance that I am too chicken to take, lol.

You could try renting a simpler dress for a day and do your pictures and then wow him in your real bridal gown and have even more pictures!