When we head out to a wedding, I tuck a fancy satin hanger, or a simple cedar hanger, into my car. At the wedding I second shot with Valentina Glidden earlier this month (which you’ll be seeing on the blog in the coming weeks), I spotted a couple hangers peeking out of her Think Tank bag, too. It doesn’t seem the most likely of wedding photographer tools — but it can literally make or break one of my favorite photos of the wedding day: The photo of the wedding gown hanging up before the bride slips inside.

Here’s the thing. Brides pay hundreds if not thousands (if not upwards of ten thousand for a coveted Vera Wang) for their wedding gowns. But many wedding gowns get handed over to giddy brides on plastic hangers. Now, plastic retail hangers are quite useful. As a matter of fact, they’re my hangers of choice in my own closet. On a wedding day though, they can just end up a distraction. When a bride spends days hunting for the perfect gown and a lifetime dreaming about it, it’s a shame to think that a clear plastic hanger might end up being the thing that people remember from the photograph of the gown.

That’s why I’m a big fan of the custom hanger.But, brides, I’ve got to warn you to not count on your photographer to bring a pretty hanger to your wedding. Most photographers don’t, and those who do think of it might still forget to pack it up on your wedding day, what with all the lenses, flashes, lightstands, and other photo accessories they have to keep track of to do their job. So put that on your wedding to-do list: If you got your gown on a plastic hanger, buy a fancy custom hanger (or be lucky enough to receive one as a gift), which will enhance your gown photographs, or pack a solid wooden hanger from your own closet that will look elegant enough to complement your gown.

The photos will be well worth the extra effort!Happy planning!

~ Laura