While all the big details of your wedding day tend to get the most attention, sometimes it’s the smallest tokens that tell the most romantic story. And that’s where your wedding flat lay comes in!
In addition to the photos of your wedding gown, venue, and “I do’s”, this simple photograph is your chance to capture the unique design ideas that made your wedding day so special. From the custom illustration on your wedding invites to the vintage style of your ring boxes, a wedding flat lay tells your love story through all the small parts. Because the love is in the details!
So if you’re looking for some inspiration for your wedding flat lay, we’re sharing a few of our favorite designs down below, plus our expert tips and tricks for compiling your wedding day arrangement. Let’s get into the guide!
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What is a wedding flat lay?
A wedding flat lay is a styled collection of all the small details and keepsakes from your wedding day, like your wedding invitations, wedding rings, and flowers from your bouquet. On the big day, your wedding photographer will arrange these objects on a flat surface (hence the name!) and photograph them from above, giving you a visual story of your wedding.
While most wedding flat lays feature classic ideas like your stationery suite and your rings, we’re seeing more and more couples and photographers get creative with their compositions. From vintage heirlooms to romantic poetry books, no objects are off-limits…as long as they tell your love story!
What to Include in Your Wedding Flat Lay
As we mentioned above, you can include just about anything in your wedding flat lay, from special keepsakes to unique objects from your venue. Ultimately, your collection should represent all the little things that make your wedding unique — whether that’s your neon color palette, your vintage theme, or your statement shoes. Think of it as the vibe of your wedding distilled into one beautiful photograph!
Need more inspo? Here are some classic and unique ideas to include in your wedding flat lay:
- Wedding stationery (including invitations, menus, and save-the-dates)
- Wedding rings
- Flowers from your bouquet
- Bridal accessories, like shoes, earrings, or your wedding veil
- Groom accessories, like cufflinks, handkerchiefs, or your watch
- Wedding perfume or cologne
- Vow books
- Heirloom items
- Wedding favors
- Small tokens from your venue
- Cake toppers
- Something borrowed and something blue
GWS Pro Tip: When planning your wedding, consider setting aside a special box for the items you’d like included in your flat lay. This way, all your keepsakes are organized and ready to go when you arrive at the venue. It’s also a great way to ensure nothing gets overlooked when the wedding day excitement takes over.
Unique Wedding Flat Lay Ideas + Inspiration
Now let’s get into our favorite wedding flat lays, shall we? Below, we’re sharing the best photo-worthy ideas from real couples, and it’s safe to say they are flat-out gorgeous (pun intended!).
1. Show Off Your Color Palette
Bring on the color! If you ask us, there’s no such thing as too much saturation when it comes to your wedding day, and we love how this wedding flat lay embraces all the bright hues of the “I do’s”. For that vivid look, incorporate a few vibrant florals that complement the color palette of your stationery suite. Instant dopamine hit!
2. Embrace the Season
I can feel the spring breeze from here! For a wedding flat lay that captures the specific season of your wedding day, embrace allllll the seasonal details and ideas — from colors to motifs to fresh blooms. This flat lay perfectly channels the fresh feeling of spring with bright seasonal flowers, sweet butterfly designs, and a blossoming composition. Gorgeous!
GWS Pro Tip: Feel like something is missing from your wedding flat lay? Think outside of the box (or the stationery suite) with unique objects that represent your wedding theme, season, or venue. We love how this couple incorporated a vintage book about butterflies to capture the springtime vibes of their wedding. It’s the perfect finishing touch to their garden-inspired composition!
3. Channel an Antique Look
Love the old world charm of a bygone era? Pay homage to your favorite time period with a romantic vintage-inspired wedding flat lay! This composition looks like something straight out of the Victorian era, with gold wax seals, a muted color palette, and a simple yet elegant composition. The dried florals also give the design a dreamy antique look that we love. Best paired with your Bridgerton-inspired wedding stationery!
4. Incorporate Your Wedding Keepsakes
When it comes to a wedding flat lay, it’s all the tiny details and ideas that make it pop. To make their flat lay personal to them, this couple went beyond the typical items and incorporated unique details, like a paper fan from their ceremony, a custom engraved ring box, and a monogrammed matchbook (which also doubled as their wedding favors). Such a rad way to memorialize all the special keepsakes from your big day!
5. Choose a Colorful Background
While your stationery is typically the centerpiece of your wedding flat lay, it’s not the only star of the show! If your invites are more on the minimalist side (like these black and white designs), give your flat lay an extra somethin’ somethin’ with unique textures and unexpected backgrounds. We love the contrast of the simple stationery with the lavender backdrop and vibrant florals. And don’t even get us started on that hot pink ribbon!
GWS Pro Tip: A unique way to elevate your wedding flat lay? Ditch the boring background and arrange your items on an unexpected backdrop instead! This could be a colorful sheet of paper (like the lavendar example above) or a cool spot in your venue, like this rad design on a giant tree trunk!
Looking for More Design Inspo for the Big Day?
We’ve got you covered! We’ve rounded up the best ceremony and reception guides to help you bring your Pinterest dreams to life, from dreamy wedding aisle decor ideas to unique wedding centerpiece designs. Check out all of our planning guides here!
And if you’re looking for more inspo for your wedding flat lay, don’t miss these stunning wedding program ideas, plus these unique wedding favors. And remember: your wedding flat lay should be personal to your wedding day, so don’t be afraid to get creative!
Looking for more wedding planning inspo before the big day? Let us know what’s next on your to-do list in the comments below!
