We just got off a call with a potential client and they weren’t sure what “flat lay” was or if they wanted us to include that in their wedding day photography. She said, “I’ll have to look into that some more.” It made me realize that not everyone knows about this trend in wedding photography, especially newly engaged couples who are just getting involved in planning.

Scrolling through wedding photos on Instagram, you see the overhead shot of a ring sitting on an invitation, surrounded by perfume, wedding shoes, maybe a sprig of eucalyptus or unrolled ribbon. This is called a flat lay and this part of wedding photography is causing quite a debate.


The Case For


There are so many meaningful objects that may become part of your day that never get their moment. The ring, the invitation, the cufflinks passed down from a grandfather, grandma's earrings, the pearl necklace that your mother wore on her wedding day 30 years ago. Without flat lay, this stuff ends up back in a box, tucked away for 10, 15, 20 years. When they’re arranged and photographed together, it becomes part of the visual story of the day. That’s what your wedding photography is, your visual story of both the people AND things that were included in your day. From a photographer's perspective, it’s a smart use of downtime. When we’re waiting for hair and makeup to finish, flat lay is something productive to shoot that doesn’t require the couple to do anything at all.


The Case Against

The criticism is pretty straightforward. Flat lays can feel less like storytelling and more like a still-life of stuff. On a day that’s supposed to be about two people and the people who love them, some think time spent angling a shoe just right next to a flower is time not spent catching a human moment - a nervous laugh, a parent tearing up, a candid glance.

There's a bit of a materialism critique. When the shot doubles as a nice showcase of the shoes, the invitation suite, the perfume, it can start to feel less sentimental and more like a flex. And then there’s the bandwagon factor. Rings on the invite, shoes off to the side, a flower draped over the corner. It’s become such a specific formula that a lot of people find these photos kind of interchangeable. Doing it because everyone’s doing it, becomes more fad than personal.



So Who’s Right?

Probably a bit of both, honestly — but flat lays and documentary-style coverage aren't actually at odds. A quick, well-planned flat lay fits right into a documentary day without breaking the flow; it's just one more piece of the story alongside the candids.

At the end of the day it's not really about whether flat lays are good or bad — it's whether they're worth the time on your specific schedule, and whether the shot actually feels like you or just feels like what's trending. As your photographers, if you've booked us for the whole day and we've got the time, we love getting creative with it,  turning your "stuff" into something that actually feels unique to you, not a template. We'll usually talk with you beforehand about what to include so it tells your story, not just a trend. And if flat lays aren't your thing? Totally fine, we're just as happy to skip it and spend that time on you instead.