Flat Lay Kit Essentials and Styling Tips
A well-styled flat lay has become an important shot in a wedding gallery over the past few years. Because, in addition to it being an opportunity to visually tell a couple’s story within one frame, flat lay photos have become one of the go-to marketing images for almost every type of wedding pro. But, styling a beautiful flat lay takes practice and it takes the right tools. So today, we wanted to share the things we think you need to have in your flat lay kit as well as how to use them to style a stunning shot. Read on for our flat lay kit essentials and flat lay styling tips to help you up your game!
Flat Lay Kit Essentials
Just like every wedding planner needs to have a well-stocked emergency kit, having a well-stocked flat lay kit is a modern essential. And, that’s because you can’t always assume that there will be extra flowers on site, a nice (and even) surface to style it on or even a copy of the wedding invitation! So, to make sure that you have what you need to style a great flat lay, be sure to have these flat lay kit essentials handy:
Styling surface (we love the ones from Chasing Stone)
Acrylic styling blocks (we’re well stocked with ones from Sourced Co.)
Ribbon swatches (we have silk ribbon from Tono & Co. in our kit)
Extra envelopes in various colors and sizes
Ring boxes and dishes in various colors
Floral sheers for cutting loose blooms
Pro-tip: If your couple is private, plan ahead and get an extra set of the invitation suite and paper details with fake names on them. And, if you plan on styling their rings, make sure you have a good window of time before the ceremony blocked to make it happen.
Flat Lay Styling Tips
Not everyone is a natural stylist but the good news is—everyone can learn how to style a great flat lay! Use these flat lay styling tips and practice, practice, practice to hone your skills.
Check your lines to make sure that everything is parallel and at right angles where you need them to be because you cannot fix a crooked invitation in post-production
Create a focal point in your look as well as line for your eye to follow. Our friend and photographer Lorely Meza recommends laying things out in a way that forms a subtle “S” shape to draw your eye from the upper corner, through the middle, and then down to the bottom
Create layers! This is where your styling blocks become your best friend. Use them to create height and dimension so that you can work in your other props without covering up important elements
Pro-tip: If you think you might be rushed on wedding day, mock up your flat lay at home and take a picture of it so you can quickly recreate it on site!
