Spotlight Trend: Day After Sessions | New Mexico Wedding Photographers

We love keeping up with the latest wedding trends— pets at weddings, flower grannies, micro-ceremonies, etc— and this is probably one of our favorites! Today we’re gushing over… Day After sessions! As stated in the name, this is a session that occurs the day after your wedding; however, it can technically be a week after, or as long after as you’d like (we had a bride do it for her seven year anniversary, along with a couple who did one a bit before their wedding).

Keep scrolling to read why we are such avid fans of this trend!

Day 1 at El Pinto (top) and Day 2 at Los Poblanos (bottom)

To begin with, like a bridal session, this gives you another opportunity to wear the dress you slaved over finding and then paid a small fortune for. With a Day After session, though, it also gives your groom the chance to dress up twice as well, and we’ve had couples use this as an excuse to put him in a different suit! See below for an example!

Day 1 of Nathan in his black suit (right) compared to Day 2 of Nathan in his burgundy jacket (left)

Plus, brides can do their hair and makeup differently the second time! Struggling to decide between an updo and long, luscious waves? No problem, just do both! Don’t know whether to go with a natural pout or a pop of intense color? Do both! (See Monica’s two different looks below!)

Day 1 (left) and Day 2 (right)

Furthermore, you can choose a secondary location that’s different from your wedding day, adding even more variety! Sometimes when you choose certain venues or— in the fashion of 2020— have a backyard wedding, you don’t have a whole lot of options for photo spots. This allows you to get photos wherever you’d like!

Day 1 (top and left) at a private residence and Day 2 (bottom and right) in the Bosque

There’s also the added benefit of the pressure being taken off the two of you, as you aren’t keeping your guests waiting as long, because it reduces the time set aside for couples portraits the day of. During the Day After session, we shoot for an hour, meaning it’s just the two of you and whatever you’ve planned that day, so there’s no added pressure whatsoever. You’re also extra comfortable with your photographer and posing by then!

Carly and Chris wanted their wedding day (top) to be spent enjoying their guests at La Posada, capturing mostly candid moments, so they met with us before (bottom) their wedding to take couples portraits in several different spots!

Finally, there’s the bonus of extra photos of you and your honey! And of course, we’re a little biased toward this trend because it means we get to do more of what we love, and we get to spend some extra time with our sweet couples!

Day 1 (top and left) as they were married in front of one of Iceland’s gorgeous waterfalls, and Day 2 (bottom and right) as they adventured to one of the many jaw-dropping glaciers

— Trashing the Dress —

A form of this trend that’s been around for a while now also deserves a mention: Trashing the Dress. During this kind of session, brides rewear their wedding gown and aren’t afraid to get them dirty— in fact, that’s the whole point! These sessions can produce some really awesome, unique images, such as Trista and Clint’s destination wedding photos wading in the stunning waters of Mexico.

But we don’t really like calling it Trash the Dress… unless it’s a session like this:

For Valerie’s seven year anniversary, she wanted photos swimming in the Rio Grande, as the river symbolized the state she grew up and met her husband in, along with the place where they’re raising two sweet daughters. In the end, she washed her dress, and it was worn again by a member of her family for her wedding a few years later… so the dress was only figuratively trashed!