Weddingbee boards

Its totally a personal preference. Its up to you. I dont know why you would spend the extra money though? Usually when you purchase a photography package for your wedding day you can get whatever pictures you want taken, and  an engagement shoot is usually included in their prices, or they do it for free once you book a wedding. Just ask the photographer to take a few solo portraits of you, even though they'll probably do that anyway. Afterall, the bride is the most important part of the wedding (in the photographers eyes) So you'll be in 90% of the pictures they take anyway.

Here's an article I found to help you:

http://weddings.about.com/od/photographer/a/bridalportaits.htm

well, it depends on what you're using it for...

 i'm in the South and usually these portraits are set outside of the reception area....but i'm really not into it. i don't think this wedding is all about me so i don't want my solo bridal portrait set up like a mini shrine. If i were doing it i'd do an engagement photo instead.

Do you want a large portrait for your home after the wedding? Or as a gift to your parents? as a gift to your parents it would be a good idea. 

It's always been a foregone conclusion that you will do bridal portraits in my family.  But then again, like you said, it's a Southern tradition and I live in Texas.  My experience is via my sister a few years ago and next week are my bridal portraits (the photography package I chose includes either an engagment session or a bridal portrait session).  I noticed in the article MissCamera linked to that it mentioned doing the portraits in studio.  For all of the photographers I researched as well as the one my sister worked with for her wedding, few portraits were done in studio.  To my knowledge you can choose to do something in studio but it is also very common to either go to your venue or go to another location that is scenic or very photographic and have your portraits done there.  It may be beneficial to look at some of the work done by southern photographers to get a feel for what is commonly done to see if you are interested in it.  I am choosing to use my bridal portraits as gifts to my parents and grandparents with a double frame, one of me as a child and one of my bridal portraits.  Additionally, my venue traditionally expects bridal portraits to be displayed at the reception and provides large easels for such a purpose.  I'll include some links to photographers I researched in my area that may give you a better feel for them.  Also, I'll link to where a number of portraits are shot if brides choose to not use their venue.

 http://www.kandcphotography.com/

http://www.nhanphotography.com/

http://www.djonesphoto.com/

<font color="#810081">http://www.pmhouston.com/</font>

lyka168,

Honestly, everything that is the purpose of the bridal portraits listed above could be done on the actual day-of. Just set more time aside for the bride to do shots alone, perhaps before the ceremony or something. You don't need to pay extra to have it separate. The photographer will and can take enough pictures to put one in the paper, give one to your parents, etc.

An alternative could be if you aren't into an engagement session, you could ask your photographer to swap that out for a bridal portraits.