Why Every Couple Should Consider a Day-After Adventure Session in Their Wedding Attire
From the lens of a Colorado Wedding Photographer.
Your wedding day is a whirlwind of unforgettable moments—exchanging vows, hugging loved ones, dancing under twinkle lights—but it moves fast. One of the most common things couples tell me after their wedding? “It went by in a blur.”
That’s why more and more couples are choosing to extend the magic just a little longer with a day-after adventure session—and as a Colorado wedding photographer, I couldn’t recommend it more.
This unique post-wedding experience allows you to slip back into your wedding attire, escape into the Colorado wilderness, and create breathtaking portraits in a relaxed, intentional, and awe-inspiring setting.
What Exactly Is a Day-After Adventure Session?
A day-after session (also called a post-wedding or adventure bridal session) is a styled photo shoot that takes place before or after your wedding day. You wear your wedding dress and suit again, but this time, there’s no timeline, no guests, no stress—just the two of you, embracing your surroundings and each other.
Whether we hike to an alpine lake, explore a golden meadow at sunset, or stand at the edge of a cliff as the sun rises over the Rockies, this session is all about capturing the feeling of being married—with the freedom to roam.
When should we do our “day after” session?
Benefits of doing your session before the wedding day:
- Use this session as a trial run before your wedding day: How does your makeup photograph? Does your suit need to be taken in a bit? Were you tripping over your dress? Were your shoes comfortable?
- Most couples don’t wear their wedding attire for long periods of time before the big day, but having a dedicated session ensures that everything fits and looks the way you’d like it to on wedding day.
- Get comfortable in front of the camera: For a lot of couples, wedding day will be the first time they are photographed together and there can sometimes be a bit of awkwardness at first. With a day after session, you can get all that awkwardness and unease out so that on wedding day you feel comfortable and confident in front of the camera. As a photographer, I can see which poses really work for y’all and how you interact so that I can direct you in a seamless and organic way on wedding day.
- Fully enjoy your wedding day: A lot of my couples struggle with balancing wanting gorgeous wedding photos but also wanting to enjoy their day and be fully present. A day after session allows you to have it all. On wedding day you can just relax and enjoy time with your partner and guests knowing that all the gorgeous photos you’ve dreamed of have already been captured.
Benefits of doing your session after the wedding day:
- Extend the wedding day high: Wedding days go by so quickly and are often some of the best days of my couples lives. Putting back on your wedding attire and allows you to relieve the magic of your wedding day even after the day has passed.
Pro tip: Consider having your session on your anniversary and read your vows again. It’s a great way to relieve the wedding day feels.
- Keeps your wedding attire secret until wedding day: For couples wanting to see each other for the first time on wedding day (either through a first look or at the aisle) a post-wedding session makes the most sense! I have had couples wear slightly different wedding attire to keep things a secret on wedding day, but that’s a little more rare.
- Make adjustments from wedding day: If you had anything from wedding day that you would’ve changed (makeup, hairstyle, shoes, etc.) having a post-wedding day session will allow you to make those adjustments after the big day.
- Maybe weather makes the decision for you: The biggest stressor for most of my couples is weather related. Often times a day after session is made out of necessity. Rain during your entire day? Extenuating circumstances that reduce your couples session time? No worries! You can schedule your day after session at any point to ensure you still get gorgeous photos even if that doesn’t happen on wedding day.
5 Reasons to Say “Yes” to a Day-After Session
1. More Time = More Meaningful Moments
On your wedding day, timelines can be tight. There’s a schedule to follow, family and friends to greet, and a hundred tiny details that keep the day moving. With a day-after session, there’s no rush. You’ll have space to breathe, move slowly, and be fully present with each other. That authenticity shines through in the images.
2. Access to Iconic Colorado Landscapes
Let’s be real—Colorado is a photographer’s dream. But many of its most scenic spots require a little time or effort to reach, which isn’t always feasible on a wedding day. A day-after session lets us hike (or drive) to some truly jaw-dropping locations without worrying about time constraints or dress logistics.
A few favorites?
- Loveland Pass: Sweeping mountain views with minimal hiking.
- The San Juan Mountains: Think dramatic peaks, wildflowers, and alpine lakes.
- Great Sand Dunes National Park: For a truly unique desert-meets-mountains backdrop.
- Crested Butte in July: An explosion of color during wildflower season.
- Rocky Mountain National Park: Timeless and majestic.
Together, we’ll choose a location that fits your vision and comfort level.
3. Uninterrupted Golden Hour Magic
Light is everything. And while wedding day schedules don’t always allow us to chase the best light, a day-after session gives us the freedom to shoot during golden hour—or even blue hour or sunrise—when the scenery is glowing and your portraits take on a magical, ethereal quality.
4. You Get to Wear Your Wedding Attire Again
Let’s face it—you looked incredible. Your dress, suit, or outfit deserves more than just one appearance. A day-after session lets you relive the joy of wearing it, without any pressure to keep it pristine. If it gets a little dusty or windswept? Even better. That’s where the real magic lives.
Many couples even say this is when they feel most themselves in their wedding attire—comfortable, confident, and completely in love.
5. An Elevated Wedding Album
Your wedding album tells the story of your love, and adding a day-after session brings depth and diversity to that story. These portraits are often the ones you’ll frame for your home, use on thank-you cards, or revisit on anniversaries. They are timeless, artful, and full of meaning.
Who Is a Day-After Session Perfect For?
- Couples who had a short elopement and want a more adventurous photo experience.
- Couples who had a traditional wedding and want portraits in a wilder setting.
- Those who didn’t get much portrait time on their wedding day.
- Anyone who simply wants more opportunities to celebrate their love and document it beautifully.
View an epic, sunrise day after session
This day after session was actually a week before wedding day. Margot and Mark’s wedding venue was in downtown Denver for ease but they knew they wanted some epic mountain landscapes to show off their love of nature. Margot also wanted some photos with more natural, soft makeup and she still wanted her wedding dress to be a surprise– so the couple decided to wear slightly different wedding attire than what they’d be wearing on wedding day. Win win.
Let’s Make It an Experience
As your photographer, I don’t just show up with a camera. I help you plan the whole experience—location scouting, timing, permits (if needed), packing lists, and tips for keeping your dress adventure-ready. Whether you’re hiking a few miles to an alpine lake or sipping champagne on a scenic overlook, this session will be intentional, intimate, and unforgettable.
Final Thoughts
Your love story is worth telling in more than one chapter. A day-after adventure session is a beautiful, meaningful way to extend your celebration, reconnect as newlyweds, and capture the Colorado magic that brought you here in the first place.
So let’s make it happen. Rewear your dress. Relive the joy. Reconnect in nature. And walk away with photos that feel like you—wild, beautiful, and full of heart.
Ready to start planning your adventure session? Let’s dream up something unforgettable together. Inquire here to get started.
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