I love this part of the day, the quiet anticipation of whats to come, the excitement all your girls together getting ready & sipping champers before heading off to the church. Capturing photos of you getting ready is an important part of telling your wedding day story and setting the scene for whats to come, as well as giving you time to get used to me and my camera being around!
Over the past 8 years of shooting weddings I’ve come to realise there are a few simple things that make the morning run so much smoother. So here are my top tips for better getting ready photos…
LIGHT IS KEY
This is something that probably hasn’t even crossed your mind, but us photographers are obsessed with light! Quite simply, great light = great photos.
Make sure you get ready in a room with lots of natural window light, turn off ceiling lights & table lamps and open those curtains & blinds to let the light flood in. Ask your make up & hair stylist to have you face the window whilst they work their magic. This means that the beautiful soft window light will fall on your face and illuminate you in the most flattering way.
CLEAR THE CLUTTER!
Think about whats going on in the background. Try to keep the mess & clutter in the room to a minimum, make the bed and hide bags & suitcases in a wardrobe out of sight. Some mess is okay, it actually helps tell the story, but old tissues, half eaten sarnies and shopping bags don’t add anything, so just make sure the decks are clear (ish) before I start snapping away!
I especially love it when brides get ready at their childhood home, your personal items dotted around really add another layer to your wedding story.
DETAILS DETAILS
When I first arrive, and we’ve said hello and had a little chat I will then begin by taking photos of your wedding details.
If you have all of these bits together in one place for me, then I can get started on capturing them straight away. I love to capture the dress hanging up, but make sure it’s on a nice hanger, not the plastic one from the dress shop! Wooden hangers always look nice, and small details like this make all the difference.
I will also take photos of your flowers, shoes, veil, jewellery, and perfume so have these items out ready. I love to get photos of the invitations & stationery, so if this is something you would like captured, then make sure to have copies of these ready with your other details too!
WHAT TO WEAR
Wear something your happy being photographed in that will co-ordinate with the tones of your day and look good in the photos. Matching kimonos are always a nice idea, or just a pretty white cami with you pyjama bottoms is equally fine! Just as long as your comfortable & happy in it for your pictures – but make sure it’s easy to get off without messing up your hair!
BRIDESMAIDS
I always suggest that your bridesmaids and Mum are in their dresses way before you get into yours. Not only does this look better in the photos, it also ensures that everyone is ready and waiting to help you into your dress when you need a helping hand.
CREATE A CALM ATMOSPHERE
It’s worth taking the time to set scene for a relaxing morning, and there are some really simple things you can do that make a big difference :
Play music – have a playlist of your favourite tracks to listen to in the background
Light scented candles – lavender is especially calming!
Make sure you have a good breakfast and have a tray of nibbles handy for everyone incase hunger strikes. And most importantly – enjoy yourselves and forget about the camera!
It can seem like you have all the time in the world to get ready, and everything is going to plan…until you put your dress on. Then you realise that no-one knows how to lace it up or you don’t have a crochet hook handy for all those fiddly little buttons, or you left the tag on the dress and can’t find a pair of scissors anywhere! I cannot stress enough – give yourself more time than you think you will need!
If you are ready early that’s a bonus and we can use that extra time to capture some portraits before you leave, plus you can enjoy a glass of bubbly to calm those pre-wedding nerves!
I hope these tips help you have a lovely wedding morning. If you are happy & relaxed this will result in more natural and beautiful photos. If you would like more wedding planning advice, walk this way!
Tips for better getting ready photos
