Your getting-ready moments on the morning of your wedding day are full of excitement, emotion and all those gorgeous details you’ve pulled together to tell the story of your day. If you love the idea of bright, natural and beautifully relaxed getting-ready photos, here are a few simple tips to make the most of that time.
Choose a room with beautiful natural light
Light makes all the difference, especially so for photographers. A bright space with big windows creates that airy, soft and dreamy look everyone loves. If you have the choice, always pick the room with the best natural light; it will instantly lift your photos, and your photographer will thank you!
Also, from a makeup perspective, Lauren from ‘Make-up by Lauren Jones‘ shares, “Natural light helps your makeup artist see your skin tones properly and create a true-to-colour finish.” Another quick tip from Lauren: “Consider working to a schedule with your hair and makeup team to ensure the morning runs smoothly and everything stays on time.”
Gather your details in one place
To help your photographer dive straight in, pop all your wedding details together before they arrive. This usually includes your dress, veil, shoes, jewellery, perfume, invitations and your bouquet (if it’s already with you). It saves you from having to disturb your hair or makeup being done and helps us create those lovely flatlays and close-up detail shots that bring your gallery together.
Think about where everyone will be getting ready
If you’ve got a larger bridal party, it’s worth making sure there’s enough space for everyone to get ready comfortably. A roomy area not only keeps everyone relaxed, but it also helps your photographer move around easily without disrupting hair and makeup. More space usually means more variety in your photos, too. Don’t forget to include your morning suppliers in the numbers too (hair, makeup, any assistants, and photographer).
Make sure your dresser-upper is ready too
Whoever is helping you into your dress, whether it’s your mum, sister or friend, it’s worth asking them to be fully ready beforehand. It makes those special moments even more photo-worthy. It’s also worth sharing in advance how to get you into your dress.
Tegan from ‘Silk & Maple’ bridal shop shares top tip, “If possible, take your dresser-up along to a dress fitting so they can see how the pros do it. Some dresses are simple, others need a little insider know-how.” Roberta adds, “Also, make sure your helpers are clued up on how to bustle your dress…and maybe have a little practice during your last fitting. Likelihood is you’ll both have had a few proseccos by that point on the wedding day, so a “dry run” isn’t a bad thing!”
Keep the space as tidy as possible
It sounds obvious, but a clutter-free room keeps the focus on you and your favourite people rather than bags, clothes or used coffee cups. A quick tidy goes a long way and makes every photo look cleaner. Maybe nominate someone from team bride to occasionally have a little tidy up.
Treat your dress to a beautiful hanger
It’s a tiny detail that makes a huge difference. A simple wooden or personalised hanger instantly looks more elegant in photos than a plastic one. And if you’re doing matching hangers for team bride, pop the outfits on them in advance to save your photographer time switching them over.
Quick tip: remove all outfit labels before the morning of the wedding. It’s one less thing to think about and saves any fiddly last-minute snipping when everyone’s trying to get ready.
Set the mood with music
A playlist can completely transform the atmosphere of the room. Pop on something chilled to keep nerves at bay and the vibe nice and calm. Over the years, I’ve curated a few different wedding playlists on Spotify. Here is a link to a specific ‘Wedding Morning Playlist’ that I made, think all the classic wedding morning vibes, new and old. If you’re after something softer, my ‘Wedding Instrumental Playlist’ is perfect for creating a relaxing background atmosphere while still feeling wedding-y. Feel free to save and share with team bride before the wedding day!
Let your photographer know if you’d like a reveal
A “bridesmaids reveal” or a moment with your dad, mum or loved ones seeing you dressed for the first time often makes for heartfelt photos. If that’s something you’d love, mention it before the day so it can be built seamlessly into the timeline.
Have a ‘getting ready’ emergency kit to hand
Little things like safety pins, fashion tape, spare hair pins, mini sewing kit, scissors, tissues and plasters can be surprisingly handy. Having a small kit nearby avoids last-minute stress and keeps everything running smoothly.
I usually have a mini emergency kit in my photography bag, and trust me, it’s been used so many times over the years; in fact, the sewing kit came out at the last wedding I photographed.
Let in some fresh air
If the weather’s nice, opening the windows brings in soft natural light and keeps the room cool and comfortable. It also helps everyone feel refreshed and relaxed, especially during the busier parts of the morning.
Most importantly… breathe and enjoy it
You’ve planned, prepared and poured your heart into this day. Now it’s time to soak up each moment. When you feel relaxed and happy, it naturally shines through in your photos.
Are you looking for your wedding photographer?
If you are currently looking for your Essex/Suffolk wedding photographer, I’d love to hear from you! Take a look at my work here.