The Key To Great Getting Ready Photos
Are you planning to take getting ready photos on your wedding day? If so, here are a few of my best tips to ensure this time of the day runs smoothly and you receive beautiful photos!
Location
Location! Location! Location! As with many things in life, location is everything! The best way to set these photos up for success is to choose the right space! A great location will not only be the backdrop for your photos, it will provide beautiful lighting, open spaces, and a decor which will help to tell your story! If you are planning to get ready at your venue you don’t always have a lot of options, but if you are opting to rent an airbnb, hotel room, or are choosing to get ready at home, here are three key components to keep in mind!
The first thing you should look for is a location with enough space to comfortably get ready and spend your morning in. You will likely have your entire bridal party, a parent, your makeup artist and your photographer/videographer in this room so make sure you have room to breath! Space is of extra importance for the bridal suite as she will need space to put on her dress. There is nothing worse than having a bed blocking all of your “getting into the dress” pictures!
The second thing to look for: Natural Light! As a photographer, natural light it my kryptonite! Large windows invite light to bounce around the room which I LOVE as it allows me to leave my flash in my bag! I find that utilizing natural light as much as possible creates more dimensional story telling. Picture this: Window light spilling over your mothers hands as she laces up the back of your dress, or your father helping you straighten up your tie, backlit in front of a large window… Moments like these are naturally poetic and make for the most beautiful images.
Flash, of course, can be beautiful as well and a good photographer will know how to navigate any lighting situation. If you are choosing to get ready in your home and natural light isn't readily available due to timing or location, a great alternative is to look for a corner of the house with white walls or ceilings. This is great for bouncing the flash which will create a softer, natural look.
Last, but not least, I would encourage you to look for is a clean distraction free space! As a photographer, the first thing I do when I get to your getting ready area is scope out the cleanest, brightest corner of the room. Of course, this all comes down to personal preference/style but typically the cleaner the walls, the more cohesive and timeless your photos will feel! If I don’t see an open area I will usually jump right in and create one by moving a few things around.
Timing
Now that you have your location set, the next thing to decide on is timing! These are the first photos you will be taking on your wedding day, so they will, in some capacity, set the tone for the rest of the day! You want to make sure you have enough time to relax, enjoy the morning, and mentally prepare for the festivities to come! With that being said, no one wants photos before hair and makeup. So: When is the ideal time for your photographer arrive? Well, every wedding is different but here are a few general photography time allotments to consider when creating your timeline:
Detail photos: 30 min
Bride and Bridesmaids getting ready: 20-30 min
Groom and Groomsmen getting ready: 15-30 min
Getting into the wedding dress: ~15 min
Detail Photos
A lot of photographers, like myself, will start the day with detail photos. These will be the photos of your dress, rings, florals, shoes, invitations, etc. (Curious what details you need? Click here!) Typically I allow about 30 minutes for these shots. This is a great way to start your photography coverage as you can plan to have all of these details ready ahead of time. It allows you time to get comfortable with a camera around before it is pointed in your direction!
Bridal Party Getting Ready Photos
Getting ready photos can really take as much or as little time as you would like. Generally these photos are more candid. Capturing the pre-wedding moments with you and your girls putting on your makeup, hanging out in matching robes, and sipping mimosas as you prep for the day. It is completely up to you on how much of this time you want documented!
To Groomsmen Photo or Not to Groomsmen Photo….
The next thing to decide is whether or not you want photos of the groom and groomsmen getting ready. A lot of my couples are undecided as-to if this is a detail they want to include. I would greatly encourage you to think about allotting time for these! This is a good opportunity for me to tell the story of your wedding day from his perspective. Typically these photos will capture the groom putting on his finishing touches: tie, watch, jacket, shoes, etc. But arguably more important than that, it allows time to capture those fun moments with him and his best friends laughing and cheers-ing the day!
If you are not sure you have the room in your timeline for these photos there are two options to save time. One option is adding a second shooter. This will cut this time in half as it allows the second shooter to hang out with the guys while the main photographer is with the girls.
Another option to save time is to do a few mock getting ready photos at the first look location. He can have photos adjusting his tie, jacket etc before the first look, which will still help to tell the story.
Putting on the Dress
It's generally nice to give yourself about 10-15 minutes to put on the wedding dress. These are truly special moments and the last moments of calm before the beautiful whirlwind that is your wedding day. Give yourself a moment to take it all in and put on your finishing touches. Side note: These photos are often some of my absolute FAVORITES during the day!
Make it Special
The final way to ensure you have the most amazing getting ready photos is to include special moments and detail during this time. This can be something like matching bridesmaids robes, plan a first look with your bridesmaids, bring a special liquor for a cheers with your groomsmen, give gifts to your parents, or open a note/gift from your partner. Anything that you can do to make this time special and celebrate your love is huge!
I hope these tips help you to plan the perfect morning for your wedding. If there is anything you feel like I have missed feel free to leave your favorite tips in the comments below. If you are ready to take the next step head over to my contact page to tell me more about your wedding!