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Getting Ready

How to get the best photos from the morning of your wedding

We’ve always loved the morning of a wedding and it remains one of our very favourite parts of the day.  ‘Getting ready’ is always busy, sometimes a little frantic, but always exciting and fun and we try to capture as broad a range of emotions as we can. Like most other parts of the day, we want to be in the background, quietly documenting the moments as they unfold with as little recognition of the cameras as possible.

Typically, we begin photographing ‘the preps’ two hours or so ahead of the ceremony time but this can vary with each wedding we see and we often start earlier.  There’s no hard and fast rules, but generally speaking it’s best if the morning photos are given plenty of ‘breathing space’.  Give us the time to capture the details, all the interactions and portraits and you’ll be rewarded with a lovely balanced set of images that really capture the mood during the build up to the wedding ceremony.

Choosing where to get ready

Making a decision on where to prepare for your wedding day can be tricky.  You need to consider convenience and travel time, but also facilities, space and of course costs.  Some choose to get ready at home, or at their parents’ home, a local hotel, an Air BnB or at the venue itself.  It has to be the right choice for you, but from a photography perspective it’s worth bearing in mind a few points:

Space: Having plenty of space is perhaps the most important thing.  Some homes or hotel rooms end up being so cramped that there’s barely room for people to move – this is especially true with larger wedding parties.  If possible, have space where to have hair and makeup done, but also to hang dresses and suits, somewhere for bags and ‘stuff’ to go without getting in your way and…. somewhere to take a seat and relax a little.

Light: The very best ‘getting ready’ photos tend to be in locations where the space has good light.  This is why photos from this part of the day tend to look so beautiful in old country houses with high ceilings, tall windows and plenty of room.  We don’t expect you to see light in the same way we do, but rooms or spaces which have little or no natural light can feel very claustrophobic and dark –  and the photos will always reflect this.

Clutter: If possible, try to keep suitcases, bags and boxes out of the way when they’re not being used.  If there’s a large bathroom adjoining the main room then this is often a good place to store them.  Remember, if its in the room, it’ll probably end up in the photos somewhere!

Make your morning special

Many see the morning of a wedding as a private time with the people they’re closest to.  Although there’s lots to do, it can be a really lovely time to share with them, with an atmosphere very different to the rest of the day.   So whether you are getting ready at home, at the venue or somewhere else entirely, it’s usually a good idea to only have the people there that *need* to be there.

Friends and family beyond your immediate wedding party may want to pop in, but if you’d rather keep the morning of your wedding a bit more intimate, don’t be afraid of setting boundaries.  Likewise,  if anyone is demanding your time or energy a bit too much or ‘hanging around’ with nothing to do, then don’t be afraid to ask for some space. Giving everyone tasks or responsibilities can really help here as it gives everyone a purpose and focus.

Bride and bridesmaids having fun before wedding

Setting the scene

There’s far more to the wedding preparations than just makeup being applied and ties being fastened.  Preps pictures introduce the ‘key people’ and set the scene for the day, all with the context of the location you choose – be that a home, a hotel or the venue itself.

Of course, if you’re booking the two of us, then we’ll usually photograph the preparations from both perspectives.

Details

The details – dresses, shoes, flowers.  They’re not just inanimate objects – they’re a reflection of your personality and a stylistic choice which deserve to be captured well.

Details are often the very first thing we photograph as it gives us the opportunity to ‘settle in’ to the morning properly.  It’s really helpful if dresses are already removed from their bags and the packaging stowed somewhere out of sight.

Detail pictures never take long, but  they are important because they’re such a personal choice for you and we want to make sure that you have a really beautiful record of them.

Bride smiling in small mirror as she has makeup applied before wedding

Hair & makeup

Whether you choose to hire a professional, bring in a friend or do your own hair and makeup , it’s important to understand how much time you’ll need. We’ve seen amateur hair and makeup artists take far too long, resulting in a stressful morning that nobody enjoys.  An experienced professional will  advise in advance of how long the process will take and the best timings for everyone involved.

There is no need for the stylist to pose for photos or to ‘stage’ anything.  Likewise, some makeup artists will say you need extra makeup “for photos” – but take our word for it –  this really is not the case!

Timings for Brides

It may be a bride’s prerogative to be late, but in the reality of a busy wedding, anything more than a short delay can have an unfortunate knock-on effect later.  We’ve seen church services reduced to the bare essentials, receptions cut in half and even seen one couple not get married as the registrars could only wait so long for the bride to arrive!

If you’re running late then we don’t want to make you any later, so try not to be caught out at the last-minute.  Some parts of the preparations may take longer than you expect, especially fastening the wedding dress!

Bride has wedding dress fastened as she prepares for wedding
Portrait of beautiful bride with cerise curtain

Most of our ‘getting ready coverage is candid and purely ‘as-it-happens’, but there are a couple of more formal picture we like to get shortly before you leave for the ceremony.

We will want to get photos of you with your bridal party but most importantly, we want to get a portrait of you when you are fully ready.  To do this well takes a little time – about 10 minutes this needs to be catered for in your timings also.

Timings and tips for grooms

If the men have hired suits, do check that the fit is OK and that everything has been sent in advance of the wedding day.  It doesn’t always go to plan and we’ve seen many a groomsmen frantically try and get a replacement item of clothing!

Although the men generally get ready much more quickly than the ladies, you still need to be watching the clock.  If the church staff or registrar have asked you to be there at a certain time, then aim to arrive 15-20 minutes prior to that time..  A portrait of the groom and group photo of the groom’s party together are done at this stage.  Once the guests start to arrive then it will be difficult for you to get away so Sarah will want these more formal pictures completed before that point or they may not happen.

Groom fixes tie in mirror while dad watches
Groom has interview with registrars prior to legal marriage ceremony

The registrar interview

If you’re having a civil ceremony then the registrar will conduct a private interview with you shortly before the service.  This is a legal requirement to check everything is in good order before the ceremony begins.  Often, we find that there’s very little chance to get anything done after the interview, so it is best to be completely ready and have all the photos complete before this meeting so you have a bit of breathing room before the ceremony starts.

Chloe & Her Bridesmaids

Getting ready moments – the real deal

The ‘moments’ are really what we’re looking for during the morning of a wedding.  A groom reading a card from his soon-to-be wife. A wedding dress being fastened by the bride’s mum, or her sister, or her best friend.  The groom and his mates sharing a cuppa (or a pint).  Dad and the bridesmaids’ reaction as they see her in her wedding dress for the first time.  A grandfather’s reaction seeing the gift given to him by his granddaughter.

No faking, no re-takes – just good, honest moments that you’ll look back on for years to come.

Some of these moments are fun, some just help flesh out the story of the day.  And others are priceless.

Click or tap to enlarge

Time for a quick portrait

The vast majority of our ‘preparation’ photos are documented naturally and without direction, but we always like to spend a few minutes capturing a great portrait of the bride or groom, along with a quick group or two.  It’s not about being overly-posed, stiff and formal.  It’s about being relaxed, looking fabulous and ready for the day ahead.

See how we work other parts of the wedding day