Since so many of my clients are in the middle of planning their wedding day logistics, over the next few weeks I plan to share my best wedding day tips from a photographer’s perspective! Hopefully some of my tips will help you make the most out of your photography experience, whether I’m your photographer or someone else is:)

This week we’re starting with GETTING READY, which is one of my favorite parts of the day, if not my very favorite part. I love this time because it’s so exciting and festive. And I love seeing the bride transform from a regular girl to a BRIDE in just a few moments! So here are my best tips for getting great getting ready shots!

Choose a room with lots of natural light.
Natural light is key for beautiful portraits! If you’re getting ready in a room with lots of lamps on even a flourescent light overhead, I may ask you to turn the lights off for a few pictures because natural light is really where it’s at! A room with big windows with lots of sunlight streaming in is your best bet!

When deciding on a room, look for something neutral, or something that fits your theme.
There are lots of times when this is going to be out of your control, but in a perfect world, I would always suggest you think about getting ready somewhere that is either pretty neutral, or somewhere that fits the feel of your wedding. Amanda’s colors were navy and a mustardy yellow/gold color and the hotel where she and her bridesmaids got ready had the best navy and yellow carpeting and couch!! Her getting ready shots and details were so perfect with those backdrops!

Have your bridesmaids get dressed before you.
This is such a simple tip, yet it has an awesome impact! See pictures for proof! If your mom is going to zip you up, make sure she is dressed ahead of time too! Candids are so much fun when everyone is dressed up!

Consider what type of dress you have.
If your dress has a corset or button up back, you’ll need more time to get dressed than you would if you had a zip up dress. When you’re planning your timeline, think about how long it will take you to actually get into your dress!

Have your makeup and hair done last
If you want to have your photographer take pictures of you actually getting your hair and makeup done, schedule yourself to go last!  Your hair and makeup will be fresher, and your photographer won’t have 1000x images of you and your friends without makeup or half made up.

Eat something!
I know when I was a bride I was way too anxious to eat much before the wedding…but someone forced me to eat a bag of chips and a sandwich before we left, and I’m so glad I had food in my stomach! It might be tough to eat this day, but seriously, your wedding is a busy day and you need fuel!! ESPECIALLY if it’s hot outside.

Decide if you will get ready near where the groom gets ready
This is something important to consider if you want pictures of the groom and groomsmen getting ready. If you’re getting ready in the same hotel (or wherever) it’s easy for your photographer to go between rooms and get some pictures of everyone. It gets more complicated when you are on the opposite sides of town.

Have your details (dress, shoes, accessories, bouquet, etc) ready when your photographer arrives
During the getting ready process, I usually shoot all of the bride’s pretty details as soon as I get to wherever she’s getting ready…this way once I’m done shooting the shoes and the dress and the jewelry, I can take pictures of her putting everything on and becoming a bride! This part of the day will go SO MUCH smoother if you have everything ready and don’t have to hunt down all of those things. Also, bonus tip…if any of the little details have special meaning to you (such as a family bible you’re using as a ring pillow or the veil your mom wore, or a brooch on your bouquet that belonged to your grandma) make sure you let your photographer know so they don’t get overlooked by accident!! I also LOVE to share those details on the blog because they tell the story of your day!

Set aside a few minutes for bridal portraits
I try to suggest that brides put an extra ten minutes or so into the timeline specifically for bridal portraits!! These are normally a few simple shots wherever the bride is getting ready, but I love getting a few pretty pictures of her right before she is about to become a wife! And if you chose a room with good, natural light, these pictures are going to come out SO BEAUTIFUL!!

Well, that’s it! Those are my best getting ready tips:) If you have any good tips to add, feel free to share them in the comment section! Next week I’ll be sharing my best advice for the FIRST LOOK!!