I often get asked what my favourite part of the day to photograph is. And while portraits of the bride and groom are an obvious first choice, the photos I take during the getting ready portion of the day are a close second. There’s so much anticipation and excitement, often the brides are surrounded by their closest girlfriends and/or family, and there are some really beautiful moments that happen as the couple is getting ready to marry the love of their life.

While you don’t need to get ready in the fanciest hotel room to get great photos, there are a couple of things you can do to elevate your getting ready photos. I’ve outlined some tips below:

Light light light

Having a place to get ready in that has lots of natural light is the most important thing to consider. Not only will your makeup artist thank you, having great light is the first step to really beautiful images. If the natural light is limited, try placing yourself as close to a window as possible when getting your hair and makeup done, putting your dress on, etc.

Tidy up

Before your photographer arrives to take photos, ask your girlfriends or whoever is getting ready with you to quickly tidy up the room you’re getting ready in. Hiding clutter, throwing away the tissues and putting away breakfast dishes takes away distracting elements from the background of the photos and puts the emphasis back on you!

Gather up your accessories for your photographer 

I always ask my brides to gather the accessories they want photographed in the morning before I arrive so when I show up, I can get those done and out of the way. By doing it beforehand, you’re staying that much more organized, there’s less chance of us forgetting to snap a photo of your grandmother’s bracelet, and you won’t need to be interrupted and can relax and enjoy getting pampered. 

Write your spouse a letter

Some of my favourite moments are when the couple writes letters to each other to read before they see each other. This is especially great for those who are forgoing the first look and seeing each other for the first time at the ceremony. 

Let everyone else get dressed first

Allow your bridesmaids to put on their dresses before you get into your dress. That way, when they see you for the first time in your dress or help put on your shoes, they’ll be looking their best. Same thing goes for your mom! I love to grab shots of your mom putting on your necklace, etc so allow her time to get into her outfit too (trust me, she’ll thank you for it!).

And that’s it! Just a few simple tricks to get the most out of your getting ready photos.

In your corner helping you plan your wedding thoughtfully and intentionally,

Deanna