Getting Ready Wedding Tips for Bride

“Choosing a location will set the tone for the rest of your wedding day.”

1. Wedding Getting Ready Location

   An important question to your wedding venue “is there is a space for your getting ready portion of the day?”. Many wedding venues have beautiful, LIGHT-filled bride suites and in this case it really may take this portion of the homework off your shoulders, but for those that don’t have a bridal suite or the ideal lighting scenario, don’t fret, theres options!

   • Home

   • Hotels

   • Airbnb

   My recommendation would definitely be an Airbnb, since the airbnb industry flourished there are some serious gorgeous, light-filled, aesthetically pleasing homes, (especially in washington) rooms that can really give your getting ready wedding photos the most out of those special moments before your wedding ceremony. Hotels could be the next option however, depending on the hotel chosen it might give your photos that “hotel vibe” (you know that funky colored carpet and weird shapes and patterns all around) and then, theres at home. This option would be the budget friendly one, however this one is the least of my favorites for a few reasons: 1. it could get tight really fast, with family, bridesmaids and media cramming into one house/room may really be tough, 2. it’s harder to keep it a clutter-free space (which I talk about below) 3. unless your family members left the house empty for you it may be a little more stressful, because your family has your best and holds the same passion for your wedding day as you, they may be coming up and asking you questions and sometimes this can make you think of things you shouldn’t, inviting stress into your wedding day.

2. Light

Make sure your getting ready location has light, Wedding photographers will set up EVERYTHING around light, we will put you next to the window, we will take your dress outside, we will shoot your details next to the sliding door, that’s why its no secret that this IS THE MOST IMPORTANT thing when looking for your wedding-getting-ready location. WINDOWS and LIGHT are everything, Natural light gives an unexplainable glow and your wedding photos depend on all the natural light.

3. Clutter Free/Minimal Space

What I mean: a clean space in photos looks best when the focus is on you and not on distracting things, such as: too many things on walls, distracting shapes and colors on chairs and of course elements such as getting ready bags and purses. I like to photograph the getting ready photos with negative space/minimal approach as this allows you to be the focus. This in my experience gives a clean and minimal approach which allows you to shine in photos. It helps the photographer a ton when you have someone tidying up the space as you get ready, so that none of these items are in your photos. Many times we as photographers will move things out of our line of view, but if a-lot of time is taken tidying up, we may not have all the time to focus on important shots.

4. Your Wedding Details

It’s exactly like in grade school, when you learned in writing class about “supporting details” the “beginning, middle and end.” Us photographers obsess over the details you use to get ready because it’s all supporting details of your wedding story. It helps so much to have all your wedding invitation details ready to go, because we as photographers will begin the day photographing with them. Many times brides will forget this and it requires us to keep bugging you during your getting ready process, for your ring, your veil, your dress and invites, as well as all the other details you have planned. Here are some some of my favorite items to photograph on a wedding day:

• I bring my own styled kit to every wedding where I add some elements to your detail shots to make sure your flat lays are both meaningful and lush looking.

5. Take the Time to Write Wedding “Love Letters”

I think this detail, or more so moment, could be overlooked so much on a wedding day. It doesn’t get enough recognition, but in my opinion its such a quiet and meaningful wedding moment. When couples take the time to write a quick letter to their soon-to-be-spouse, its off the charts — its full of emotions! You may tear up as you write your letter or re-read your vows, and these are the types of moments I live for because when you get your photo gallery, you are bound to feel the same emotions all over again and that becomes such a BIG part of your wedding day, possibly without you even knowing it because its captured with so much going on, but no one other than you about the jittery feeling that happened at that very moment, I’ve had brides tell me after receiving their gallery that by far, that’s their favorite memory moment from their wedding day. It truly is a precious moment often missed.

6. Florals for your Wedding Day Details

I HIGHLY recommend this to each and every one of my brides, so much so that this wedding planning tip has its own spot on the Best 5 getting ready wedding tips list , get in contact with your floral vendor and ask them to save all the scraps from your wedding bouquet. Even if you don’t have the time to find all the details listed earlier, please don’t miss out on this one, because just even one thing from the list above with the florals will give you such a wow factor and help elevate your wedding detail shots to a whole n-other level!