Over the last little while I have been compiling a document with tips to help you, help me create the best wedding images. Up until now it has been in point form. I wanted to expand on this so I thought I would make some blog posts and share my two cents. The first place I thought I would start is with the getting ready photos. I know you care about the quality of your wedding photographs as much as I do. Here is how we, together, will make sure you have something that you will love forever.
The first thing is location. You know what they say in real estate, “Location, location, location!!!”, well, the same is true for where you get ready. Well, actually your whole wedding, but I will try to keep on the topic at hand. First of all, think of where you get ready as the backdrop to your getting ready photos. If you are in a cluttered windowless cave, the pictures will look like that. I mean, there are some things that we can do as photographers to highlight the positives and minimize the negatives but please remember we are documenters not magicians. Personally, I love natural light. I think that bridal prep looks great in a room with lots of lovely big windows. If you are getting ready in a hotel room consider this. Not all hotel rooms are created equal. Some rooms have big windows and some have tiny tiny ones. Although some of the historic hotels are beautiful and have great lobbies their rooms are often dark. Corner suites are great. Your make-up artist will also love you for the natural light.
The next order of business is clutter. Try to keep the bedroom, hotel room, living room, whatever room tidy. If it is a hotel room and you are staying there the night before ask if you can have housekeeping come to make the bed and remove any room service items you may have ordered before pictures start. If there are lots of you getting ready in one room as there often are please ask your bridesmaids to put their belongings in a closet when they are not using them. Pilles of suitcases and clothes in the corner will add unnecessary distraction to your photographs.
Another tip is to wear something that you would like to be photographed in. You may not want to look back at your prep pictures and see that ripped Van Halen t-shirt you had slept in the night before. But, on the other hand, maybe you would, who am I to judge? A plain black shirt or dress looks clean and simple. A pretty robe can also be nice.
Lastly, here are a few more details to consider. If you are putting inserts into your shoes for comfort wait to glue them in until after I take pictures of your shoes. I know inserts can make your shoes fit better and feel good but they are ugly and ruin the look of your beautiful shoes. Have a nice looking hanger for your dress. A nice wooden one (with notches for the dress hanging loops) or a padded one would be great. You can also get more ideas for hangers HERE and there are hundreds on Etsy. I also like to have the invitation, the rings, and the bouquet(s) there too.
Here is a shot from a recent wedding. This was probably the most dreamy bridal preparation location I’ve ever seen. This room with windows on 3 sides was perched on a cliff overlooking British Columbia’s Gulf Islands.
Does anyone have any other helpful tips or suggestions? I hope someone finds this helpful. Please leave me a comment with questions or suggestions for next time. Thank you for reading my longest blog post ever. xo
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