Whether you decide to go with me as your photographer or not, I believe that having amazing photographs of your day to relive your moments and to share with friends and family is SO important!! It's what you have in the end, after the dessert is eaten, the dress is off, and the sparklers are out.
Grab yourself a glass of wine or whatever suits your fancy, sit back, and find out how to create a stress-free, epic-images kind of day for your wedding!
Your Bridal Guide to Stress Free Weddings: Getting Ready
Getting ready photos are definitely some of my favorite moments of elopement and wedding days. There’s so much sweet anticipation in the air—and I’ve captured some of the most beautiful moments in those early hours long before guests arrive!
However, these moments can be easily overshadowed by an overly cluttered bridal suite and not-so-ideal lighting conditions. Here’s a few things to consider when choosing a location and prepping for my arrival on your wedding day:
Lighting
Light is my paintbrush, no two ways about it. And while I've been doing this gig for a while (15 years, double gulp!) and can make just about any lighting situation work, there are some elements that make it so much easier to capture beautiful, well-lit images.
The first thing I’ll do when I arrive in the morning after I high five you or give you a "congratulations, it's your wedding day" hug is check where the most ambient natural light is coming from and then try and set up the scene so you are in that light as much as possible. I want to blend into your day as much as I can, so I won't be pushy about it, but it's something to think about in advance: find the most window-lit room and go with that. If it's not an option, don't stress. Like I said, I've worked around lots of lighting situations. But windows are our best friend in photography!
Room Aesthetic
Like I just mentioned above, when it comes to a getting ready space, lots of windows and natural light is most important. Clean decor and white or light walls are also ideal, but as long as I have natural light to work with, almost any space will do. If you’re not able to find a space that’s clean with natural light, you may consider bringing your dress to the ceremony location or renting out a space such as an Airbnb. You could always get ready outdoors, too! I know, it’s a wild thought, but once you have your dress on, you could do finishing touches outdoors—with gorgeous natural lighting.
Room aesthetic is equally important both for the bride and the groom, so don’t forget about the guys when choosing a getting ready space!
Cleanliness
Those beautiful, emotion-filled moments on the morning of a wedding day can be a little less beautiful with food tray leftovers, gym bags, and a pile of shoes in the background. When it comes to making the most of your getting ready photos, it’s important that your getting ready location is as clean as possible when I arrive! Please make sure bags, shoes, garbage, and general clutter is put away in order to provide a clean space for your photos.
Details
It’s my goal, first and foremost, to capture all the unplanned and emotion-filled moments. But let’s face it: you spend a lot of time on details for your wedding. No matter how extravagant or subtle, they are still yours. We don’t want to leave out all the pretty details that help tell the story of your day.
When I arrive where you lovely ladies are getting ready, it would be great to have some of those special touches ready for me to shoot! There is no need to have a slew of details, but having some loose florals, the shoes, the rings, an invitation, or anything else you’d like documented ready will make it easy for me to capture the details along with all the excitement of the morning.
Estimated Time Frame for Getting Ready Photos: 45-60 minutes
