Getting Ready On Your Wedding Day

Getting ready is such an amazing part of the wedding day that is often overlooked. Some of my favorite photos of wedding days come before the ceremony even happens, as everyone is typically really emotional, anxious, and excited. Here are a few things that will help the time before your ceremony be more meaningful and help the quality of the photos:

Seeing Each Other the Day Of

If you’re not concerned with the tradition of waiting until the ceremony to see each other, why not spend the morning together? Take a walk with your pup, grab coffee at your favorite café, make breakfast at home in your sweats, snuggle up with your dogs and enjoy brunch in bed, or even help each other get ready. Do whatever feels right to make your day more enjoyable and truly “you.”

Intentional Spaces

Be intentional about choosing your getting-ready space, as it can set the tone for your entire day. Imagine getting ready in a random hotel bathroom, surrounded by everyone’s luggage, cluttered furniture, and the stress of packing up at the last minute. That kind of environment can leave you feeling overwhelmed and distracted.

Now, compare that to a room with soft, natural light streaming in, a clean and organized space where your wedding details—like your shoes, jewelry, and hairpieces—are thoughtfully laid out, and your dress hangs beautifully in the window or on a porch, where you can enjoy some fresh air. In a space like that, you’re more likely to feel calm, at peace, and fully in touch with your emotions, rather than stressing over where you left your glue-on lashes or your “something blue.”

Organize Your Details

Gather all the special details you want photographed (like your wedding invitation, rings, jewelry, perfume, vow books, shoes, florals, etc.), and place them in a shoebox or a designated spot that’s easy to access. This way, when I arrive, everything is ready, and I can jump right into capturing those beautiful details. And don’t forget to have a nice hanger for your dress!

Clean Spaces

Keep spaces clear of clutter as much as you can! I will help with this, but if you can have a designated “clean area” near a window space where you do your getting ready photos, this will make for much better photos focused on the moment rather than the bright pink bag in the corner.

Good Lighting

Try and get ready near a window with natural light coming in—it is much prettier for details and your skin, rather than yellow overhead lighting. Keep indoor lights off during getting ready photos so you don’t get mixed colors in your photos (don’t worry, I’ll switch them off if you forget!)