Tips for Getting Ready on Your Wedding Day

It’s finally arrived! Let the day begin! This part of The Wedding Experience sets the stage for the entire wedding day. 

There are a few important ideas for getting ready on your wedding day you’ll want to keep in mind! 

Read on to find out exactly what you should be doing as you are getting ready, before your ceremony, and to make sure every little detail is in perfect place! 

This will make for the best images after your wedding and the best day you could ever imagine!

This post will share tips and tricks to make sure you have a seamless morning of wedding day prep that leads to beautiful portraits! Bring on the mimosas with your girlfriends and beers with your best guys!

Getting Ready on Your Wedding Day

It’s the morning of your wedding! Hopefully, all the little details are taken care of, and you’re relaxing with your best friends while you are getting ready. 

If certain items haven’t been checked off the to-do list, it’s time to hand them over to someone else. Delegation is a key part of a stress-free wedding day.  

We know it’s hard to hand over the decorating duties or any of the last-minute things that need to be done. But it really is important to relax the morning of your wedding. 

The rest of the day is going to be fast-paced and filled with a lot of emotions! Take advantage of this downtime!  

The Window Effect

A small detail that can make a BIG impact! This is something to be aware of even before your big day – when you are choosing your venue! 

Ask to see the bridal suite as you are given a tour of where you will be spending your wedding morning.

By having just a simple window in the wedding prep area, we can create beautiful portraits with soft light. 

Plus, it will make your getting ready space bright and cheery. Added bonus. Who doesn’t want that the morning of their wedding?!

The more natural light, the better your pictures will be. So, the more windows, the better! 

Every Little Detail

After getting yourself situated in the space, you will start unpacking everything, and…

The whole day begins with the DETAILS!  

Taking pictures of all the special small items you’ve chosen to include in your day is one of our favorite parts of the wedding day. It allows us to prepare and get our creative side warmed up for the rest of the day! 

We photograph your details in a way that matches and showcases the style of the entire wedding day. This way, they make perfect sense as the start of your album! They will remind you of each special moment and how your day began when you look back on these images.

So, in some ways, the details set the stage for the look of the whole wedding! We love having ample time to stylize and shoot everything from the dress to the jewelry to grandma’s handkerchief! These small items that make such a huge impact and mean so much to you.

The most common details that we shoot are: 

• Dress
• Veil
• Hairpieces
• Rings (all three!)
• Shoes
• Bouquet 
• Boutonniere 
• Jewelry
• Tie or Bow Tie
• Cufflinks
• Perfume
• Cologne
• Invitation suite (suite means all the stationery you sent along with your invite!)
• Something Borrowed
• Something Blue

We ask our couples to gather any of these items together before we arrive. This way, when we get there, we will say hello, give you a big hug, and then begin shooting all those goodies!  

Please assure your mom that we will take GREAT care of the dress, we promise!

We also promise that you will be thrilled to see all these special touches in your final images! 

Often, on the day, they can get lost in the shuffle. But having these pictures to remind you how important they were is priceless.

Options, Options, Options

After the hair is done, the make-up is on, and you are ready to go, there are a few other things to consider about the “getting ready” part of the day…

Do you want to share a “first look” with your dador any other person who plays a huge role in your life? 

Will you and your partner be exchanging gifts or reading letters from one another during this time? If so, who would you like to deliver them? 

Are there certain people in your life who would appreciate seeing you get dressed? Some people want very few people around for this moment. Others love having family and friends present! It’s totally up to you!  

A few more things to consider…

As you get ready to put your wedding attire on, refrain from putting any jewelry on. We love shooting all those final steps once you’re dressed!  

Speaking of your wedding attire, if your wedding gown is on a plastic hanger, try to make a note to bring a wooden hanger along for picture’s sake. Or you can opt for a fun one noting your new name!

Also, make sure to unpack your wedding gown before we arrive. It needs to be photographed hanging there in all its lovely glory. It’s getting ready for a big day too!

Final Thoughts

Putting some thought into all the small details present on your wedding day before it arrives is so worth it. 

Making some decisions about what you want getting ready for your wedding to look like will make for an enjoyable morning. 

It will also make for beautiful photos showcasing the special mementos and portraits with the people in your life that mean the most!

If you are looking for more wedding tips and tricks, check out our other blog posts here!