4 Tips for making sure your Wedding Day Getting Ready Photos are beautiful!

As a wedding photographer who focuses on capturing the “in between” moments, I love the intimate shots of the bride preparing for her special day. Believe it or not, those swoon-worthy images are not by chance – there are things you can do to help create beautiful getting ready photos on your wedding day.
KEEP YOUR GETTING READY SPACE CLEAN – Every wedding day is going to have a little chaos (there will be shoe boxes, tote bags, snack wrappers…), I completely understand and respect that; but by keeping the clutter in one corner of the room and throwing away trash as you go, you can help make sure your photos are beautiful and free of distractions (and prevent cleaning up from eating away precious minutes from your photography timeline).
CHOOSE A SPACE THAT HAS NATURAL LIGHTING AND NEUTRAL COLORS – Having a window that lets beautiful natural light into your getting ready space is so important! Not only is it important for your photographer, but it will also be helpful to your makeup artist. I prefer to use natural light as much as possible throughout the entire wedding day, so the first thing I’ll do when I get to your getting ready location is turn off all the lights. It might sound counter-intuitive to make your space darker, but indoor lighting is usually a lot more orange/yellow than daylight and it can create some pretty unflattering skin tones. Colored walls can have the same affect – everything in the room, including your skin, will be tinted by the color of the walls. White and grey walls are the best! If it’s not possible to get ready in a room with natural light, consider using an outdoor area to put on the finishing touches.
BRING ALL YOUR DETAILS – Before your wedding day, make a list of all of the details you want documented and entrust someone who will be with you while you’re getting ready to be in charge of gathering all of those items before your photographer arrives. When I first arrive to your getting ready space, I start by capturing all of your bridal details (the dress, shoes, flowers, jewelry, invitation, program, perfume, rings…). I will spend about 15 minutes shooting the details, which is the perfect time for your bridesmaids to slip into their dresses so that they’re ready to help you into yours!
HAVE EVERYONE WHO IS HELPING YOU INTO YOUR DRESS GET READY FIRST – This is an often overlooked tip! It will make such a difference to your photos if everyone around you is already dressed and looking beautiful rather than wearing mismatched distracting comfy clothes. Trust me, you and all of your ladies will love your getting ready photos so much more if everyone is looking their best!