Bridal Elegance Unveiled: Behind the Scenes of Wedding Mornings

Bridal preparation is a poignant and intimate phase of a wedding day, unveiling a tapestry of emotions as the bride readies herself for the significant journey ahead! The air is charged with anticipation and I adore documenting these moments — the delicate lacing of the gown, the gentle touch of makeup brushes, and the exchange of heartfelt glances with bridesmaids. The room becomes a canvas of emotions, blending nervous excitement with joyous camaraderie! It’s one of my favourite parts of the day to capture!

Heres a few tips on how to get the best photos, and have the best morning ever!

1. Choose the perfect getting ready room

You’ll be spending a lot of time in your prep room, so you want to be comfy. It’ll also be the setting (and the photography backdrop) for countless precious moments with your friends and family. So if you do have a choice, choose carefully.

Ideally, you’re looking for somewhere with:

• Lots of natural light (i.e. as many big windows as possible!) – this is the most important thing to consider!
• Loads of space for you and your wedding party to sprawl out and get comfy
• A big cupboard/spare room next door to dump all your clothes/rubbish/clutter

If you don’t love the designated prep room at your venue (or if they don’t have one), maybe consider hiring an Airbnb.

You can find one that suits the styling/vibe of your day, so when you look through your wedding album, the story visually ‘flows’. And you can all stay there the night before as well, so you get to have a nice chilled evening with your people, and then start the day together the next day.

2. Give yourself plenty of time

This is going to be one of the best mornings of your life, so don’t rush it. You should be relaxed and happy, sipping on your favourite drink, and just enjoying the experience of it all. Start your day an hour earlier and give yourself time to savour it.

And if you’re ready earlier than you need to be, great! Take a seat and pour yourself another glass.

3. Main characters getting ready first

Plan your timeline with your makeup artist and hairstylist to ensure we have enough time for stunning pre-ceremony shots without feeling rushed.

I usually head off to the ceremony location 30 minutes – 1 hour (depending on whether I need to travel to a different venue) before the ceremony start time. It’s important to ensure you’re in your dress before I leave with plenty of time to spare so that we can get some beautiful bridal portraits!

4. Set aside some time for loved ones

There are some wedding morning moments you’ll never forget.

A few minutes of calm with your wedding party, soaking it all in, chatting away and getting excited before you leave. Maybe you wanted to have a first look with a parent? Or take some time by yourself to read a letter from your partner?

These moments really will be some of the best parts of the day. So have a think if there’s anything particular you’d like to do, and make sure you leave yourself enough time to enjoy it.

5. Coordinate details

Lay out your wedding dress, accessories, and any sentimental items you’d like included in photos so that they’re easy for me to find and capture! This helps me capture the intricate details that make your day unique. Things to include would be jewellery, rings, wedding stationery (so I can make a flatlay!), perfume, shoes, flowers – any little treasures you’d like to include!

6. Get the party started!

There’s nothing worse than getting ready in silence! So bring a bluetooth speaker, put on some tunes and crank it up! I promise it’ll take your whole morning up a notch.

Make a wedding playlist full of songs you know your friends will love, or songs that remind you of your partner (or maybe just wall-to-wall bangers?!) Wedding playlists are always a good idea!

This blog post features a few example photographs of what can be captured during bridal prep!