When your makeup artist is putting on the finishing touches of your makeup and you see your vendors start arriving, you may get a little knot inside your stomach knowing that it is all starting to get very real. This is the part where bridesmaids scramble, people start asking you a ton of questions and now you have the photo and video team ready to start their day of coverage for you. Does this sound a bit overwhelming? If you said yes then you are not alone. There are a few steps you can take to ensure that the start of your wedding day gets off to a stress-free start. Read below to find out the top 5 tips for getting ready wedding day photos.

1. Keep the space clean.
2. Have your details ready for your photographer.
3. Educate your bridesmaids ahead of time.
4. Choose a large, bright space.
5. Give yourself extra time.

KEEP THE SPACE CLEAN

We all know the bridal suite can be a hot mess on the wedding day. One of the conversations with my brides I like to have on our last details chat before the wedding is setting them up for success by explaining how important it is to have the space you are getting ready in clean and picture-worthy. By dedicating a few bridesmaids to clean up before the photographer arrives saves so much time and stress right from the start. You will have more opportunities for beautiful photos and your photographer won’t look like the bad guy asking everyone to clean up the room as soon as they arrive.

CHOOSE A LARGE BRIGHT SPACE

This could be the biggest tip I could give any bride on her wedding day when it comes to incredible getting ready photos. Choosing a venue that has a big, bright space with LOTS of natural light pouring in is such a big deal. You will want to avoid dark, dreary spaces with dark furniture and bold colored carpets. The skin tones and overall aesthetic of your images will stay consistent with that light and airy tone you love so much. As for the size of the space, you will want to have enough room for everyone to fit in for the photos of you getting into your gown and those adorable dress fluffing images. *TIP*- If you fell in LOVE with your venue and it does not have a beautiful getting ready space, you can do many of these same photos outside. You will have much more of a consistent wedding gallery and album that flows beautifully together.

HAVE YOUR DETAILS READY FOR YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER

All those pretty little wedding day details that you bring with you on your wedding day can be put in a box in a designated area ready and waiting for your photographer when they arrive. This helps us stay efficient when we arrive knowing that all of your personal items that we will be photographing are tucked away in a special spot for us with our name on it. Items that you would put in there would be, both rings, invitation suite, shoes, any family heirlooms.

EDUCATE YOUR BRIDESMAIDS AHEAD OF TIME

Your bridesmaids will pretty much do whatever you ask them to on your wedding day. These are the ones that are by your side through the years and that’s why you have so graciously asked them to be there to celebrate this day with you! Having a conversation with them all ahead of time can be so beneficial. Setting a few expectations for the day will ensure everyone is working as a team. Let them know the importance of staying on schedule, keeping the space tidy, and getting things you may need and assisting with small tasks such as steaming your veil while in hair and makeup.

GIVE YOURSELF EXTRA TIME

If there is anything that makes a bride feel stressed on her wedding day it’s not having enough time for all the things that you want to accomplish. As much as we hope for everything to go as planned there are ALWAYS hiccups that put us behind. Take my sister Aimee for example, the most list-oriented, check it twice kinda girl you will ever know. Well, guess what? She forgot her veil at our AIRBNB and we were already halfway to the venue. Luckily we were able to make a phone call and get it to the venue as quickly as possible but you never know what may come up. As a rule of thumb, I like to tell my brides to have everyone out of hair and makeup by the time I arrive. This gives us a little bit extra time just in case them makeup artist gets behind or there are a few instances before I arrive that can be quickly taken care of. I will be spending the first 45 minutes when I arrive for details and that can be a great place to catch up on time if needed.

If you love getting tips like these you may also love more educational resources on our blog. Check out some of the other helpful posts below.

BRIDAL DETAILS CHECKLIST

10 THINGS YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR MAKEUP ARTIST

7 TIPS FOR THE NELWEY ENGAGED

I would love to help you out in all things wedding planning! If you are getting married and still need to find your wedding photographer then click HERE to connect.