Three Tips for Ensuring a Stress-Free Getting Ready Time

Imagine: it’s the day of your wedding. First on the docket: getting ready. It’s the calm before the storm, but the storm waiting is love at its purest, with lots of laughter and happy tears, and all your favorite people grooving on the dance floor to the best songs ever. So this calm is surrounded by your loved ones, toasting the day with memories, and everyone soaking in the joy that is celebrating you and your love. I’ve photographed hundreds of weddings, and the getting ready time is always so joyous, but it can often get a little hectic with all the anticipation and moving parts of the day.

As your wedding photographer, during the getting ready time, I don’t just want to capture you looking your best; I also want you to feel your best. If you’re envisioning yourself relaxed and enjoying each moment—or, more importantly, if you haven’t yet imagined this—these are  my top three tips for making the getting ready time memorable and stress-free.

Three Tips for Ensuring a Stress-Free Getting Ready Time

Tip 1: Book Enough Space

Part of having a stress-free getting ready time is having the right amount of space. You’re not just accommodating your loved ones getting ready with you and all of their outfits, but you also need space for hair, makeup, and photographers to do their thing. From a photography perspective, having enough space means staying out of your way as I capture the personal, sweet moments you have with your loved ones as well as the aesthetics and details in getting ready. 

Remember you are not the only one getting ready — so is your partner with their loved ones! This is why I recommend booking multiple rooms when using a hotel, resort, or inn. People are going to bring all their things with them and that can create a lot of clutter, so it’s important to have a space (extra room or adjoining room for example) where people can keep things out of the way. This gives everyone the space to relax and keeps your photos focused on the moments unfolding and not all your stuff. When using a more personal space like a house or estate, make sure that the space is clutter free. This way things aren’t in the way of everyone getting ready and your space is optimized to be together. One room just isn’t enough space for anything more than 3-4 people at a time.

Tip 2: Scheduling Hair and Makeup

Hair and makeup professionals are so important to looking and feeling your best. I work closely with them and wedding planners for the getting ready time of your day because there are many logistics that go into it, including everyone in your wedding party getting ready as well. My biggest tip for hair and makeup is to have your hair and makeup completely finished at least 30 minutes before getting dressed. 

Having your hair and makeup done earlier lets you relax and not rush to your first look or pre-ceremony. I’ll be capturing these final moments as you take in how it feels to set off on your special day. It also allows time for last-minute details, touch ups, or unexpected delays — because let’s face it, we have to expect the unexpected sometimes without it adding to feeling stressed or pressured. 

It’s essential that the people helping you get dressed be finished with hair and make up at the same time as you. Parents and siblings should never go last because that can delay the timeline of the entire day. Sometimes this means hiring additional hair and make-up artists to ensure that everyone can be finished on time.

Tip 3: Make Sure the Space Has Enough Light

This is purely a photographer’s tip but it has a huge impact on your images. Too often people are in a hotel room facing tall trees and walls, or without windows, leaving minimal light as you and your loved ones get ready. It’s 2024 — we’re finding our best light, and it’s not from lamps or overhead lighting! So when looking for a getting ready space, seek rooms with natural light. 

Natural light refers to anything that comes from the sun or sky, so rooms with lots of windows or windows that see capture light throughout the day. Natural light captures your skin tone without harsh shadows or highlights. With optimal natural lighting, less time is needed to pose people in the light or makeshift better lighting as you get ready, ensuring more time for getting ready. This way, whatever laughter, happy tears, and new memories are created while getting ready are documented with authenticity. 

Final Thoughts on Getting Ready Time

I love working with the entire wedding team to make the day go smoothly and for you to enjoy every moment. If you are still seeking a photographer to go that extra step to make sure your day is stress-free, I’d love to work with you!