YOUR WEDDING MORNING

Getting ready is often the most exciting, but also nerve-wracking parts of your day (shortly followed by walking down the aisle!). With this in mind, there are lots of things you can do to make it the best experience for you as possible, whilst creating gorgeous photos along the way. My role as a photographer isn’t just to take photos, it’s to offer advice before the day and keep you calm ON the day – so I try to make it as easy and fun as possible for every bride that comes my way!

CHOOSE YOUR BRIDAL PARTY WISELY

Surround yourself with people who will be supportive, fun and keep you calm! Particularly as the end of bridal prep approaches, you may start to feel a little stressed – TOTALLY NORMAL! Having people who can make you laugh and keep you cool are the best and something to think about when choosing your bride tribe before the day. It’s absolutely fine to also give everyone a role on the morning, whether it’s drying of your bouquet stems, storing your lippy for the rest of the day or keeping an eye on your veil. Everyone can play their part and having a reliable group of girls is key.

SCOUT AN AWESOME LOCATION! (AND ADD LITTLE TOUCHES!)

Choose a nice location with lots of natural light!! If you are hoping for beautiful bridal prep photos, try not to choose a small hotel room with limited light or space for you to spread out when getting ready. Maybe your home has a bright conservatory, or your wedding venue has a dedicated bridal suite with photography in mind. You can definitely consider a local Air BNB too, with gorgeous options including apartments for you to stay in the night before!

Little touches can also make all the difference to both your bridal parties day, your venue and your photos too. Matching robes, slippers or T-shirt’s are awesome and a little keepsake for everyone from the day. Bridal gift boxes are also a great idea, including one for your groom to open himself. (Suzanne got married in her beautiful conservatory before we headed off to her Northamptonshire venues. The big windows allowed lots of light in from every angle, plus plants everywhere made the photos super pretty!)

FIND THE PERFECT MUA / HAIR STYLIST

Don’t forget to invest in a totally awesome MUA and Hair Stylist. Although many brides choose to do it themselves (I actually did for my wedding day!) if you have any doubts, book a professional. They will know what products last ALL day and how to keep your hair perfectly in place. Almost all of those you enquire with should also offer a trial run for you and your entire bridal party if you so wish. You can try a few different looks to get it exactly how you want so you know what’s coming on the day. This ensures there are no nasty surprises and if you are unhappy, you have time to make it right. Feel free to ask for a recommendation of who I’ve loved in the past.

BRIDAL PREP TIMINGS

Think about timings when you are planning your getting ready schedule and how this can impact your photography. Before you even arrive at your ceremony, you can get your bridal party photos sorted. Once you are all ready, a few group shots outside mean one less photo later on in the day, so you can enjoy your time with your guests that little bit longer. I LOVE doing a little bridal party session pre-ceremony as there is so much laughter and excitement. Having a giggle with your friends/family helps you relax a little and makes it feel that little bit more real.

(Alex had her sisters, family and friend bridesmaids getting ready with her in the beautiful Hen House at Lemore Manor. We had an hour or so from finishing getting ready before walking across to the ceremony. This was AWESOME as we did a quick photo session. They are some of my favourite photos of the day for sure!)

If you’re stuck on a venue or want some help with timings, just ask and I’d be happy to help. If you are yet to book your wedding photographer and think I may be the right one for you, get in touch! I’d love to find out about you, chat about your plans and once booked, start discussing your group photos too!