5 top tips for bridal prep!

Get the best photos in the morning of your wedding!!

I’m sure you’ve all been a bridesmaid at one point or another and you can remember the chaos of getting ready in the morning. Imagine 8 girls all crammed into a room rotating between hair, make up, snacks and drinks. Not forgetting falling over luggage and shoe boxes. As a photographer, I spend most of my time just moving things to get a good spot for the dress or help with cutting of tags and peeling stickers. Here are my top tips so you can have a relaxing morning and get the best out of your photos.

  1. Planning and timekeeping

This is definitely mandatory if you have a few bridesmaids. Make a time schedule, how long will it take for each make up and hair? Who is going first/last? Leave extra time (30 mins or so) so you can get photos with your parents and bridesmaids before you head to the ceremony.

Key photos are the dress, flowers, jewellery etc. so have those all in an area where the photographer can lay them out to photograph them when they arrive. This saves time of people searching for things. Also remember to cut tags off dresses/jewellery and peel stickers off shoes!!

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2. Declutter

It’s so hard to keep a room tidy with so many people in it! But just a quick tidy in the morning of the wedding can help out loads! Get rid of all the plastic, shoe boxes and pop clothes away in the wardrobe. This just helps to keep things running smoothly and photos to look cleaner. The last thing you want in the back of your beautiful wedding photos is jeans or trainers lying on the floor!

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3. Relax and enjoy!!!

Too many times I have turned up to the room and brides have been stressed with little issues or problems. Firstly if the problem is not in the room, then someone else will deal with it. Secondly, if it is in the room, you have bridesmaids to help you out! People do forget that a bridesmaid is someone who helps you as you get ready for your wedding so utilise that! You have spent years planning this day and you should enjoy, smile and have fun! This will really show in the photos.

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4. Let there be light

Always the thing photographers struggle with most is the natural light coming into the room. If your getting ready at your home or airbnb chose to get ready in a room with the most natural light! Open those curtains! Don’t hang your dress over the window, your photographer may photograph it there but will find a better spot to keep it for later. Your make up artist will also thank you for this!

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5. Bridal Portraits

Relating back to the time keeping, once the bride has got her dress on, shoes on, hair/make up done, I like to just take a moment to capture a couple of photos, just before she heads to the ceremony. 50% of the time, we are so rushed that we don’t get any time to do it BUT just think - how amazing this moment is? A chance to stand still with your Dad, your parents, your bridesmaids and capture a bit of fun before you become a wife. All of the tips above can help you achieve this final moment of bridal prep.

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I hope these tips give you an insight as to how calm your bridal prep can be! I would love to hear from you if you have any other top tips to help keep things running smoothly in the morning. Overall I want you to have a fantastic day and taking away the stress of getting ready is the first point of call!

Jacqui Hughes