Getting Ready

This is one of my favorite parts of the day when the anticipation is high and emotion is strong! I love spending time getting to know the Bridal Party and family members and hanging out before the day’s events kick off…

Tips

• Always try and look at the space you’ll be getting ready in before the wedding day if you can, so you know what to expect all around, for lighting purposes, space, and overall feel.

• While everyone is getting ready, try and designate a space in the room or location as the “clutter corner” where everyone’s overnight bags, water bottles, cliff bar trash, and slippers from the night before can go. This will clean up the background for your images and make for a cleaner space with less distractions.

• Girls and man-bun Men - remove your hair ties around your wrists early in the mornings so you don’t have that indent from the rubber band for pictures!

• Get some music going! You’ve gotta get the energy flowing. Whether it’s classical guitar, zen sounds of nature, or Biggie - get your groove going early onto set the tone for the day.

• Make sure to eat something protein-enriched at the start of your day so you’re physically sustained for several hours before dinner is served.

• Hair and Makeup just about always slows the timeline down, so make sure you plan for at least 10 extra minutes per person than the stylist tells you.

Girls

• If you want a group shot together in monogrammed shirts or robes, we’ll take that just before sending your Bridesmaids and family members to get dressed while the hair and makeup stylists do a few finishing touch-up’s on you. Then it’s time for you to get into your gown!

• Decide who you’d like to have help you get into your dress, and be sure they’re dressed and ready to go before you are scheduled to be. Make sure to have done a run-through of fastening and bustling the dress before the wedding day, as well as how to place the veil securely into your hair after you’ve stepped into your gown.

• After you’re dressed, jewelry will go on. If you’d like someone special to fasten your necklace and/or bracelet, let them know ahead of time. You’ll put in your own earrings. Then it’ll be time for shoes.

VEIL TIP - When having a First Look, some Brides like to wait to place their veil until just before the Ceremony. This way, they don’t have to worry about messing with it for Bridal Party and family group photos. It also adds a special element when her Groom sees her coming down the aisle. We won’t remove it until after “Mr. & Mrs.” portraits immediately following the ceremony because it’s fun to play with the veil as a creative element in the photos.

Guys

• Choose if you’d like someone to help you get ready. Let them know ahead of time so they’re ready to go before it’s time for you to get dressed.

• Spend time with your Groomsmen and learn how to tie whatever style of knot you want in your tie, fold whatever style you want for your pocket square, and make sure everyone is on the same page. It’ll help save so much time, Google searching, and frustration on the wedding day.

• Grooms, be fully dressed before you’re scheduled for “Getting Ready” photos except for your jacket, tie, cuff links, and boutonnieres. We’ll have you do all of this when we arrive to your room.

Time Allotment: 20 minutes of physically getting dressed and ready, but ideally I like to add an additional 15-30 minutes at least of candid documentary as the Bride and Bridesmaids get their hair and makeup done, and the Groom and Groomsmen share a drink and hang out. Those moments are often some of the most fun and sweetest memories from the day.