Insights · Wedding planning
Getting ready is one of the most tender parts of the wedding day. The house fills with the people you love, your mum is moved before the dress is even on, and every detail you chose over so many months is finally in the same room.
This guide covers how to plan a calm morning, what to have ready in advance, and what helps you end up with photos you will want to look at for years.
Contents (11)
- 1. Gather your details the night before
- 2. Choose a room with natural light
- 3. Hair and make-up without stress
- 4. What to wear until the dress
- 5. A few of your favourite people in the room
- 6. The dress: the moment everyone is waiting for
- 7. Mum, Dad and the first hugs
- 8. A portrait before you leave
- 9. Leave some time at the end
- How we photograph the bride getting ready
- Frequently asked questions
1. Gather your details the night before
Your shoes, rings, perfume, jewellery and invitation tell your own story. We photograph them at the start of the morning, while hair and make-up are under way. If everything is waiting for us in one box, you save time and stress, and nobody is hunting for the rings at the last minute.
- Wedding and engagement rings. In their box or on a small dish.
- Shoes and jewellery. Earrings, bracelet, necklace, whatever you will wear.
- Your perfume. The scent you will remember from that day.
- Invitation and small keepsakes. A letter, a gift, a piece of jewellery that belonged to your grandmother.
- The veil and the dress hanger. A beautiful hanger makes a big difference in the photo.
2. Choose a room with natural light
The most beautiful light for getting ready comes through a large window. If you can, get ready in the brightest room of the house, or in a hotel room that feels open and calm. It does not need to be big. It just needs a tidy corner by the window.
You will find more about the space and how to organise getting ready, for both bride and groom, in our 7 practical tips for getting-ready photos.
3. Hair and make-up without stress
Talk in advance with the professionals who will get you ready. Agree together on the order, how many people they will be doing and when they need to have finished. The final touches to your make-up are some of the loveliest moments to photograph, so you do not need to be “ready” when we arrive.
Leave a little time at the end. A glass of water, a deep breath and five minutes without rushing show on your face, and in your photos.
4. What to wear until the dress
A pretty robe or satin pyjamas are the most practical choice: they open at the front, they do not ruin your hair when you take them off, and they look lovely in photos. Avoid anything that goes over your head, because once your hair is done you will not be able to take it off.
5. A few of your favourite people in the room
Your friends, your sister, your mum. These are the people who calm you down and make you laugh. If the room fills with too many people, the calm goes and it is harder for the people getting you ready to move around. Other guests can wait for you in the living room or the garden.
6. The dress: the moment everyone is waiting for
Hang your dress somewhere with light, away from the kitchen and the busiest spots. A wooden hanger, or one with your name on it, looks far nicer in a photo than a plastic one.
Think in advance about who will help you put it on. If your dress has a corset, lacing or lots of small buttons, ask at your final fitting for them to show your mum or a friend how it closes. That way the moment stays tender, not stressful.
7. Mum, Dad and the first hugs
The moment your mum sees you ready, or your dad sees you in your dress, is one of the most emotional of the day. Give it a little space. Nothing needs to be staged. It is enough that nobody is rushing off to the church.
8. A portrait before you leave
Just before you set off for the church, with your veil, your bouquet and everything in place, is the most beautiful moment for a few portraits. A few minutes are enough, in a courtyard, a garden or the light from the front door.
9. Leave some time at the end
Getting ready almost always takes a little longer than planned. A button that will not close, a guest who arrived early, a hug that went on a little longer. If your schedule has a small margin before you leave, the day begins with a smile, not a rush.
The most beautiful getting-ready photos do not come from a perfect room. They come when the bride feels calm, surrounded by the people she loves.
How we photograph the bride getting ready
We always cover every wedding with a double team: four professionals, not two with assistants. That way one photographer and videographer team is with the bride and another with the groom at the same time, and no moment from either house is missed.
We do not stage the morning. We photograph the details, the final touches, the dress and the hugs as they happen, and we only ask for a few minutes for your portraits at the end. We discuss the getting-ready schedule with you in advance, so you know what will happen and have nothing to worry about.
And if you would like to send the bride a wish on the morning of the wedding, see our wedding wishes.
Frequently asked questions
When does the photographer arrive for the bride getting ready?
Well before you leave for the church, so we have time for the details, the final make-up touches, the dress and the hugs with your family, without rushing. We agree on the exact time with you, based on your day's schedule.
Do I need to be ready when the photographer arrives?
No, and it is better if you are not. The final touches to hair and make-up, and putting on the dress, are some of the most beautiful moments of getting ready.
What should I have ready for the detail photos?
Rings, shoes, jewellery, perfume, invitation, veil and a pretty hanger for the dress. Gather them in a box the night before.
Can my friends be in the photos?
Of course. Your friends, sisters and mum are part of the story of your morning. Just keep your closest people in the room, so there is space and calm.
What if my home is small or dark?
That is fine. A tidy corner next to a window is enough. If you like, we can look at it together in advance and suggest the best spot.
Getting ready for your own day?
Send us your date, church and venue. We will tell you right away if we are available and arrange to meet.
Photographs: Dimitris Stergiou and the studio team