My top tips for really getting the most out of your wedding morning photos and video.

Imagine you’ve booked your wedding photographer – you opted for the full-day package, and you are so excited! But hang on, that means they will be with you in the morning, right? Getting all the behind-the-scenes of you and your squad getting ready? But how do you ensure the photos look like all your Pinterest inspo?

You want your gallery to showcase beautiful memories and stunning portraits but are concerned about how they will look. Well, here are my top tips to ensure you get the best from your morning!

1. Think about the location for getting ready

If the getting ready photos are really important to you, you might want to consider hiring a designated area for you and your nearest and dearest to get ready. Somewhere spacious, with lots of natural light and preferably a kettle and fridge at minimum.

2. The amount of people in the room

If you have hired help (hair and makeup artists etc!) with you on your morning, think about where they will be setting up. Know that their equipment, and them, will likely be in some photos. And how many bridesmaids/people/men will you have? Will you have parents getting ready with you, children? More bodies will mean more ‘stuff’ lying around, more half-empty prosecco glasses and cold coffee cups will probably be in the photos. We do our best to pull things out of the frame if we can, but when moments are unfolding before our eyes, it’s unrealistic for us to be able to tidy every scene before we snap away.

3. Do you want your details captured?

I get it, photos of your dress/suit/rings/invitations aren’t for everyone. But if it is, we would love to capture these for you in our own artistic ways! So I recommend gathering these bits prior to your photographer/videographer arriving and leaving them in a set location or with someone you trust so we can get what we need without having to disturb you too much. I'm talking: rings in boxes, shoes in a pair, veil, earrings, crowns, invitations and paper goods in a plastic wallet/slippery fish… All together in a corner for easy access!

4. Make sure your dress/suit is ready! And make sure you know how to get into all of your garments…

If it’s got a big train, get it out to sit. If your veil is room length, ensure it has been steamed. If the guys all have brand-new in-packet shirts for the big day, make sure they fit! And have been taken out of the packet and ironed. In my career, I have last-minute steamed too many veils, dresses, and shirts (when I should be making sure I don’t miss moments!). To add to this, it’s good for those wearing ties/bow ties to first decide on the knot they want and practice how to do said knot. I have a ‘how to do a double Windsor knot’ favourited on YouTube for this very reason. Oh, and pocket squares… I am now a pro at these!

Have you ever watched a time-pressured, 3-processo-deep bridesmaid with acrylics, and the mother-of-the-bride-or-groom stood over their shoulder back seat driving whilst they attempt to do up 20 delicate ivory buttons?

No?

Well you can imagine it now can’t you? Pick your dress-doer-upper wisely. Consider your buttons. Will you step into, or go over the head? Is your hairstyle too elaborate for over the head? Are you wearing fake tan? [is it definitely dry?] Does anyone have freshly painted nails? [note: nail polish does not dry very well in plus 30 degree heat, even if applied the night before... I have only had one nail-polish-on-wedding-dress-disaster so far.

Crochet hooks at the ready! Maybe have a practice run with one of your squad the week before to see if you all know the procedure.

And by the way, doing up a dress with acrylic nails is almost as hard as flushing the toilet with acrylics with one of those button flushes. (if you know, you know)

5. Breakfast & Food

Firstly, please make sure you eat and drink enough the morning of. You might not feel too hungry but trust me. As someone who has been through the process, the blood is pumping through your ears as you stand there saying your vows. You will need to ensure you have enough blood sugar to stop you from feeling faint (or your stomach rumbling!) Luckily, I’ve only had one person actually pass out during the ceremony. Tip #2 – stay hydrated! Eating, and drinking is definitely not cheating.

6. Logistics

This is where many of us fall short. For most of us, getting ready the morning of your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event. How do you know how long it will realistically take for 7 of your bride-squad to shave their legs, last minute tan, finish nail touch-ups, get their hair and makeup perfect and get their dresses on and drink at least 3 glasses of prosecco and help you into your dress and make sure the flowers are here and make sure mum is keeping it together and…

...Quite a while.

So really think about the timings for the morning and who needs to be where and at what point. There is nothing more gutting than seeing a wedding party rush around and end up late to the ceremony. If having pictures in dressing gowns before you don your wedding gear, and in your dresses with florals before you leave for the ceremony is of utmost importance to you, really talk through this with your hair and makeup artists, and your photographer and videographer.

Luckily, talking through expectations with all vendors will help your wedding morning run smoothly and on time!

7. Leaving for the ceremony

Building on the previous point, think about what time you will need to leave for the ceremony. Aim to be in your wedding outfit at least half an hour before you need to leave. Scheduling putting on your outfit an hour before leaving would be even better (see point #4). This will build in half an hour of buffer time and hopefully leave enough time for photos with parents, bride squad, and portraits if that is what is important to you.

So that's it! As a round up, make sure your fake tan is non-transferable, keep a tidy room, keep timings organised, make sure you are fed and watered, be aware of your surroundings and light and above all... have a freaking awesome time!

Want to talk through how to plan your morning to get the most from your images and video? pop me a message, or a DM on Facebook or Instagram!