My top tips for the best bridal preparation photos on the morning of your wedding.

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If you want perfect bridal preparation photos on the morning of your wedding. You are going to want to read this.

Here are my 10 ultimate tips for achieving the best bridal preparation photos. The small details do matter when it comes to the morning of your wedding.


1) The location

Probably the most important of them all. Ensure you have a nice space to get ready in. Lots of light and no clutter is crucial.

Most venues will offer a suite for the bride to get ready. It doesn’t mean you have to use it. Please be aware that if you hire a room or choose a venue that is dark. Your photos will be dark. If you don’t like the suite offered by your venue. Hire somewhere else for the morning. I like to offer my opinion to my couples if they want it before they hire/book anything. So I can ensure the best possible photos for you on the morning of your wedding.

2. Natural light

Having a lot of natural light will make the world of a difference to your photographs. Your skin will look smoother and your make-up will show up perfectly. If your venue is dark, Your make-up artist may need to use a ring light. These can look incredible harsh for close up photos. It’s best to advise your make-up artist to set up in front of natural light if they don’t already do this. It’s likely your photographer will arrive mid-way through make-up, so to save me from moving you the midway. I always ask my couples to have this conversation ahead of the day with your chosen hair and makeup.

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3. Gifts/Letters

Give gifts and letters to each other. One of my favourite moments of a wedding morning is watching you open gifts from your loved ones. Watching you give the best morning gifts for your bridesmaids and for your friends and family and each other. From sentimental photos to Louboutins, jimmy choo and even a Rolex watch. I have seen it all and it never gets old. The emotion, the smiles and love that radiates during this intimate wedding moment is always a favourite of mine.

When you are planning to give beautiful wedding gifts, it’s important you speak with me before the day. I can then arrange for both partners to receive the gift or letter when I am there to document it. It can be an incredibly emotional moment, for all parties, including bridesmaid gifts so it’s also best done before make-up has been finalised to avoid any make-up touch-ups being too late.

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4) Details

Get your wedding details ready for when I arrive. perfumes, Jewellery, Your something borrowed, new and blue. I recommend all of you to keep your save the dates and your wedding invites and bring them with you on the morning of your wedding for detailed shots.

Ensure your ring has been cleaned and it’s glistening for me.
I send all of my couples a bridal pre checklist a week before the wedding which includes some of the following items!

Stationary
A Steamer
Perfume
Jewellery
Kirby grips
SOS kit, inclusive of heartburn and Imodium and paracetamol
Sewing kit
Scissors to remove the hanger tags from all dresses
Ring cleaned
Beautiful wedding hangers

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5) Outfits

Now, this is a big one. Having beautiful silk bridesmaid gowns and a white bridal robe or Pj’s can make all the difference.
There is such a range of beautiful wedding Pj’s out there. It doesn’t have to be a robe if you think you’ll be cold or feel uncomfortable. I have seen some incredible bridal party pyjamas that have fluff around the bottom of the sleeves and trousers too!

Now, some things that often get overlooked are ensuring that your hair and makeup artist will come dressed appropriately or all in black. Your hair and make up artists will be in a lot of your photos so it’s important that they come dressed appropriately. There is no point planning all of these beautifully toned and matching Pj’s if your make-up artist is going to turn up looking like a traffic light! Don’t be afraid to have this conversation ahead of your day.

6) Timings

This will ensure a stress-free morning and give you a breather before you say your ‘i do’s
I have worked hundreds of weddings and let me tell you, the difference between having time and not having time before you have to leave to either meet the registrar or even go to the venue can make a world of a difference to how you will feel.

Some top tips to avoid you feeling stressed on your wedding day:

Trials, trials, trials. Make sure you have hair and makeup trials and that you ask the hair and makeup how long they will each need. I recommend always adding an hour on top of this and working backwards. If your ceremony starts at 1 and you have no travel time between, then ensure you are getting into your dress at 12. This will allow for anything that could happen and it will ensure we can then get the best photos of you and the girls before. It allows for first looks and for PJ photos in addition to some beautiful moments just before you leave.

Things can go wrong. Ensure you have an SOS kit with Kirby grips and a sewing kit in addition to safety pins if the worst does happen. Scissors are super handy and if your dress has lots of buttons, allow extra time for this too.

Registrar. The registrars will often want to meet with you 15-30 minutes before the start of your ceremony. Time needs to be left for this too.

Lots of bridesmaids? Get enough hairdressers and makeup artists to ensure you are all covered!

The Venue
Some things are completely out of your control. Sometimes the venue may not allow you access into the bridal suite until later than you need. if this is the case, I recommend ensuring all of your bridesmaids have been started and your hair started before you gain access. We can then work on the touch-ups and ensure we get some beautiful dress and detail shots in the venue. No one wants photos with no make-up on anyway!

Photography Cover
Now if you are looking for the full experience of bridal prep being covered. I recommend I get there 2-2.5 hours before the ceremony. This ensures I can capture gifts, details, the dress and final stages of hair and make-up in addition to those all-important first looks from parents and bridesmaids once you are finally ready and everything you have dreamed of is finally here! I recommend all of my clients that want a full day and bridal prep experience to book my 10-hour coverage.

Hair and Make-up
Now, I have touched on having conversations with hair and make-up ahead of the day in regards to outfits but there has also been an increase in hairdressers and make-up artists wanting to take Reels and photos on their own phones for their social media marketing. Whilst I fully appreciate we all need to try and promote our businesses, this can take up additional time in your timeless and leave you late or flustered when you have already worked out your timeline. It can leave us without time to do professional photos. It’s super important you ask your hair and make-up ahead of time if this is something they want to do and if so, factor in an additional 15 minutes if you are happy to do so. If not, just politely let them know that you haven’t factored in the time but your professional photographs and video will be sent to them to use.

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7) Bridal Boudoir

If you’re looking for something extra special for your wedding, I highly recommend a Lingerie shoot. You work SO hard to look and feel fabulous on your wedding day. Why wouldn’t you embrace it? Get yourself some beautiful bridal lingerie and I will come up with some beautiful bridal preparation photos for you to share with your new husband or wife! Everything I do is incredibly tasteful and it’s been a real hit with many of my brides this year and I love it.



8) The Big Reveal

Many of you would have done such an incredible job keeping your dress a secret from your bridal party. Allowing time for a ‘reveal’ always makes the best photos. Emotional, fun and exciting. Again, if you ensure you are in your dress an hour before your start time, this will allow enough time. I will work together with you on timings and we will ensure there is good light and no clutter to really focus on the emotions.

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9) Playlist
Set your music playlist up before the day. Think of what vibe you want for the morning of your wedding. Do you want a chilled morning? do you want all of your best girls to be on top form and fun? Will drinks be flowing? Your playlist can make a huge difference to the feel of the morning.

10) Hang the dress and veil
Ensure both your dress and Veil are hung up in a way to avoid creases. Veils can crease very easily due to the nature of the length and the material so it’s important to get them both out of their bags and in a safe place. When I arrive, I will then hang it somewhere beautiful for a photo. But you just need to make sure it’s in a safe place, away from dirt and people if you want it to remain a surprise.

Bringing a steamer with you will also help combat the creases!

Finally- Have fun! Let the drinks flow and don’t overthink it.