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WEDDING MORNING GETTING READY GUIDE

Ahhh the morning of your wedding is almost here!!! Just writing that fills me with excitement. The preparation to get you down the aisle is a magical time with your favorite people that sets the tone for your perfect day! It can also be stressful and hectic if you aren’t fully prepared. After shooting close to 100 weddings, I’ve gained plenty of experience and insight into what typically works best on wedding mornings and what normally doesn’t. In this wedding-prep guide, I’ll share everything from getting-ready location ideas and tips to a morning-of checklist and more!

Wedding Morning Getting-Ready Guide

  1. Choosing the Right Getting-Ready Location

  2. Creating the Perfect Wedding Morning Timeline

  3. What to Wear on Your Wedding Morning

  4. What to Bring with You to Wedding Prep (Checklist!)

  5. Wedding Prep Photo Ideas and Inspiration

  6. Wedding Prep Dos and Don’ts

Choosing the Right Getting-Ready Location

Your wedding-prep space is more important than you think - especially if you want those classic getting-ready photos! With the anticipation of the day looming, it’s vital to choose a place that brings you calming energy and helps you relax. You’ve got a big day ahead and now is the time to soak it all in. In the years that I’ve experienced, these are the TOP PICKS.

  1. On-Site Suite

    PROS - If you’re lucky enough to have a venue with a bridal/groom/nearly-wed suite, utilize it! No extra transportation means less stress and more time for prep. It also means your dresses won’t wrinkle on the ride to the venue and there’s a much less likely chance of anything being left behind. If both wedding parties are getting ready at the venue, your photographer and videographer can seamlessly move between the two groups and capture all the wedding prep moments with ease.

CONS - One downside to using an on-site getting-ready space is the lack of control you have over how it looks. We’ve seen Sunday School classrooms as prep-spaces for Church Weddings and they aren’t the most aesthetically pleasing. But we’ve seem some wedding planners make some magic happen! Another thing to keep in mind is the added cost associated with renting out a getting-ready space - even if they are on-site, they aren’t always included in the venue quote. Make sure you ask what time you’ll be aloud on the venue premesis. If it’s later than you need to start getting ready, you may need to arrange another location for hair and make-up and move to the suite for the final touches.

2. Hotel Room

PROS - Hotel rooms are typically white and bright, which is a great look for getting-ready photos. If it’s the same hotel your guests are staying at, it’s nice to be able to call your favorite aunt or grandma over for some pre-wedding champagne! (Just be careful to sneak out to avoid being seen as you leave!)

CONS - Hotel rooms can be a little small and crowded, and again you have little control over the aesthetic. You’ll have to organize transportation for yourself and your wedding party, leaving space for things to be forgotten.

3. Private Residence or Airbnb

PROS - Using a private residence like your house or your parent’s house is a unique way to add a personal element to your getting-ready photos. Imagine putting on your wedding dress in your childhood room where you dreamed of this day! Not only is it a comfortable choice, it’ll be bigger than a hotel or suite and will already be decorated to suit your tastes! You can also arrange a sleep-over with your wedding party the night before! The best part? It’s FREE! :)

CONS - You’ll have to worry about cleaning the space before and after as well as transportation to your wedding venue.

4. Salon

PROS - If your hair and make-up artists work out of a salon, you’ll likely save yourself any travel fees the first 3 options may bring. It can also be a great opportunity to pamper yourself and your wedding party. If prepping at the salon means more stylists are available to you, that can drastically cut down on your getting ready time.

CONS - Salons don’t typically have spaces to actually get dressed. This means you’ll likely have to plan a second location for your getting-ready photos. If your photographer is doing a lot of traveling between your prep spaces, that cuts into your coverage time!

I’ve captured beautiful getting-ready photos at all of these locations so there’s no wrong choice! Ultimately, it comes down to your options and priorities. While it can be nice not to have to travel once you’re in your wedding gown or tux, it can also be a fun adventure to hop on a party bus with your besties and head to your wedding!

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Creating the Perfect Wedding Morning Timeline

The perfect wedding timeline starts with a great getting-ready timeline. This is the most common part of the day couples fall behind schedule - and we don’t want that! My advice is to always, always add in ‘buffer time’. If your photographer wants to start photos at 1:00pm, aim to be ready by 12:00pm. If you’re on time, now you have an extra hour to relax and be silly with your besties.

My approach to creating the best wedding morning timeline is to work backward from your ceremony. Ask yourself these questions.

  1. What all needs to be included in my morning-of timeline?

    Of course, you’ll need time for hair and make-up but what else do you envision doing on your wedding morning? How about breakfast with your wedding party? A special moment with your parents? A time to pass out gifts for your closest pals? Any first looks? Once you’ve dreamed up the perfect day, make a list of everything you want and need to do!

2. What time should I be fully ready?

The next important thing to figure out is what time you need to be fully ready to go. Typically, you’ll be taking photos around this time, so it’s best to coordinate with your photographer. With their guidance, decide if you and your partner want to do a ‘first look’. If you do, you’ll need to be ready earlier to allow time for all your wedding party and couple’s photos. If you don’t, I still recommend using this time for photos of each party individually - cutting down on the time you’ll need for pictures during cocktail hour.

I like to work backward from your ceremony. Guests will start to arrive 45 minutes beforehand, so make sure all the photos are done and you’re tucked away by then. A good rule of thumb is to allocate 10 minutes for each “first look”, 30 minutes to each wedding party side, another 15 minutes for the full wedding party, and at least 30 minutes for the creative couple’s photos. (Remember - the more time you schedule, the more photos you’ll receive!) If you want pictures at multiple locations, keep in mind transportation costs and always double travel time (someone always has to use the restroom!)

3. How long does wedding day hair and make-up take?

Now that you know when to be ready (and you’ve added an additional hour of ‘buffer time’), it’s time to schedule your hair and make-up team. Reach out to your vendors and see how much time they’ll need to get everyone in glam. A good rule of thumb is one hour each for bridal hair and make-up, and about 30-45 minutes each for hair and make-up on everyone else. This time can vary by make-up artists and team size, so make sure you coordinate this with your specific vendor!

4. What time should I start getting ready?

Now that you know how long each part will take, you can piece everything together to find your start time! Arrive early and ready to go so you stay on schedule!

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 WHAT TO WEAR ON THE MORNING OF YOUR WEDDING

Ahh, the age-old question - BUT WHAT DO I WEAR?!? Thankfully, the answer is simple - something comfortable and cute that will make you feel like a queen! Comfort is paramount because you’ll likely be wearing it for at least 3-5 hours.

A quick scroll through Pinterest will show you images of wedding parties sporting matching robes, pajamas, and/or slippers and I am all for this. Not only do the photos turn out adorable, but it also makes you look and feel unified! These items also make for perfect gifts! If you’re personalizing the look, I recommend adding the names of your wedding party members instead of getting the typical “bridesmaid” print - your besties will be more likely to reuse them this way. Here are a few options I’ve found over the web!

If you don’t want to incur the extra cost of matching robes or PJ’s, just coordinate a look with comfy staples that everyone already has. You can wear a white sweatsuit and have your party wear all black! That way you still look and feel like a cohesive unit. Don’t forget comfy footware!


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 Your Wedding-Morning Checklist - Everything You Need to Slay the Day

When you wake up on your wedding day, you’ll be feeling all sorts of emotions. Make sure you have everything packed and ready to go beforehand to keep the nerves to a minimum! Here’s a checklist of commonly forgotten items to make sure you have with you!

  1. Toiletry Items - Things like deodorant, razors, and toothpaste are commonly forgotten. I don’t think I need to elaborate on why they are so important!

2. Details Itema