Picture-Perfect Bridal Prep: Creating the Ideal Backdrop for the morning of your wedding
As your wedding day approaches, one of the key moments to plan for is where and how you and your bridal party will get ready. Thoughtful preparation of these spaces can make a significant difference in the quality of your photos, video and overall experience of your day. Here are a few tips from a wedding photographer to ensure everything goes smoothly:
Decluttering the Space
A clean, clutter-free environment is crucial for beautiful getting-ready photos. If you’ve spent a night or two before the wedding enjoying a few libations and making memories together in the space you plan to get ready, take a few moments to tidy up where you and your bridal party will be preparing. Put away any unnecessary items and keep only the essentials visible. If you’re getting ready in a house that isn’t your own, consider any items that may not be personal to you and ask if they can be removed for the day. This will create a serene and elegant backdrop for your photos, allowing you to be present for the emotions and moments of the morning rather than distractions.
Room to Work and Natural Lighting
Choosing a spacious room with plenty of natural light is ideal. Natural light provides a soft, flattering glow that enhances your features and the overall ambiance of the photos. If possible, select a location with a large window and avoid cramped or dimly lit spaces such as basements. This will help to ensure that we have enough room to move around and capture different angles of each moment as they happen authentically.
Turning Off Artificial or Mixed Lighting
Artificial lighting can create unwanted color casts on your skin and unflattering shadows in your photos. To ensure the best lighting conditions, we will often turn off any artificial lights and rely on natural light as much as possible. It’s not uncommon for a helpful friend or family member to turn on all of the lights in a room, only for us to ask if they can be turned off again :)
Here are a few photos from the two getting ready suits at the Pine and Pond wedding venue. Ditch The Gum
This might seem like a small detail, but it's important! Gum can be distracting in photos and especially prevalent in video clips and it can really affect your expressions. Once it’s time to get dressed, we suggest everyone ditch the gum so that your smiles will be natural and beautiful.
Having Your Details Ready
Gather all the important details you want to include in your photos and video in advance. This includes your suit/dress, shoes, jewelry, bouquet, invitations, watch, bracelet, belt, perfume/cologne, socks, cigars, wedding party gifts and any other special items that have meaning to you. Having these ready will help ensure that nothing is missed once things get busy and also help to save time.
Plan to get dressed after we arrive:
This is mostly a special note for the men, as it can be tempting to get fully dressed before we arrive, but it’s best if you leave your suit hanging until we get there. That way we can get a few shots of it and your details and then start the process of getting you ready too! If you’re already dressed once we arrive, not to worry - we can still make it work, though if we have time Mark may ask you to get partly undressed again :)
Plan Fun, Personal Activities
Incorporate activities that reflect your personality and relationship with your bridal party. Whether it's a champagne toast, heartfelt words to your closest family and friends, or unique gifts, these moments add depth and authenticity to your photos. Personal touches make your getting-ready experience unique and memorable. Don’t feel the need to do something simply because it’s “traditional” and don’t be afraid to include something you want just because it’s not typical. The things you want to do on your day are the things that will make your day special! We support you doing any and all the things you love and honestly, we love capturing them!
By preparing your getting-ready locations with these tips in mind, you'll set the stage for stunning, heartfelt photos and videos that capture the joy and anticipation of your wedding day. We're here to help you every step of the way, ensuring your day is as perfect as you've always dreamed.
We want to be your wedding photographers!
Want pictures that feel like you? Or a video that lets you relive the best moments of your wedding day over and over again? Let’s talk about how we can tell your story!
We’re all about capturing the real, unfiltered moments and giving you something timeless to hold onto forever. We serve clients in Edmonton, Canmore, Banff, Calgary and beyond: if you're planning your wedding and looking for a photographer in Alberta, we’d love it if you would consider us.
