Wedding days can be long, and most of the time when we imagine our day + our pictures we think of the ceremony, couples + reception time, but often the most special moments actually come from time of getting ready!
Wedding prep photos are the moments leading up to the ceremony, full of the buzz of excitement and anticipation for the coming moments! Makeup going on, boys throwing their ties across chairs, flower girls running away from their mothers trying to entrap them in their flower girl dresses. They are some of the most candid and story telling shots of the entire day! From your gown hanging in a big beautiful window, to your mother zipping it up and giving a word of wisdom through tears to her beloved daughter. Or the groomsmen all taking one last shot before heading out to the venue, and all the laughter that comes from figuring out how to tie a tie!
Specifically for video, this early part of the day is so crucial to the way we film and edit our wedding videos. These are the moments that tell the full story of your day and there are little ways you, as the bride, can really help us create those elegant, cinematic images during this time. Here are our 3 tips on getting the best photos out of the getting ready (wedding prep) moments of your day.
1. PICKING THE LOCATION
If you're getting married at a venue or hotel you most likely have beautiful rooms included. Finding an Airbnb is also a great option if you'll need more room for the bridal party to get ready- being in cramped space with a photographer, videographer, your mother and all the bridal party, maybe even your niece, the flower girl, the coordinator and a few more family members will be there and you'll need some room to actually enjoy it!
For video, the location is so important. In photo, editing out awkward ceiling lights, or fire alarms on the wall is easy- but in video everything is seen. The tone set within every one of our films starts with the getting ready moments. So spending a little bit more on getting ready locations or taking out the extra time to scope out the perfect spot is definitely worth it. The nicer the getting ready space, the nicer the images. The only thing that matters is if you will love the space and how it will look in photos.
2. LIGHTING IS KEY
Lighting is the most crucial aspect of photography. It changes the entire feel of images. If you tend to love more moody images, a space with less natural light is the way to go. But if you lean more toward brighter images, being sure to find a location with big windows and bright natural light is key. Your location determines the vibe of your photos. If you love that old world, cottage look that your venue has it will definitely shine through your images. But if you're a modern bride, finding a space that reflects that is important.
Artificial light, such as lamps and mirror lights create harsh colors and shadows that cannot always be corrected fully- especially within video. If the space doesn't have any natural light at all, we would encourage you to consider finding another space (even if just for you as the bride).
3. KEEPING TIDY
This is one of the biggest details to creating those beautiful moments. We totally understand the hustle of a wedding day and know it can quickly get messy in getting ready suites. While we are absolutely more than happy crush out a quick "shove everything in the corner" session for directed moments like prayer + first look with your girls, remember the clutter will be there for all the candid/un-directed moments. With more than three girls in one room it can be overwhelming the amount of bags, boob tape and makeup that grows in every space of a room, haha! The best way to handle this is to designate one bridesmaid to keeping everyone on top of their stuff and keeping everything clean throughout the morning. It never takes long to to tidy, and keeping someone on top of the task will keep your mind at ease. Worst case scenario make a designated "mess corner" where everything like bags and shoes and boob tape can reside for the day.
BONUS TIP: actually enjoy your morning!! Sit back, drink a cup of coffee + enjoy the view. These raw moments are the ones you'll remember and take with you. Ease into your day with slowness + intentionality.