When you plan your dream wedding, you may be the kind of person who creates a checklist of “must-have” wedding photos as part of your planning and vision. As seasoned wedding photographers, we love love love a good list of photo requests because it helps us – and you – set clear expectations and talk ahead about timeline. In talking with couples about their wedding photos, sometimes they are on the fence about whether to add getting-ready photos to this list of must-haves. We would like to weigh in with a resounding YES. Yes, you should say yes to getting ready photos on your wedding day, and here’s why.
Why Say YES to Getting Ready Photos
First, getting ready photos help capture the anticipation and excitement of those pre-ceremony moments. It can sometimes mean laughter with your bridesmaids or family, sometimes happy tears, and sometimes even a little bit of nerves. The photos can be posed or candid and intimate interactions with loved ones, such as a mother helping with your veil or bridesmaids sharing a silly story or toast. All these emotions and moments are such an important part of your wedding day story as it unfolds.
Second, getting ready photos are a great time for the photographer to capture small and personal details, like that gorgeous hand-stitched embroidery on your dress, the glitz or whimsy of your chosen shoewear, your stunning jewelry (including the rings!), your beautiful bouquet, and other accessories that are important to you alone. Don’t forget to tell your photographer about these details – especially if they are hidden! Sometimes brides like to keep a photo of a lost loved one buried in the bouquet, or have something sewn into their dress hem, or even the wedding suit may have been custom designed with the name of the wearer sewn into the inside of the lapel.
Third, getting ready photos help tell the complete story of the day. They add depth and context to your wedding album as they set the tone and create a seamless transition to the ceremony and reception photos that follow.
The First Look at You as a Bride
Another great reason to do getting ready photos is to capture the reactions from your bridal party or parents seeing you fully dressed for the first time. These can be orchestrated immediately after you get dressed and staged in or near the getting-ready room. These moments often elicit genuine expressions of love and awe are absolutely priceless when it comes to wedding day photos.
Getting Ready Photos for the Groom
Getting ready photos aren’t just for you as the bride. We believe both halves of the couple deserve their moment to shine on the wedding day and as such building time for the photographer to work with both individuals is something we also suggest. Groom details can include a mock-getting ready, which can start with the groom being partially dressed with a groomsman or father helping with the jacket, the boutonniere, the cuff links, or the tie. Popular groom-room details include custom matching socks (for the groom and the groomsmen, groomsmen gifts, and the ever-popular bottle of something to share pre-ceremony between those helping with the getting ready.
Celebrate Love With The Copper Collective
If you’re looking for a seasoned team of wedding photographers who know how and why to incorporate getting-ready photos into your big day, Our Essentials package includes 8 hours of photography. So, with that, we typically start with Getting ready photos. We really love having that time with our couples to capture the moments with their closest family and friends as well as all of the details. You can get in touch with us by dropping us an email. To see more of what we do, you can also head to our website or check out our Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest accounts.
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