As a wedding photographer, one of my favourite parts of any wedding day is bridal prep. There is nothing like the excitement of getting ready for a wedding ceremony, and it’s always a really special part of the day that I feel privileged to be involved in.
It’s also a great opportunity to capture some fantastic wedding photography: from fun group shots of friends getting ready together, to emotional moments with the bride’s parents, there are so many details that make for memorable images.
I’ve put together some of my top tips for when it comes to capturing the perfect bridal prep photography to make sure your wedding photos portray all the excitement, love, and beautiful details of this truly special part of your big day…
1. Don’t forget the little details
So much planning goes into every single bit of your wedding day, and this includes all the little details for the bridal party. As a bride, you put so much time and effort into choosing the perfect colour for bridesmaids dresses, the type of flowers in the bouquets, and of course into choosing your dress, shoes, and jewellery.
On your wedding day, all these details come together to create one beautiful image, but the little finer touches can often get missed in the busyness and excitement of the day. Bridal prep photography is an excellent opportunity to capture all these little details that you might forget about in time if you don’t have photos to look back on.
Your wedding photographer should be able to capture some artistic, creative shots of all the special little details that really reflect your personal taste: those gorgeous shoes you spent hours searching for, that piece of antique jewellery that reminds you of a family member, the bouquet that perfectly matches the bridesmaid dresses. These photos will make for lasting memories of everything you put so much effort into choosing and will bring back the memories of the first time you got to wear them all.
2. Capture some lovely group shots
As a bride, this part of your day is about you and your closest family and friends. Brides often spend this time with their mum, sisters and best friends, and I’ve captured so many beautiful photos during bridal prep that really express female love and friendship.
Bridal prep is a great time for your wedding photographer to take some photos of you being yourself with your dearest friends: images that show the close bond and the fun you have together. Enjoy getting your hair and make up done (perhaps while enjoying a glass of fizz!) while your photographer captures some lovely, relaxed group shots of you all enjoying each other’s company during this special part of your day. These photos will be a lasting reminder of the time you spent with those closest to you and will be wonderful to look back on in years to come.
3. Use your surroundings
Wherever you are getting ready, your photographer should be able to use your surroundings to create some stunning, imaginative wedding photography.
Often, bridal prep is a fantastic opportunity to show off your venue too: imagine your dress hanging in the window of the bridal suite with views of stunning gardens in the background, or maybe even your dress shot outside in the grounds of your venue.
I’ve also captured some lovely images using the mirrors in the bridal suite as a ‘prop’, and of brides standing near the window overlooking the dramatic backdrop of their venue outside. I love bridal prep shots with a bit of a difference: it’s always so much fun getting creative with the couples I work with.
4. Be prepared to capture all the emotion!
Bridal prep is usually a really emotional part of the day: everyone is excited, exhilarated, and probably a little nervous! But as well as all that, bridal prep can be a really poignant time for the bride and her parents.
Even if you’ve been living with your partner-to-be before the wedding, and it’s actually years since you lived under your parent’s roof, getting married still feels like the ‘end of an era’ for many families, and especially parents! Add to this the fact that your parents are going to see you looking your most beautiful in your wedding dress, and you can put money on there being some very emotional moments!
As a wedding photographer, one of my favourite parts of any wedding day is capturing a father’s reaction when he sees his daughter for the first time in her wedding dress. This moment always lends itself to some really moving wedding photography.
5. Choose a wedding photographer who you feel comfortable with
This is a really important tip for couples when it comes to their wedding in general: you should always aim to choose a wedding photographer who you feel comfortable with as they will capture the most natural images of you which really portray your true personality.
It’s especially true for the bridal prep stage of the day. Your wedding photographer should be someone who you feel comfortable inviting into your home or bridal suite while you’re getting ready. Your photographer should be friendly and warm, but unobtrusive: working to capture all those special moments without you really knowing that they’re there for a lot of the time.
When couples get in touch about me being their wedding photographer, I arrange for us to have some meetings in the run up to the wedding so we can get to know each other and ensure that I know exactly what the couple wants from their wedding photography. I like to think that I’m a relaxed and friendly person and I always try to make couples and their guests feel at ease on the big day.
I’m a wedding photographer based in Chester and North Wales. If you’d like to get in touch about your forthcoming wedding I would be delighted to chat about your plans.
