organising details
Ask one of your wedding party to gather all your important details. This could be your dress, suit, veil, engagement ring, wedding shoes, perfume, jewellery, cufflinks or flowers. Top tip, remember to bring a copy of your invitations or any wedding stationary, this helps to tie a beautiful story together. I would highly recommend bringing a nice hanger for your wedding attire, it looks so much better than a plastic one from Primark!
Make sure your dress or suit is out the bag to allow plenty of time for creases drop out, plus I can take a lovely photo!
Think about your getting ready space
Beautiful photographs can be spoilt by background clutter and poor natural daylight. Whether you are getting ready at home or at a venue, think about how the whole picture might look. If you are getting ready at home choose a room with plenty of space, natural light and a neutral background. If you can’t get ready at the venue but you don’t want to stay at home, local Air BnB’s can be perfect preparation spaces. Look for one with space for all your party, lovely big windows and neutral styling to get the most out of your photos.
keep the space clean
Put away any luggage, dirty plates and empty Ikea bags. They seem to pop up everywhere! If you can try keep all your snacks, old clothes and suitcases in on corner of the room to free up space for dancing and getting ready.
invest in professionals
If you would love a beautiful, polished look that will last day and night then I recommend investing in having your hair and makeup done professionally. When you look back at your photos you will be so glad you did, so save yourself the stress and invest in a professional.
give yourself plenty of time
If you are having hair and makeup done your lovely suppliers will usually tell you in advance what time they need to start getting you and your party ready. Always give yourself extra time! Allow more time to get ready when you have lots of bridesmaids in your party. The more bridesmaids you have, the more time you’ll need. Dresses can be fiddly, so it’s a great idea to take whoever is helping you to your final fitting. The bridal shop will give lots of advice on how to keep your dress looking it’s best throughout the day.
create the right vibe
I always recommend putting together a perfect playlist and bringing a mini speaker to create the right atmosphere. Whether it’s retro classics or your favourite rock band, music always helps to get everyone dancing and in great spirits!
bridal party outfits and gifts
Matching silk dressing gowns or cute pjs can make for fun bridal party photos! There are so many websites now that offer customisation with your nicknames or new family name. You could match them to the theme of your wedding or have different colours for each party member. Another lovely idea is to buy little personal gifts for your bridesmaids and close family. It’s always such an intimate and often emotional moment to write special thank you cards to tell the people you love how important they are.
things to pack on the day
Pack an emergency wedding kit (although I do carry some essentials!) It’s handy to have spare plasters, pain killers, hair pins, a small sewing kit, tights, nail glue, scissors, your fav lip balm/gloss, hair spray and tissues. Often your MUA will give a small amount of lip stick or gloss to touch up with throughout the day.
think about shoes
Whether they are bridal shoes or groom shoes, if your feet hurt it can spoil your day. So many brides and grooms end up ditching their expensive shoes because they haven’t been broken in. Break your shoes in or bring a pair of slip ons for later on in the day.
first look with your party
Before I leave for the ceremony venue, I love to capture the moment between you and whoever is giving you away. This can also work well with your bridesmaids! It’s such an emotional time and often turns out to be some of the most treasured images.
