6 Getting Ready Tips

to Help Your Wedding Photos Shine

The getting ready portion of your wedding day is filled with excitement, anticipation, and a flurry of activity. With so much happening, it’s easy for little things to slip through the cracks. But here’s the good news: a bit of thoughtful preparation can make this part of your day feel calm, fun, and photo-ready.

To help you kick things off without a hitch, I’ve put together six quick and practical tips that will make your morning run smoothly while setting the tone for amazing wedding day photos.

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1. Set Your Timeline for Photo Success

To make the most of your photography coverage and keep the day running smoothly, I recommend this structure:

• 1 hour for detail photos

• 1 hour for candids and getting dressed (everyone should be fully ready!)

• 1 hour for first looks and portraits

• Finish photos one hour before the ceremony

This gives you breathing room and accounts for last-minute delays, early guests, or transitions to the ceremony space.

If you have a large wedding party or want to include extended family portraits before the ceremony, I recommend adding an extra 30 minutes to the first looks and portraits portion. That extra time helps everything feel more relaxed—and ensures we’re not squeezing too much into a short window.

And if you’re getting ready in a different location than your venue, don’t forget to add travel time to the schedule too.

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2. Finalize Beauty Timing & Communicate with Your Team

Hair and makeup is such a fun and meaningful part of the day—and it’s also one of the hardest things to time perfectly. With so many moving parts (touch-ups, final tweaks, multiple people in the chair), it’s completely normal for the timing to shift a bit.

That’s why I always recommend planning for everyone to be finished with hair and makeup about one full hour before we begin candids. This gives us a built-in buffer just in case things run a little over. During that hour, I’ll be photographing your bridal details, so even if someone is still getting the final touches, it won’t impact the flow of the day.

If you’re working with a larger group, consider hiring a beauty team with multiple stylists and artists. That way, services can happen simultaneously instead of one at a time—which helps keep everything on track. And as always, sharing your full timeline with your beauty team ahead of time is one of the best ways to make sure the day starts off smoothly.

I’ll help you determine the exact getting ready timeline during our planning call a few months before the big day—so be sure to check in with me before finalizing your hair and makeup schedule!

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3. Coordinate Florals Ahead of Time

If you’d like your bouquet or extra blooms included in your detail photos, make sure the flowers are delivered to the getting ready location before your photo coverage begins. A few extra stems can be beautiful for styling flat lays or adding a cohesive touch to portraits.

If you’re doing a first look or any portraits before the ceremony, be sure the boutonnières and corsages arrive early too. We often use the groom’s boutonnière in flat lay photos, so it doesn’t need to be pinned right away—but it does need to be present. For the rest of the guys (groomsmen, dads, etc.), they should be fully dressed with boutonnieres pinned by the time we begin candids and getting ready photos with the groom.

We’re not typically capturing the groomsmen as they get ready—we’re focused on the groom himself, and the people helping him during that time. Making sure everyone else is already dressed and ready allows us to focus on the real moments without rushing or waiting on pins.

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4. Declutter the Getting Ready Rooms

A tidy space makes a huge difference in your photos. I recommend designating a corner (or even a different room) to tuck away bags, snacks, extra clothes, and anything that doesn’t need to be in the background of your images.

This goes for both the bridal suite and the groom’s room. A clean, calm space helps us focus on capturing real moments—without clutter in the background—so your photos feel intentional, relaxed, and beautiful.

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5. Gather All Details in One Spot

I usually begin with photographing details, and having everything ready to go makes it so much easier (and prettier). I recommend placing your smaller items in a box or tote the night before—this helps us start the day smoothly and ensures nothing important gets missed.

For larger items like your dress, veil, and suit, be sure they’re steamed, out of their garment bags, and hung on nice hangers in a clean, well-lit space. If you don’t have a wooden or fabric hanger, I’m happy to bring one! Having everything prepped ahead of time means we can focus on capturing those beautiful details without needing to pause for last-minute prep.

One quick note for brides: try to hold off on putting on your earrings or other jewelry until after I’ve photographed your details. Those quiet moments of you adding the finishing touches—like slipping on your earrings or necklace—often make for some of the most graceful and emotional images of the day.

Here’s a helpful checklist to keep everything organized:

Bride’s Details:

• Dress (steamed, out of the bag, on a hanger)

• Veil (steamed and hung)

• Shoes

• Rings (engagement + wedding bands)

• Jewelry (earrings, necklace, bracelet, etc.)

• Invitation suite (with envelopes, RSVP cards, etc.)

• Vows

• Garter

• Perfume bottle

• Something old, new, borrowed, and blue

• Any sentimental or meaningful items you’d like photographed

Groom’s Details:

• Suit (steamed, out of the bag, on a hanger)

• Tie or bowtie

• Shoes

• Watch

• Cufflinks

• Belt or suspenders

• Cologne

• Vows

• Any sentimental or meaningful items you’d like photographed

Having it all photo-ready lets us start the day with ease—and gives you more time to relax, breathe, and soak it all in.

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6. Trust the Process

These thoughtful tips help us capture both the intricate details and the genuine, joyful interactions that unfold during your getting ready time. Whether you’re surrounded by friends or just savoring a quiet moment before it all begins, a little preparation goes a long way in creating space for meaningful memories—and beautiful, timeless photos.

That said, if something small falls through the cracks, please don’t stress. The timeline, the tiny details, the missing tie clip—it all fades into the background the moment you lock eyes at the altar. The best photos and films come from a place of peace, presence, and genuine emotion—not perfection.

Let the prep be helpful, but then let go. This is your wedding day—and you’re getting married! That’s what matters most.