How To Get The Most Out Of Your Wedding Prep Photos
If you’ve never been in a wedding party before, you might not realise that some of the best pictures actually get taken before the ceremony and the reception. Wedding prep photos are taken during the time leading up to the actual event, often when the bride and groom can be seen getting ready. These photos offer opportunities for fun, candid pics, as well as capturing more poignant parts of the day (like the moment you step into your wedding dress). I love taking pics while the wedding party is getting their makeup done or getting dressed because it allows me to meet everyone before the craziness of the wedding begins. Some people can feel intimidated getting their picture taken, so this part of the day lets everyone get used to the idea of being photographed and to get comfortable with my presence.
Here’s a rundown of my top tips to help ensure you get the most out of your wedding day prep photos:
No Cellphones
Although your guests might feel a little bored while they wait for you to get beautified, I recommend asking them to put their phones aside for this portion of the day. Of course, it’s okay for them to snap pics but it’s pretty difficult for photographers to take candid photos if everyone is staring at their phones, killing it at Candy Crush. Ask your bridal party to take a break from their phones, you’ll likely find that the ‘getting ready’ process becomes quite special. Everyone will connect more and stay present
Turn Off TVs
It’s also hard to take high-quality prep photos with a TV on in the background. I get the need for a distraction when the wedding party are taking a long time to get ready but my photos would turn out pretty boring if everyone just sat around staring at the television. Eliminating this distraction also helps build more of a connection to the wedding preparations (instead of a sports game on TV!).
Pick A Perfect Prep Location
Think about what type of location you’d like as the setting for your prep pics. If you’re getting married at a venue or hotel, your room will probably be suitable for the photos (as long as there is good lighting and enough space for everyone to move around). Hiring an Airbnb that suits your style and accommodates the number of people in your bridal party is also a good option.
Most importantly, you don’t want to end up in a cramped space with no room for everyone to get ready comfortably. The nicer the space, the nicer your photos will turn out – so consider spending a little extra money or a tad more time sussing out the ideal location for your prep photos.
Pay Attention To Lighting
Lighting can make a crucial difference between awesome prep photos and just okay ones. If you’re thinking you’d like more moody images, picking a space with less natural light will help to achieve this. For nice and bright images, you’ll want to go with a location that has access to a ton of light. As long as you think this through ahead of time, you’ll be able to create the perfect atmosphere for your prep photos.
Keep The Space Tidy
It’s always important to remember that your prep photos will become part of your wedding photos – which means they’ll probably end up in your wedding album or shared with all of your friends and family. That means that you don’t want any pics showing off a messy room while you were getting ready. I know it can be difficult to keep the place clean while you have your makeup spread out on the table and plates left over from lunch but try to keep in mind what those items will look like in your photos. For better overall prep photos, I recommend designating someone in your bridal party to keep their eye on the tidiness of the room and step in if things are starting to look messy. It’ll only take a few moments to straighten up, and then your photos will look pristine.
Make Sure Everyone Is On Time
You should have your wedding schedule planned out down to the minute before the prep photos even take place. That means that everyone in the bridal party knows exactly when they’re expected to show up, including what time they’re getting their makeup and hair done. It makes it more challenging to take good prep pics when some members of the party are missing or everyone is rushing around to accommodate someone who was late.
Bonus tip: Have a think about what you and the bridal party are wearing when you are getting your hair and makeup done. It’s a good chance to show off another nice outfit in your photos.
Follow my tips on how to get better prep photos at your wedding and your album is sure to be full of amazing memories from prep all the way through to the last dance.