Getting Ready for Your Wedding Day: What You Need to Know
Hello friend! If you’re reading this, you’re likely in the process of planning your wedding, and that process includes all the details like making decisions for each part of your timeline. Today we’re going to be talking about the “getting ready” portion of your wedding day and what we feel you need to know and/or consider when planning it out!
Though our title is “wedding photographer,” we here at Poppy and Vine like to help our couples throughout the wedding planning process, rather than just by taking pretty photos of them on their actual wedding day! Now that we’ve been married ourselves, and have photographed a number of weddings, we have a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t when it comes to different parts of the wedding day, from both the couple’s perspective, as well as the photographer’s. Here is the first in a series in which we share all our advice for the different components of your wedding day!
Plan More Time Than You Think You’ll Need
Pretty much every wedding we attend runs behind, no matter how efficient you are at keeping the schedule moving. The first step to creating a stress-free wedding morning is to plan out more time than you’ll need for this process. Gals, this is especially important for you. We’re girls, it just naturally takes longer for us to get ready, especially if your bridesmaids are having their hair and makeup professionally done. Give yourself extra space in your timeline in case someone is having a bad hair day. The worst thing that could happen is you get to all relax together and enjoy another mimosa ;)
Choose a Space With a TON of Open Space & Natural Light
If you have a choice of where you are getting ready, try your best to choose a space with lots of natural light (think big windows and such!!) and open space! We prefer AirBnbs over hotel rooms for this reason! This tip has a couple perks:
First of all, your photos will simply look better if there is a wealth of natural light streaming into the rooms. We, like most photographers, prefer to use our flashes as little as possible and rely on natural light on wedding days. That light and space will make for great photos, but there are a few bigger reasons why we love offering this advice to our couples. That vitamin D/natural light streaming in is an instant mood booster and a lack of clutter does wonders for your mental state, I mean it!
If you’re anything like me, clutter stresses you the HECK out. Sometimes I don’t even understand why I am so anxious until I clean the room I’m sitting in. In the spirit of keeping your wedding morning stress free, choose a big, open space so that you, your people, and all the things they bring with them aren’t invading your every thought and you can simply relax :)
Set Out Everything You’ll Need the Night Before
Save yourself the hassle of getting all the little things together on the morning of your wedding so you can just relax and be present. By the night before your wedding, get together your overnight bag for after the wedding, as well as all your little details. Your dress, tux, shoes, socks, rings, vows, bobby pins, necklace, cuff links, makeup, etc. will cause you more stress than you can imagine if it’s not all ready to go the morning of!
Prepare Items For Detail Photos
There is a high chance your photographer will take photos of your details, and the last thing you’ll want to do when you’re in the middle of getting ready is scrambling to gather them. Detail photos typically include:
For the bride: jewelry, wedding invitations, vows, the rings, hair accessories, shoes, perfume, and any other unique details you have for your day (and we think the more personal the details, the more you’ll cherish these photos!). Here is an article with a few examples of how these photos look and what is included in them!
For the groom: shoes, socks, tie, watch, belt, cuff links, vows, and any other unique details you have for your day (we see a lot of pocket knives here?)
Write Letters to Each Other!
Regardless of whether you decide to do a first look or not, sending hand written letters to each other before you see one another is incredibly sweet, and helpful! Everyone we’ve known has experienced some sort of butterflies on their wedding morning, whether it’s out of excitement to see their person or because of nerves.
Both writing a letter to your love, and reading one from them does so much good. First of all, it centers you and reminds you why this day is even happening, and takes your mind off details and places it on the person you’re about to commit your life to! This calms nerves and puts you in the best mental space before you see one another and say “I do!!!”
DRINK WATER AND EAT
This is probably the most important advice we’ll give you. Hydrate and eat during this portion of the day, because we promise you won’t have much other time to do this once you’re finished getting ready. We understand nerves are a thing, and that you don’t want to look bloated in your dress (you won’t!!!!!!), but you will enjoy your day so much more if you aren’t experiencing it feeling like you’re on the verge of passing out (or worse).
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE listen to that advice your college alcohol education gave you and at the very minimum drink a bottle of water for every serving of alcohol you have the morning of!!! And eat! Mimosas aren’t the only part of a well balanced breakfast!
Slow Down!
Relax, enjoy, live in this moment. This will likely be the least hectic part of your wedding day, so really soak in the people, the emotions, and the time you have while getting ready. I remember having so much space to relax during this time, and one of my favorite parts of getting ready was having a nice long conversation with my mother in law about Joseph (and crying so much over the fact that I was about to marry the greatest man I’ve ever known). This may not seem like a special time now, but I promise you it is! Make the most of it, friend :)
We’re Katie & Joseph, a husband & wife team, and wedding photographers in Arizona.
We are big fans of documenting wedding days in an unposed, raw, genuine, and honest way that allows our couples to maximize their experience on their day while also receiving a gallery full of stunning images that communicate how it felt to be there.
Though we’re based in Phoenix, we’ll travel anywhere for a good love story (and dance party). We invite you to follow the links below to learn more about us and our services, and to get in contact with us!
