Cambridge Wedding Photographer – Morning Preparations

As a Cambridge Wedding Photographer, I do love weddings and I love the morning preparations. I think it’s one of my favourite parts of the day. I often get asked for advice on various bits and pieces. So here is my advice for helping your morning run smoothly. It doesn’t matter where you are getting ready, home, hotel, friends or at your venue, these tips can be used everywhere.

Your Room – you will need space and lots of it. This will give you, your wedding party and me lots of room to get about without tripping over bags, shoes and bits and bobs. A lounge can work really well at home rather than in a bedroom. Bedrooms can be a little cramped and not very well lit.  Have you got a Conservatory? These work really well during some months of the year when it’s not too hot as there is lots of lovely natural daylight.

Let there be light – you can never have too much light. Your make-up artist and hairstylist will love it too if you have somewhere with plenty of light. Window light is the most flattering light for bridal prep and it also means I don’t have to get my flash out.

Gifts of Love – will you be exchanging gifts or cards in the morning?  If you are, try and wait until I am there to capture the details and the emotions as you open it and read those special words. I can always mock it up again, but it is never the same.

It’s all in the details – If you want me to photograph your dress/suit, shoes, perfume, hairpiece, veil etc then have them all together in one place. I will only move your outfit if I really have to.  Make sure all labels and tags have been removed the day before so you are not panicking at the last minute for scissors.  Have an emergency sewing kit on standby just in case one of those pesky little hooks decide to fall off. If you can, have some pretty hangers for all the dresses. They don’t have to be personalised, just plain wooden ones. They look so much nicer in the photos than the plastic ones they come with.  If you have an invitation or save the date card, then put those with all your bits and pieces so I can photograph them all together. Your stationery designer will love a photo of these.

Lost in Space – think about what is in the room you are in. Have a place for bags, coats, daywear and make-up. The bathroom is a perfect place to put belongings that you are using but don’t want to have in the photographs. These are all distractions in the background and the end photo will look so much nicer without them. Have a look around the room the day before. Do you really need everything that is in there or could things be removed for the day to give you more space and less clutter? Personal photos and items can stay and can make lovely poignant parts of your photos. Imagine you putting your dress/suit on with a photo of your parents or grandparents on their wedding day in the background.

Matching or Relaxing – have you thought about what you will wear during the morning? Your favourite old t-shirt or pyjamas or matching pj’s and dressing gowns.  Just think about what you will wear as this will be part of your photos too. Light pastel or neutral colours, greys, creams or pinks work really well. Perhaps something that matches the colour scheme for your day.  There are some lovely gowns available on the High Street now and it’s an excuse to go shopping!

Time – the morning will go by in a flash. You think you will have hours, then you look at the clock and the morning has gone. Plan ahead. While you are having your final preparations done, have your wedding party and mum get into their outfits. When it’s time for you to put your dress/suit on they are all ready to help you and the photos look so much nicer this way.  If you have a lot of people in our wedding party, perhaps ask one and your mum to help with your dress/suit and then to a big reveal to the others once you are ready.  Make sure you have allowed plenty of time to get into your dress/suit and for photos afterwards of you, you and your mum, you and the wedding party, you and your parents and of course that wonderfully emotional photo as Dad walks in to see you for the first time.

Not just for Girls – this information also applies to the boys too! Try and have everything together that you want to be photographed. Try to keep your room tidy and clutter-free.  Practice how to do your cravat or tie before the wedding morning. YouTube has oodles of videos to show you. Don’t stress about your buttonhole, I will be there to help you with that.

Last thing – Enjoy it, relax and don’t worry, I am on hand to help during the morning. Just forget that I am there unless you are making a coffee, then yes, please.  I try to melt into the background but love to chat and enjoy the excitement of your morning.

With these hints and tips, your morning should be full of fun and excitement and your photos will be full of smiles. Contact me for more information about Wedding Photography here