Why Getting Ready Photos Matter

Your wedding day is made up of countless meaningful moments, from the anticipation of the morning to the celebration on the dance floor. While the ceremony and portraits often receive the most attention, some of the most heartfelt memories unfold long before you walk down the aisle.

That’s why getting ready photos are such an important part of your wedding story.

The getting ready portion of the day is about so much more than hair, makeup, and putting on the dress. It’s the excitement in the room as your closest friends gather around you. It’s your mother fastening your necklace, a handwritten letter from your fiancé, or the quiet moment you take to yourself before everything begins. These are the moments that can’t be recreated once the day is over, and they deserve to be preserved with the same care and artistry as every other part of your celebration.

Whenever possible, we photograph both partners as they prepare for the day. With a second photographer, we’re able to document each story simultaneously, capturing the anticipation, emotion, and meaningful interactions happening on both sides of the celebration. Together, these images create the opening chapter of your wedding gallery, preserving not just how the day looked, but how it felt from the very beginning.

 

Getting Ready Photos capture the quiet moments + the little details.

Some of the most meaningful getting ready photos are the moments no one could have planned.

They’re found in the embrace from your mother as she buttons your gown. The proud smile on your father’s face during a first look. Your bridesmaids wiping away tears as they see you dressed as a bride for the very first time. Your grandmother gently fastening a bracelet she’s dreamed of seeing you wear. These fleeting interactions become some of the most treasured images in your wedding gallery because they preserve the people and relationships that made your day so meaningful.

The quiet moments matter just as much. Catching your reflection in the mirror for the first time. Taking a deep breath before stepping into your dress. Sharing a laugh with your closest friends while the excitement builds. These are the moments that often become favorites—not because they were posed, but because they were completely genuine.

Getting ready photos also give us the opportunity to thoughtfully document the details you’ve spent months carefully choosing. Your invitation suite, heirloom jewelry, bouquet, shoes, perfume, and the intricate craftsmanship of your gown all help tell the story of your wedding day. While these details are beautiful on their own, they become even more meaningful when they’re woven together with the emotions and moments unfolding around them. Together, they create the opening chapter of your celebration and provide the context that makes every photograph that follows even more meaningful.

Create space for meaningful first looks.

One of the greatest gifts of setting aside time for getting ready photos is the opportunity to experience a few meaningful moments before the ceremony begins.

A father-daughter first look is one of our favorites. It gives your dad a quiet moment to see you as a bride for the very first time, away from the excitement of arriving guests and the pace of the day. Whether his reaction is joyful tears, a tight embrace, or a smile that says everything, these moments become treasured memories for your entire family.

A bridesmaid first look is just as special. While your closest friends finish getting ready, you can slip into your gown and reveal your complete bridal look all at once. The laughter, happy tears, and genuine excitement that follow are impossible to script—and they often become some of the most joyful getting ready photos in your wedding gallery.

These moments aren’t about creating another photo opportunity. They’re about intentionally slowing down long enough to share your excitement with the people who have walked alongside you to this day. The photographs simply become a beautiful reminder of how it all felt.

Set the tone for the celebration!

One of the things we love most about getting ready photos is that they capture the excitement before the day officially begins. The pressure hasn’t arrived yet. You’re simply spending time with the people who know you best, soaking in every moment before you say, “I do.”

For some couples, that looks like popping champagne with their bridesmaids and laughing until mascara threatens to run. For others, it’s the groomsmen riding bikes around the property, sharing a drink at the bar, or swapping stories that instantly dissolve any pre-ceremony nerves. These aren’t moments you create for the camera—they’re moments that naturally unfold when you give yourself permission to enjoy the morning.

Those genuine interactions also have another beautiful benefit: they help you settle into being photographed without even realizing it. By the time it’s time for portraits or the ceremony, you’ve already spent time laughing, moving, and simply being yourself. The camera no longer feels like the focus—it simply becomes part of the experience.

The result is a gallery filled with authentic emotion, natural expressions, and the joyful anticipation that makes the beginning of your wedding day every bit as memorable as the celebration that follows.

They Give You a Chance to Slow Down

Your wedding day has a way of passing in the blink of an eye. Before the ceremony begins and the celebrations are in full swing, your getting ready time offers a rare opportunity to pause, breathe, and simply be present with the people you love most.

Some of the most meaningful getting ready photos happen during these quiet in-between moments—a heartfelt conversation with your mom, laughter with your bridesmaids, or a few peaceful minutes to yourself before stepping into your dress. These are the memories that often become just as cherished as the ceremony itself.

If you want to make the most of this part of your wedding day, we’ve put together a guide on how to create a calm wedding morning for even more beautiful getting ready photos, with practical tips to help you enjoy every moment before you walk down the aisle.

Everything is perfect.

The morning of your wedding is when everything is pristine. Your dress is perfectly steamed. Your hair and makeup are flawless. And your flowers are at their peak. This is the best time to get some gorgeous portraits, and capture those small details! This is the best time of the day to capture not only your gown, but your stationary, your rings, and details of your bridesmaids.

When creating your wedding photography timeline, we will often arrive an hour or so before you put on your gown, so we can make sure to get the final touches, and an image of the gown hanging. This will also allow us to get some intimate interaction between you and your bridesmaids before the formal dresses are put on.

You can take boudoir portraits

When you have some additional time for getting ready photos, your photographer can capture boudoir style photos! This is a great alternative if you are looking for boudoir images, but do not have the time prior to the wedding. We can focus on you getting ready, with a beautiful robe, and hair and makeup. You are already getting your hair and makeup done, so why not take some time to get beautiful boudoir style images!

Getting ready photos complete your wedding album.

When designing our client’s wedding album, we make sure to include the complete timeline. Your album story needs to have a beginning, middle and end! By having getting ready photo’s you are able to complete your wedding story. By including these images, your wedding album will tell a more complete story of your day, from start to finish. Our clients often love getting ready photos the most!

This is also a great way to show guests or close family who couldn’t be there your complete day. If that person was not at your wedding day, then they will feel like they were after seeing photos of your entire wedding day unfold, from start to finish.

Our Guide to a Calm Wedding Morning

Want to create the kind of wedding morning that leads to your favorite photographs? Read our guide, how to create a calm wedding morning for even more beautiful getting ready photos, where we share our favorite tips for building a calm, intentional start to your celebration.