¿NOS VEMOS EN LAS REDES?
Getting ready for your wedding: those moments before the ceremony in which you prepare to enjoy your big day. It can sometimes be the most stressful. After several years as a wedding photographer I have seen couples enjoy those moments in a “quasi-spa” environment; but I have also witnessed moments of genuine emotional chaos with screams and tears.
1- At home or a hotel?
Getting ready at home (or your parents’) has an emotional component and you will probably feel more “welcomed”. On the other hand, dressing in a hotel or in the wedding venue it’s more comfortable as you will avoid to travel to the ceremony. In addition they usually offer a very attractive setting to photograph.
Both options are valid if you consider that to have good photographs of your getting ready moments we need two things: space and light.
Choose the brightest room available, so that your photographer can work with natural light. It is also a good idea to make it as spacious and tidy as possible.
Sometimes there may be more than 5 or 6 people around the bride and groom, including make-up / hairdressers, helpers to put on the dress, photographer, videographer … so you better take it in mind when choosing the room.
2- Makeup and hairdresser
Make it possible have your hair and make up done in the same place where you will put on your dress. It may be a little more expensive, but really worth it.
You will not have to wait for possible delays with other clients or move away from your house/hotel several hours before the ceremony, which will earn you time and peace of mind. In addition your photographer will thank you, since those moments of makeup/hairdressing are visually rich.
Of course, no matter how hard your hairdressers / makeup artist do not let you cover your head with a rag to put on the dress. Believe me, I have seen it and you do not want to have photos of that moment as if you were wearing a burka.
3- Try on your accessories in advance
Lingerie… Cufflinks…
They are accessories that usually do not use most of us. Try them a few days before so you check that the garter does not slide down your leg every two steps.
Try the lingerie if you are wearing a garter belt, it is not easy to adjust the socks and the tapes.
Ask whoever is going to help you put on the dress that rehearses with the little buttons on the back (I do not know how many times I’ve heard that “on the dress test this seemed easier”). A crochet hook or a hairpin will be a great help to keep your assistant’s manicure from suffering.
4- Delegate tasks.
The key to not getting overwhelmed by stress is that you do not try to control everything and you delegate tasks that you do not necessarily have to do yourself. Similarly, avoid anyone who has a small problem come to tell you: “your aunt has broken a nail”, “cousin Jacinto does not know how to get to the church”…
A good idea might be to ask a bridesmaid or someone you trust to handle those small crises.
Your nerves will thank you for that.
5- Trust in your photographer.
Photographers accompany each couple throughout the day, from wedding getting ready till the party. This gives us a broader overview than any other provider (except, perhaps, some wedding planner) and we can give you ideas for any time of the wedding.
Do not you think it’s a good idea to let yourself be advised by someone who has lived tens or hundreds of weddings, and that his priority is to have the best pictures of your wedding?
With these ideas you will surely have a more relaxed wedding getting ready, although surely there will be many more tips to bring.
What do you think is the best idea to have a relaxed getting ready? Is there anything you would have liked to be advised before your wedding?