Shot while second shooting for Savannah Smith Photography | savannahsmithphotography.com
Happy Friday!!! The votes are tallied from last week’s poll (thank you for participating!!), and y’all wanted to hear all about how to prep your bridal suite for your photographer’s arrival! Let’s dive right in!
Upon my arrival, I like to get to work right away! Wedding time moves quickly, and seriously, every moment is so precious. By using these three tips to prep for my arrival, it truly allows us to maximize our time together!
Gather your details into one box, tub or bag:
I love this sweet box a bride had at a recent wedding! All of her important details were stored safely inside! Shot while second shooting for Savannah Smith Photography | savannahsmithphotography.com
Funny enough, prepping for my arrival actually begins BEFORE your wedding day! I love to start the day by photographing your stationary, florals, rings, heirlooms, accessories, jewelry, basically all of the little pieces that are making your day completely YOU. This acts as my warm-up, helps get me in my rhythm for your day and is a time to get a little creative. It also helps to preserve the memory of the gorgeous details that you have worked so hard to design and prepare! Take some time on Monday or Tuesday, the week before your wedding to locate the details that you would like photographed. Place your details in a container and set it in your pile to be packed away to your getting ready venue the morning of your wedding . That way, the moment I arrive, I can grab your box from one of your bridesmaids in the bridal suite and take it to a corner of your getting ready space or venue, away from the craziness of hair and makeup–no need to have someone hunt around your room for this shoe and that ring box!
Now, what to pack or have ready for details, you ask? This is the quick list I send all of my brides!
Your dress and bridesmaids dresses
A nice hanger for your dress
All three rings This includes the groom’s ring! (don’t be shy about getting your engagement ring shined up!)
Veil and/or hairpiece
Shoes
Earrings/Jewelry Including earrings, necklace, bracelets, etc.
Keepsakes and heirloom pieces
Perfume
Invitation suite Including: Save the date, the invitation itself, the invitation envelope, the reply card, reply envelope, reception card, information cards, etc. Basically, anything you sent your guests, save for me to snap a few photos of!
Bouquet: it is great to have your bouquet delivered to your bridal suite while you are getting ready (more on this in a moment!)
Gifts/purse/clutch/other items not on this list that you may want photographed
Designate someone to be on tidy-up-duty throughout the morning
Shot while second shooting for Savannah Smith Photography | savannahsmithphotography.com
Picture your regular getting-ready routine in the morning…I don’t know about y’all, but mine usually involves a makeup bag, some makeup brushes, maybe a hot tool, my breakfast plate in front of me as I paint my face on for the day, an outfit change or two, and then somewhere in a random corner of my apartment, my tea is sitting slowly getting cold! What on Earth does this have to do with a wedding day?
There are a lot of things and a lot of activities involved in getting ready for a regular day at work…now multiply those things by the number of bridesmaids you have in your party, add in a few stylists and your family members that are getting ready with the girls and OH YEAH…it’s the day you’ve been dreaming of for the longest time….it’s your wedding day! That leaves a lot of room for chaos, right?
Getting ready spaces are often pretty tight–hotel rooms, for example! There is limited storage space, often limited counter space, and odds are, the trash can is just about the size of the one in your bathroom at home. One of my favorite tips but one that often gets overlooked? Bring along a trash bag or two and designate a few members of your party to be on tidy-up-patrol throughout the morning. Stash away food containers right away, set aside empty mimosa flutes, pack away accessories and shoes that aren’t needed, pass towels to the bathroom, you get the point–the list goes on and on!
When I arrive, I will usually spend a minute or two rearranging while placing trash and personal items aside for the cleanest shot possible. There’s nothing more distracting from a sweet moment than a giant box of half-eaten pizza in the background. It is so much easier for everyone if you stay on top of the mess from the very start of the day, and as a bonus? The tidy atmosphere will make you feel just a little bit more at ease. No one likes a messy room, right?
Let’s chat about floral delivery: Please have florals delivered prior to my arrival
Shot while second shooting for Savannah Smith Photography | savannahsmithphotography.com
This tip is pretty simple! You’ve probably spent weeks dreaming and brainstorming and figuring out the perfect florals to carry on your wedding day, right? Well…I sure do want to make sure that you remember them forever and ever! I love to photograph and incorporate your bouquet as I shoot your details. Please have your bouquet delivered to your getting ready suite BEFORE I arrive to, not only ensure that I am able to grab a few photos of it before the momentum of the day gets going (trust me–you will want these later!), but to also ensure that it is ready to go the moment we need it for portraits!
Cheers to an easy breezy wedding morning and a smooth start to the day!
Shot while second shooting for Luck & Love Photography | lucklovephoto.com
