As the wedding photographer, you’re responsible for capturing all the love, joy, hugs, tears, excitement, etc., of the wedding day. One of the most exciting parts of the wedding day is, without a doubt, the getting ready session. If you ask us, you should always try to start your day by capturing wedding getting ready photos, when the excitement is super high, and your couples are getting dressed with their bridesmaids and groomsmen before they say “I do”. This is a time to capture your bride and groom’s emotions and some tender moments they spend with their nearest and dearest ones. In this blog, we’ve gone the extra mile for you and listed down 10 getting ready wedding photo ideas that you can try at every wedding.
10 Must-Have Wedding Getting Ready Photos
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As your bride sits patiently in her chair, getting her hair curled, straightened, or tied up in a bun, along with the makeup artist working their magic, try taking some bride getting ready photos to showcase how your beautiful bride transformed into her big day look! This is also a great time to get some solo candid portraits of your bride in her element, surrounded by her bridesmaids and most probably her mother as well.
Related Read: Top 10 Bride Getting Ready Photos To Take At Every Wedding
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As your bride gets her hair and makeup done, be sure to take pictures of her wedding dress and shoes! The wedding dress is one of the most important details of the wedding day and holds a sentimental value to the bride. Each bride has her own sense of style, and this can really be seen through the dress and shoes she picks. Get creative and try hanging the dress against a complementary backdrop or a window, or consider laying it on the bed - the possibilities are endless, just make sure you don’t stain the dress in any way, and take photos that bring out all the intricate details of the dress.
As the moment finally arrives for your bride to get dressed, be sure to photograph her Cinderella moment! As her bridesmaids help her get dressed, you can capture some candid moments between the bride and her girls. Since there will be a lot of raw emotions and giggles and maybe even tears, you'll definitely have some golden-ticket shots. Besides being visually pleasing, wedding getting ready photos are also about capturing moments that your couple can look back on and remember exactly what it was that made them smile or laugh out loud in that moment.
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The bride specifically chose her bridesmaids to have a special role in the wedding, so don’t forget to take photos of the bride and bridesmaids getting ready! Before they slip into their bridesmaids gowns, take some photos of them in their matching wedding getting ready outfits. Other great bridesmaids getting ready photos to capture are when they are fully dressed for the occasion. Also, we’d highly recommend finding out if there are any “hidden” details in the bridesmaids dresses that your bride would like to be photographed.
Suggested Read: Wedding Photography Tips: 3 Trick To Better Bridesmaids Poses
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Photographing the bride dressing up in front of the mirror can help you get some classic wedding getting ready photos. Whether she is styling her hair or checking her lipstick in the mirror, this picture technique is perfect for some solo shots of the bride. However, if you want to include the bridesmaids in this photo, you could find a spot to photograph them from behind as they finish getting ready in front of the mirror.
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Must-have wedding getting ready photos also include a shot of the bride with her mother. She will usually come in to check up on her daughter, present her with "something old, something new, and something borrowed", or simply help her with the finishing touches of her wedding day look. This is a mother-daughter moment you can’t forget to take. One of the most iconic moments you can capture is when your bride’s mother fixes the bride's veil. Another wholesome moment you can't miss capturing is the bride’s father's reaction after seeing her final look! These images will always be cherished by your bride as they will always evoke loving memories from her big day.
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After hours of hair and makeup and getting ready, your bride is finally ready to walk down the aisle. This is now your opportunity to get some sensational bridal portraits! Guide your bride to stand next to a window or a contrasting backdrop and highlight her final look in the pictures you take. You can also suggest some wedding picture poses to the bride and her bridesmaids and create memorable wedding day group portraits before everyone heads out.
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Capturing the bride's bouquet is a must. A bridal bouquet is one of the important elements of a bride’s final look. These carefully chosen flowers sometimes match the theme of the wedding or are the bride's favorite arrangements. And since every bride has her own unique bridal bouquet, they deserve to be documented as well. You can get some close-up shots of the bouquet or have your bride pose with it indoors or outdoors.
Related Read: Bridal Bouquet Ideas: Photo Inspiration From ShootDotEdit Customers
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Yes, the groom and his groomsmen, too, get ready together just like the bride with her bridesmaids! And this is another perfect chance to get more wedding getting ready photos. Coordinate the timing with the groom so that you can split your time and not miss out on the moment! If you work as a team, try splitting your group in two so that you can capture both sides. Just like bridesmaids, the groomsmen also help the groom in getting ready and suit up along with him. Be sure to take pictures of the groom with his buddies and offer your groom and his boys some fun groomsmen getting ready photos.
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Just like with your bride, make sure you take out some time to capture the groom getting ready photos. From classic portraits to some creative and fun shots, you can try a variety of photography techniques with your groom too. A good point to start would be photographing the groom as he puts on his shirt and jacket. An iconic shot of the groom dressing up is in front of the mirror as he puts on his tie, settles his collar, and wears his cufflinks. Also, don’t forget to take a portrait of him smiling ear to ear - showing off his wedding day mood! Once you are done taking all the essentials, consider experimenting with poses, backdrops, and lighting.
Further Read: 5 Tips For Taking Enchanting Fairy Tale Wedding Photos
Capturing the bride and groom’s wedding getting ready photos is a beautiful way to document one of the most important days of their lives. These poses will help you capture all of the emotion and excitement leading up to walking down the aisle. Just make sure you take out enough time to dedicate to both your bride and groom. Keep a shot list handy, and to take photos your clients will thank you for, capture the emotional moments, like the first look with the parents, the first look with the bridesmaids, as they unfold.
At ShootDotEdit, we are passionate about helping you hone your craft! And we help with that by taking editing off your plate with our professional photo editing services, giving you more time to learn new skills. To learn more about how we can help your wedding photography business, check out our pricing plans.
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