You’ve counted down the days, hours, minutes, seconds, and it’s finally here … it’s the morning of your wedding day! (Eek! How stinking exciting!) ☺️
You absolutely CAN’T wait to get this day rolling! And as MANY wedding days kick-off, yours starts in your bridal suite with your favorite girls, sipping mimosas, laughing, and taking allllll the pics.
A lil’ secret: the getting ready pics always turn out much better when you’re relaxed and genuinely having fun. Getting ready for your wedding is oftentimes one of the best parts of the day. All your favorite girls are with you, fun music is playing, and you’re getting pampered by the hair and makeup artists.
Since this is such an important morning, I thought I’d share some of my best tips for how to get the perfect getting ready photos… without it lookin’ like a messy sorority house. Ya know what I mean?!
Picking a Getting-Ready Location
If your venue doesn’t include a bridal suite, consider renting a cute Airbnb, using the living room of your family home, or a well-lit, spacious hotel room to get ready in! You will not regret having plenty of space for you and all of your girls to do their hair and makeup. You’ll enjoy lots of room to dance and chat and relax instead of being cramped in a tiny bathroom where the toilet is in the background of allll your photos.
This next tip is ALSO so important to remember beforehand when planning where you’ll get ready: try to find a big, open room with LOTS of windows. I cannot preach this enough … NATURAL lighting is your best friend, Girl!! Trusttttttt me on this one!
Windows are so important – that soft, natural light will make ALL of the difference! You’ll look glowy and radiant, rather than washed out. Natural light also helps keep colors and shadows more true to life … and we are ALL here for that!
Matching Outfits for Bridesmaids Photos
Of course, your matching pajamas are totally taking your bridesmaids photos to the next level!
I know most of us like to get ready in an old t-shirt and some leggings (or maybe that’s just me), ..but on your wedding day the photos of you and your bridesmaids chatting, laughing, and dancing around will look SO much cuter if your outfits match. (Of course, only if it fits in your budget & style!)
While I’m a fan of the traditional white robes for the bride and floral or pastel-colored ones for the bridesmaids, your options aren’t limited to only robes, Girl!! There are also cute satin rompers, silk nightshirts, and pajama sets that look adorable in photos. The possibilities are endless. And talk about the perfect comfy bridesmaid gift your ladies can use over and over!
If you’re looking for something a little different than your bestie used on her wedding day, here are a few Etsy shops with both traditional and nontraditional options!☺️
1. ModParty
They have the CUTEST lil’ monogrammed sleep shirts in floral, palm print, or heart prints! Their bride/babe PJ sets are so perfect, too! They also have traditional and not-so-traditional silk and lace robes in solids and a great variety of fun, floral prints.
2. Day of Blossom
These prints, y’all! All the heart eyes! They have the freshest, not-so-common floral prints for PJ sets and robes! (LOVE)
3. LeilaRoseStudio
Okayyyyy, their bride/bridesmaid rompers … so fun, different, and PERFECT!
Plan Ahead
One of my biggest pro tips: before all of your girls arrive, have your maid of honor shoot them a quick text letting them know where to put their “stuff.” (Because we all KNOW us ladies tend to overpack! Myself included … so no judgement here!) Picking an allotted wall, side of the room, or closet just for bags, extra clothes, etc. will make ALL the difference in your bridal suite photos. I promise!!
I’ve seen it time after time, if the entire room is full of stray hairspray bottles, tangled curling iron cords, and abandoned water bottles … it can easily look like a sorority house getting ready for a night out. Designate a specific area for the clutter, and your getting ready photos will have that beautiful, clean wedding day vibe you’re going for.
Also, having your maid of honor on “clean-up duty” can take more time than your wedding day timeline might allow. So, just plan ahead … your photos will thank you!
It also helps the wedding morning run so smoothly when you’ve planned out what you need for your detail photos! If you need help with this, I suggest reading my blog What to Pack for Your Detail Photos. When your jewelry, stationary, and other details are all in one place, none of your bridesmaids have to run around gathering everything. Which means more time to relax and soak in the day!
Now pour yourself a pre-wedding mimosa, girl, cuz I know you’ve got some planning ahead of you!
