Getting ready for the wedding is such an incredible time for a bride. If you need some ideas and tips to ensure a perfectly joyful wedding morning, keep reading!
You’ll find timeline ideas, outfit suggestions, tips to avoid running late and more!
How to get ready for wedding
- Get ready in a comfortable, “feels like you” space
- Soak up time with your closest friends and family members
- Give yourself a few minutes alone to reflect (perhaps your only time alone on the wedding day!)
- Drink lots of water and eat a healthy breakfast
- Enjoy being pampered
- Give yourself extra time to take things slow
How long does it take to get ready?
At the least, you should plan on 3.5 hours to get ready. The morning of your wedding is your time to prepare, take it easy and enjoy the moments before the romance of the day whisks you away.
- Journaling, meditation & celebrations – 30 minutes
- Makeup – 60 minutes
- Hair – 60 minutes
- Buffer – 30 minutes
- Put on your dress and take getting ready photos – 30 minutes
- Bridal party photos – 30 minutes
- Travel time – TBD
Tips to avoid running late on the morning of your wedding
If there’s ever anything to hold a wedding day up, it’s the morning preparations! This is why I recommend the following:
- Always plan on the hair and makeup being done 30 minutes before you need to get dressed. This gives you buffer room if you run late.
- Ask the bridesmaids and mom of the bride to be dressed first. This way, they’ll be photo ready for the getting ready photos!
- Give yourself 30 minutes to get dressed. You’ll need to step into the dress, button it, put on shoes, add jewelry, spray perfume and more.
- Add more time if you have a dress with buttons on the back!
- Ask the photographer to arrive early. I like to be with the bride for 90 minutes on the morning of the wedding. This gives us time for makeup and hair shots, as well as the getting ready photos. I also take detail shots at this time.
- Set aside wedding details for the photographer (rings, veil, shoes, etc.) Read my wedding detail shots guide for more tips!
Where to get ready for your wedding
Your getting ready location should be spacious and full of natural lighting with minimal or luxurious decor. This makes the morning more enjoyable and creates a backdrop for beautiful photographs. Above all, though, the location should make you feel comfortable. (Oh and please keep things tidy. There will be photographs from this room!)
- Bridal suite at the venue itself
- Airbnb or hotel room
- Your home
- A friend’s home
- Salon
Getting ready for wedding outfit
The getting ready outfits are some of my favorites! Often times, the bridesmaids will wear matching robes, pajama sets, or simple dresses. The bride can wear the same outfit or have a brides-only look in white! I love either choice!
- Matching robes
- Slippers
When you do put on your dress, leave the last section of the zipper or buttons undone and invite the photographer back in the room. This is when you get the tear-worthy images of mom or sister zipping/buttoning up the dress!
Getting ready for wedding photos
Need some inspiration? Here are few fun getting ready wedding photos.
Getting ready for wedding songs
I encourage music for the morning of! It keeps the mood positive and light, and often settles nerves. Spotify is a great place to start for a playlist. This could even be a task for your Maid of Honor!
Talking all about this just makes me want to get married all over again! I would certainly be honored to capture these heartwarming, radiating images from the morning of your wedding day. Say hello here and follow me on Pinterest for more wedding inspiration.
