Getting ready wedding photos can be some of the most intimate images from the entire wedding day. They hold the quiet anticipation before the ceremony, the small details you spent months choosing, and the people who are often closest to you who helped you feel calm before everything officially began.
But the way these photos feel doesn’t happen by accident. The location, the lighting, the outfits, the smallest details, and the overall atmosphere all help shape the final gallery. When each of those pieces feels connected to your wedding style, your getting ready photos become more than just a “behind-the-scenes” part of the day, they feel like part of the story.
If you’re here, that likely means you want the start of your wedding day to feel romantic, elevated, and true to the rest of you and your day. Here are a few ways to elevate your getting ready wedding photos.
The getting ready wedding photos featured in this guide were taken in The Suite at Vaux Studio, a historic brownstone in Philadelphia that works beautifully for intimate weddings, micro weddings, and elopements.
Choose a Location That Elevates Your Getting Ready Wedding Photos
Your getting ready location matters more than you might think. This is where your gallery begins. If the rest of your wedding has an old-world, romantic, artful, or timeless feel, your getting ready space should match that atmosphere. When the morning location feels completely different from the venue, it creates a visual divide in the gallery and won’t feel cohesive.
If you are planning an elegant estate wedding, a cold hotel room with dark carpet, office-style furniture, and harsh lighting likely isn’t going to reflect the feeling of your day. Instead, look for a space with character and natural light, just like your venue.
For example, The Suite at Vaux Studio in Philadelphia is a beautiful option because it has historic character and soft natural light. It feels more intentional than a standard hotel room. Spaces like this can make your getting ready photos feel more connected to the rest of your wedding day.
Some ideas for beautiful getting ready locations:
- A historic Airbnb
- A studio space with soft natural light
- A family farmhouse
- A charming cottage
- A venue bridal suite with intentional design
- A historic estate or home with history (like this ‘Stone Acres Farm Wedding in Stonington, CT‘, where the couple got ready on site
You don’t need to choose the most expensive space. Just choose a space that feels connected to the overall look and feel of your wedding day.
Aim For Something Beyond a Typical Hotel Room
Hotel rooms can work for getting ready photos, especially if they have beautiful light and clean design, but most standard hotel rooms feel too generic for a wedding morning.
If your wedding has a romantic, vintage, or old-world feeling, I would rethink whether a hotel room will support your vision.
My recommendation is to aim for a space with textured walls, antique furniture, soft curtains, wood floors, vintage mirrors, and even family details can add so much depth to your photos. These are the details that help your wedding morning feel more personal and less like a space you just used because it was available.
If you’re looking for imagery that feels artistic, emotional, and romantic, the space around you becomes part of the photograph.
Choose Outfits That Make Your Getting Ready Wedding Photos Feel Intentional
Your getting ready outfit also plays a big role in the overall feeling of your photos. While there’s nothing wrong with the typical matching pajama set or robes, you could look into pieces that feel more romantic or more connected to your personal style. Lace, ruffles, silk, delicate textures, vintage-inspired slips, and elevated lingerie-inspired pieces can photograph beautifully.
These pieces don’t have to feel overly revealing (unless you want them to). They can still feel elegant and comfortable while adding a more romantic feel.
All-white outfits are also a beautiful choice if you want your wedding photos to feel timeless. White keeps the focus on texture, light, movement, and emotion.
The most elevated getting ready photos happen when you make intentional choices that feel aligned with your wedding, your style, and the way you want to remember the morning!
Prepare Your Wedding Details Before Your Photographer Arrives
Preparing your wedding details before your photographer arrives will make the morning run so much smoother.
I highly recommend gathering any details you want photographed and setting them aside in one container or box. This gives your photographer everything they need for detail photos right away, without interrupting hair, makeup, or the natural flow of the morning.
Pieces you may want included:
- Wedding shoes
- Vow books or handwritten letters
- Ring boxes
- All three rings
- Veil and hair accessories
- Florals
- Jewelry
- Invitation suite
- Perfume or cologne bottles
- Heirloom pieces
- Any other meaningful details
While these items may seem small, they help tell the visual story of your day. They also bring more sentiment and personality into your getting ready wedding photos.
Keep The Room Clean & Simple
Even the most beautiful getting ready space can feel distracting if bags, water bottles, makeup kits, garment bags, and snacks are spread across the room.
Before photos begin, designate one corner, closet, or separate room for clutter. This keeps the main space clean and allows your photographer to focus on the light, the people, and the details that matter.
And trust me, a calm room without mess also changes the energy of the morning. When the space feels clean, the photos feel that way too.
Use Natural Light for Romantic Getting Ready Wedding Photos
Natural light can completely change the look of your getting ready wedding photos. When choosing a space, you definitely want to look out for large windows, soft curtains, neutral walls, and enough room to move around. Beautiful window light is especially great for photos of your dress, jewelry, and portraits.
If possible, I recommend avoiding rooms with very dark walls or fluorescent lighting. These create a colder look that might not match the romantic feeling you want in your gallery. If you want photos with more movement and emotion, you can also read my guide to cinematic wedding photography and finding the right photographer.
Set Time Aside For Romantic Portraits
Getting ready photos don’t have to just be makeup photos and dress photos. If you love artistic, vintage-inspired imagery, leave a little room in your timeline for romantic bridal portraits before the ceremony. These can be taken near a window, in a hallway, on a staircase, or anywhere the light feels beautiful.
This is also a great time for portraits in your getting ready outfit, robe, or lingerie-inspired piece before changing into your gown. This also gives you a few quiet minutes before the day begins moving quickly!
Overall, Have Fun With Your Girls!
While the quiet moments matter, your getting ready photos should still feel like you. Pour the champagne, play the music, jump on the bed, and just laugh with your girls! Let the morning feel fun and relaxed. Some of the best photos happen when everyone is just enjoying the moment instead of waiting for the next thing on the timeline.
Your wedding morning can be both elegant and fun. It can feel romantic without losing the people and energy that make the day yours!
FAQ’S On Getting Ready Wedding Photos
I recommend setting aside enough time for your photographer to document the details, your final hair and makeup moments, getting dressed, and for portraits before the ceremony. The exact timing depends on your wedding day, but leaving extra room in the timeline helps the morning feel calm instead of rushed.
Choose a space with a lot of natural light, a design that feels cohesive with the style of your wedding day, and enough room for the people getting ready with you. I especially love historic homes, private estates, thoughtfully designed hotel suites, family homes, and venue bridal suites. These are locations that can work beautifully for photos and feel cohesive with the rest of your day.
Before your photographer arrives, gather your shoes, jewelry, rings, vow books, invitation suite, perfume, veil, florals, heirloom pieces, and any other details you want photographed. Keeping everything in one place helps your photographer begin smoothly without interrupting the flow of the morning.
Getting Ready Wedding Photos That Feel Romantic, Intentional, & True to You
If you’re looking for wedding photography that feels romantic, emotional, and cinematic, I would love to photograph your day with that same level of intention!
Getting ready photos are some of my favorite moments to document because they hold so much anticipation. You have so many textures, beautiful lighting, and the quiet moments before the day picks up. And the people closest to you all become part of the way your wedding day is remembered.
You can learn more about my me on my about page. If my work feels connected to the kind of wedding photography you’re dreaming of, I would love to hear from you through my contact page. Until then, you can see more real weddings, sessions, and resources on the blog.
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