Getting Ready photos might be some of my favorite photos of the whole wedding day! I love everything from photographing the little details to the bride getting into her dress to the bridal portraits right after that!! The air is practically electric with excitement and anticipation, and capturing the feeling of the moment is magical to me.

But there might be more than meets the eye to getting the Getting Ready photos you’ve dreamed of! I haven’t always been so cognizant of little details like the place where brides get ready. However, I’ve found the more that I educate my brides on what to look for, the more I was showing up to gorgeous, bright, white places for their getting ready photos!  Even for my own wedding, I wasn’t as in tune to what it took to get the best shots possible- I just figured I got the hotel room and my photographer will make it work. But now whenever my camera’s in my hands (and sometimes even when it’s not!) I’m looking for one thing: LIGHT.

You can see in the photos above (taken in the same room) how much a little natural light from the window can really enhance a picture! The light on Tricia’s face is just gorgeous and is what gives both photos the soft, romantic feel.

Here’s what to look for when deciding where your Getting Ready photos will be done:

1. WHITE! White walls, white curtains, white anything– the color white is a natural reflector of light, which is how you get photos to look soft and bright without dark shadows. Other light colors act similarly (light yellow, cream, etc.)
2. SPACE  If at all possible, try to pick a place that is big enough to hold at least five people comfortably. It’s hard when the hotel room is 80% bed to get the right angles and fit everyone in it!
3. WINDOWS  Like I mentioned above, natural light is really the bottom line for this whole blog post! The more natural light you have, the better! And if you’re indoors, windows are your ticket to achieving the dreamy, natural light effect.

Incidentally, these conditions are also great for the hair/ make-up artist, and you can kill two birds with one stone!! Hopefully these tips are helpful when it comes time to picking your hotel suite or place to get ready for the big day 🙂 Happy planning!