fbpx

13 Helpful Tips for a Stress-Free Wedding Morning for the Bride

filed in:

Weddings

I hope you’re getting excited about your wedding day! My goal is to help you have the most fun and stress-free wedding day possible. So with that in mind, I wanted to share 13 helpful tips for a stress-free wedding morning (‘cause it can get pretty hectic)!

The morning is when the train runs off the tracks 99% of the time.

As much as we’d like to think the beginning of the wedding day is not nearly as important as the other parts (the ceremony, the portraits, the reception, etc.), it does serve a crucial part in your day. There are ways to make this part seamless for you and your people, as well as your photographer and other vendors! Here are just a few tips for rocking the prep portion of your wedding day that will filter into smooth sailing for the rest of the day!

Tip 1: Lighting is everything.

The worst thing you could imagine for a photographer or hair and make-up artist is a windowless room or a room with very small windows. Look for a suite that has an abundance of natural light coming in! As professionals, we always bring our own lighting with us just in case, but we always prefer natural light! Plus, natural light will just give you better vibes for the morning. Who doesn’t love basking in a sunlit room like a happy cat?

Tip 2: Give Yourself Extra Time

Give yourself, like, two more hours than you think you’ll need. I can recall countless times when the prep ran late and cut into our portrait time, or worse, the ceremony had to start late. This can happen for a million different reasons but it’s usually because hair and make-up time was underestimated. (For more hair and makeup timeline tips, click here.)

Tip 3: The person getting married should NOT GO LAST for hair and make-up.

If you’re doing a first look, it’s essential that you be ready on schedule. If things are taking longer than expected, we want to ensure that it’s a bridesmaid that is still getting ready while you go to your first look, not you. But follow tip number 2 and then you’ll be safe.

Tip 4: Make sure everyone getting hair and makeup done knows what they want

Now is not the time to play the “I don’t know” or “I don’t care” but then actually care game. It’s also not the time to scroll Pinterest or Insta or whatever looking for inspo. That ish needs to be figured out well before the wedding. Like, weeks before. Don’t be afraid to give your attendants parameters (like everyone’s getting updos or half-up / half-down look or a braid). Indecision and constant re-dos of hair and makeup will cause a trainwreck of epic proportions.

Tip 5: Have an emergency kit.

Come prepared with the essentials: Tide pen, toothpaste, bobby pins, sewing kit, double-sided tape, a hot glue gun-(yes for reals! Need to remake your bouquet for some reason? Hot glue has got your back!), pampers baby wipes (they get stains out of anything and I’ve seen people use them to get mud off of dresses!) and the list goes on.

Tip 6: Eat.

You HAVE to eat! Nerves are nerves, but no food will not make it better. This is probably the last time you’re going to get to eat before cocktail hour, and if you don’t do a first look there’s a good chance you’re missing that too, which means the reception dinner is your next chance to eat! That could be upwards of a 12-hour difference between eating, so to ensure you don’t faint walking down the aisle please eat something! Being hangry on any day isn’t good but being hangry on your wedding day is pretty much the worst.

Tip 7: Get ready close to your ceremony location.

If you’re not getting ready in the same place as your ceremony, you’ll want to choose a getting ready location that is close to your ceremony venue. A lot can happen when a lot of travel is involved, so to ensure things stay on time make sure you’re close! This also gives you more time to hang out with friends and family and less time driving around stressing out about things!

Tip 8: Consider an Airbnb for getting ready.

Check out the local Airbnb listings in your area! Most Airbnb’s are super cute with minimal things on the walls (and everywhere else), making prep pictures look much more clean and more inviting. The times I’ve had the pleasure of shooting prep in an Airbnb are my favorite prep photos to date. Then no one has to worry about cleaning up and stashing away all the wedding prep mess (aka those storage containers and boxes full of stuff). You just have to show up. Less stress already.

Tip 9: Keep all of the bags in one room.

Keep all your bags in one room (preferably the room with the worst light!) When I get to the prep location, I start shooting. It makes things a lot more difficult when there are purses and duffle bags and plastic store bags and fast food bags and random bras cluttering every corner of the suite or house so make sure to confine the clutter to one area and keep everything else clean. That way we don’t need to do a massive speed clean-up before you put your dress on because we will already have one clean room for that!

Tip 10: Details

If you want still-life detail shots, please have all the details that I’m going to photograph in a bag or a box. That way, when I arrive, I can easily lay the items out and start shooting right away and don’t have to chase down your shoes or your jewelry. I always prefer to photograph all of your details within the context of the day, so I’ll also be grabbing shots of all of the little things like your jewelry, attire details, etc. while you’re wearing it as well. (So no sweat if styled details aren’t your thing! It’s not really mine either.)

Tip 11: Don’t get drunk.

Remember not to drink too many mimosas the morning of. It’s cool to celebrate a little, but leave the rest for the reception! Keep yourself super hydrated the day before the wedding so your skin looks great and you’re feeling top-notch. Water is good. Alcohol is not so good.

Tip 12: Take a tactical wee.

Use the restroom before putting your dress on! It’ll be a while before you get another chance! Especially if your dress is a bit difficult to get on and off. When I get nervous, I pee like a chihuahua. It’s ridiculous. So make tactical wee before that dress goes on.

Tip 13: Know how long it takes to get your dress on.

Some dresses have a corset back and take forever to get on. Know how long this takes and let your photographer know so they are prepared with the timeline! And while we’re on the subject of dresses, make sure the person who will be helping you get your dress on comes to your fittings with you so they can practice. Another part of this is your bustle: make sure someone is there with you when your seamstress demonstrates the bustle. Have that person take a video of where the bustles are. Trust me on this. If possible, have your seamstress put different colored ribbons inside of your dress to make it easy to see what hook / tie goes where.

So there you have it! My tips for a stress-free wedding morning. This can truly make or break your wedding day timeline and your stress levels, so be sure to follow these simple tips for a great morning with your favorite people! This is truly a special time for you, your friends, and your family. Cherish this time and have fun! (And don’t forget to eat!)

stress free bride stress free bride stress free bride stress free bride stress free bride stress free bride stress free bride stress free bride stress free bride stress free bride

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

submit

and stay in the know

join the club.

Thank you!!