If you’re doing the super traditional thing of sleeping apart and not seeing each other until you get to the altar, having your photographers present will mean that you don’t miss those special moments that happen when you’re apart. Here are some more reasons for starting the photography at the very beginning of your day:

Telling a Story

As we mentioned above, your wedding day is a sum of many parts and just as you’ll want to take photos at the reception, taking photos while you’re getting ready will help you to tell the story from beginning to end. 

When you look back on your images in the days and weeks after the wedding, being able to see both nearly-weds going through the process of getting ready, getting into their finery and spending the time with their parents, bridesmaids or groomsmen will give you a complete storyline for the whole day. It will also look fabulous when placed chronologically in your wedding album. 

Capturing Special Moments

Do you remember how it felt to put your wedding dress on? The look on your parents’ faces when they saw you for the first time? The group hug you had with your best friends before they accompanied you down the aisle? Maybe you do, but on a day which is going to be busy and overwhelming, there’s a good chance that you’ll forget one or two of these moments. 

Having your wedding photographer present and taking candid shots while all of these things are happening means that you won’t need to use your memory to remember everything – you’ll have beautiful images to preserve the moments forever. If you also, as we mentioned in our previous post (ADD LINK), give your photographer a face log containing images of your nearest and dearest, you’ll ensure they’re present and alert when you’re interacting with your most important guests. 

Gaining Confidence

There aren’t many people in the world who are used to the feeling of having a photographer following you around and taking photos of you, so it’s likely to feel a little alien on your wedding day, too. 

If you start having photos taken right at the beginning of the day, before you’re even in your ceremonial clothes, there’s a good chance that you’ll feel significantly more comfortable and confident in front of the camera as the day goes on. This will also mean that the quality of your images will probably get better as the day goes on, too, as your photographer and yourself will be a lot more ‘in sync’ with one another. 

Wedding photographers are usually pretty intuitive when it comes to other people, but it still takes time for them to get to know you and your personal quirks, so giving them this kind of “all access pass” to your whole day will give them even more to work with. 

Attention to Detail

Once the ceremony and reception are underway, the opportunities for detailed photos become less and less. Later in the day, there will be guests around and a schedule to stick to, plus group shots to think about. Trust us – you really don’t want to be waiting til you’ve got 150 guests to greet, first dances to perform and many glasses of champagne in your system before you think about photographing small details!

Allowing your photographer to be there while you and your partner are getting ready will mean that images of things like your engagement rings, personalised cufflinks, shoes, intricate dress details and your “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” (if you’re having them) are much easier to capture, especially if your photographer needs to set up special lighting or backdrops for the images. 

3 Recommended Poses for Pre-Wedding Bridal Suite

Accessories – take images of your rings, tiara, special jewellery and any other accessories you’re wearing on the day.

Dress – there will be lots of images of you in your dress on the day, but remember to ask your photographer to get up-close images of any details you want to highlight.

Bridal Group – group shots of the bride and her bridal party are something you’ll cherish for years to come. 

3 Poses for Pre-Wedding Photos in Groom’s Suite

Cufflinks – cufflinks are the groom’s equivalent of a tiara, adding a bit of bling to your suit. Ask the photographer to get some up close shots of these on the day.

Groomsmen – getting ready for your big day with your brothers or best friends is something you’ll want to look back on after the day. 

Candid Checks – Getting the photographer to capture your last minute checks, like making sure you’ve got your vows, checking the time on a pocket watch or your best man straightening your bow tie will make for great candid images.