Your big day is here and you are so excited to get into that amazing dress but there’s one important piece you may be missing and that is WHERE you are putting on your wedding dress. The location/room you choose to get ready in will greatly impact the images of those unforgettable moments as you take a step into the dress you have dreamt about for so long. This is the room that you will be spending most of your wedding prep time in so be sure it’s a comfortable one for everyone to move about.

Most wedding photographers, like myself, are comfortable in all lighting situations however we aren’t magicians and prefer to get the most flattering angles and light in camera rather than spend time editing out the unwanted later on. So here are some tips to make sure you get the best images of those moments:

1. Room Size – For us photographers, we want to capture this moment perfectly. We want the reactions of your bridesmaids, your mom and the tiny moments in that big moment but to do that we need room to move! Think of how many will be present when you put on your dress and if that is adequate enough to have everyone move comfortably as well as a photographer. Do you want the images to show everyone around you or just you? If you are getting dressed in a small room that allows for little or no movement then your photographer will not be able to get the creative angles and may sometimes be left with only unflattering angles or parts of your bridesmaids cut out because they couldn’t fit into the area which you definitely do not want. So be sure to have a large area to get ready in. Sometimes it means clearing out the living room by moving furniture or a den in the house, getting a larger hotel suite or in some cases going outside if it is a private area works best too (trust me it’s been done and is something you won’t regret when you see your gorgeous photos).
2. “Clean is good and dirt is bad” (Danny Tanner) – Not really talking about dirt here but keeping a room clean and tidy is so important. Having plastic bags, shoe boxes, tags, dirty clothing, etc in the background as your getting your dress on is a real distraction when your images are put into your album. So designate the bridesmaids to have a large bag to place all their belongings in once they are ready (they should be dressed before you) and place that in a closet or out of sight. If you opted to get ready in a small room keep in mind it will look cluttered fast so be sure to have your bridesmaids clear it out prior to putting on your dress even it if takes an extra few minutes you will be happy to see beautiful getting ready images vs focusing on that mess you should have had moved.
3. Natural Light – Choose a room that has a lot of windows or one really large one. The more natural light the better for flattering bright and airy images (unless you like the dimly lit dark ones). Generally, the best position is a south facing window will provide more light so keep that in mind when reserving hotel rooms. Again if the room you choose is too dark or has awful lighting opt for outside if the opportunity is available to you.

Another tip to help your photographer out is to have the dress out of the bag hung up and all the details you want to be photographed in one spot ready to be photographed right away. If you really love your photographer have this all ready close to a large window so they can get the best shots of your details.

All of this applies to the groom prep as well however generally the groom isn’t getting dressed by his groomsmen so size isn’t as big of an issue but the cleanliness and lighting should be factored in here as well.

Here is an example of good light just by being against the window vs stuck on the opposite side of the room. Notice how the skin tones on the one with the window light hitting the bride is more my style and flattering? That will make all the difference for me as a light and airy photographer. I like soft light over the harsh backlit photos which take more work to get those creamy skin tones with much more editing. So keep in mind if your photographer will be shooting from the window inside the room to organize that clutter so that it doesn’t appear to distract the scene.