Scheduling Time for Wedding Day Getting Ready Photos

A half hour is not enough time for getting ready photos 😀👍

I know as a bride, groom, or someone planning a wedding, this is probably one of the last things on your mind when you think of the timeline for your wedding, but let me show you why its so important!

As your wedding photographer, my job is to capture YOUR wedding day and *tell your story.* Part of your story is the your venue where you've chosen to celebrate and commemorate your love! The details you've put together to show your personality as a couple. 💌💍 The emotion you feel as you prepare for your marriage ceremony. 🪞

Imagine yourself in 5, 10, even 20 years, looking through your wedding gallery. You and your partner are reminiscing about the early days of your relationship, probably laughing about how stressful planning a wedding was, and you sit down together to admire the beautiful celebration you had.

You see your stunning engagement photos; you remember how electric you felt, how every kiss felt brand new.

You scroll through your formals, smiling at the small details that you split so many hairs over. (eyelash lace or no eyelash lace? How long should my veil be? Hair up or hair down?)

You finally get to the wedding gallery and

Boom!

Right into the ceremony. So quickly that you almost feel like you've missed the precession.

Ok, harsh, right? I mean, your wedding day didn't start at 4pm with your precession. My bet is that your wedding day started sometime about 9am as you got ready and tried to remain calm while eating breakfast. While your morning bowl of cereal might not be the vibe, what about the "eleventh hour?" Why should that be left out of your story?

Ok so let's play that out one more time.

... You finally get to the wedding gallery and

You remember your Maid of Honor curling and pinning your hair. Your Best Man, who had forgotten how to tie a bowtie, calling in reinforcements for all of the groomsmens' ties. Your mom' soft touch helping you into your dress. Her teary eyes as she sees you ready to start your own great adventure.

You see the pillars in front of the venue, and remember how much it meant to you to get married in a place that you absolutely loved The flowers expertly laid on the table. The ceremony hall, all the chairs silently waiting. anticipating your guests. You see the candle you lit for your loved ones in remembrance, a reverent token of love through the generations The details that came together to make your wedding special.

Detail styling by both Poise and Ivy Imagery and Britt Warnick Designs

You scroll on to see your personal details, displayed beautifully together. Your invitation, as perfect as a fresh print, presenting so boldly the font that you and your partner decided on together. Both your rings, glimmering in the light of your wedding day. set aside each other.

Ribbons running lightly over your flowers, jewelry, veil, even your wedding shoes. The perfume and cologne you used. you see the bottle lain amidst the details and you can almost smell it, and it brings to memory the whole day.

You recall how you looked at your father before he led you in that first step into the aisle for your ceremony.

And you see your ceremony, your cake cutting, your honorary dances, and your reception play out in front of your eyes.

It's no secret that wedding photography is a powerful way to tell a story. "A picture is worth a thousand words," right? Well these moments are such an important part of your story. They are WORTH the effort taken to preserve them. Don't leave them out.

Your wedding story doesn't start at 4pm on the day of your ceremony, why would your photos start only then?

So instead of cutting off part of your marriage story, try this:

Tell your photographer that you want getting ready and detail photos covered. Plan for roughly two hours before the ceremony. Remember, we have to get your getting ready moments as well as your partners moments, set up the detail shots, and immortalize the venue setup. We love to do it, but it does take time!

Honestly two hours is the minimum that I would recommend for a full wedding. Think of this timeline when you're considering the shots you want your photographer to include:

Bridesmaids getting ready together before the ceremony at Siempre, Utah

Venue details: 15 - 30 minutes (depending on the size of the venue)

Bridesmaids getting ready: avg 45 minutes (hair, makeup, helping eachother into dresses)

Groomsmen getting ready: avg 15 minutes (tying ties, messing around)

Bridal details / wedding details: 30 - 45 minutes

Bride's finishing touches: 15 minutes

Groom's finishing touches: 15 minutes

First Look: 20 Minutes

Even if you're eloping with only your soon-to-be spouse, a witness, the photographer, and the officiant, you can still get those touching memories captured! Get ready together, separately, with your wedding party, or by yourselves. It's my job to make sure that your story is preserved beautifully for you to look back on in 20 years.

Adriana (bride) receiving loving help from her sister and mother before her wedding ceremony

Hair artist Brittney Blake (Touch Of Rose LLC) placing the bride’s veil before the ceremony

These are the kinds of photos your photographer will not have the time or space to capture if you don’t schedule it in. I want to make sure your hard work and your intentional details are immortalized, because they ARE an important part of your story too!

Send this blog post to someone you know that's planning a wedding so that they don't miss out on capturing their full marriage story!

As always,

All the love!

Ivy