Getting ready photos are, without a doubt, one of my favorite parts of the wedding day.
This is the moment when everything starts to feel real. The dress is still on the hanger, hair and makeup are in progress, emotions are high, and the people closest to the bride are all in the same space.
From a photography perspective, it’s where I can tell a story in the most natural and spontaneous way, through honest, documentary-style images.
Including getting ready photos in your wedding photography coverage means giving space to real emotions, meaningful connections, and quiet moments that often become some of the most treasured memories of the day.
This article focuses on the getting ready of the bride and a separate article will follow, dedicated to the groom’s getting ready, to complete the full wedding story.
Makeup and hair together: a shared experience
In this case, the bride chose to get ready not only with her mom, but also with all her closest friends.
What made this moment even more special is that the bridesmaids didn’t arrive already prepared. Instead, they all got ready together in the same room. This created a strong sense of sharing and connection with laughter, nervous energy and emotional exchanges.
From a storytelling point of view, this kind of setup is perfect for a reportage approach. I can move freely, observe interactions, and capture genuine moments without directing anything.
This is one of the reasons why I always encourage couples to plan their wedding photography timeline in a way that allows enough time for these shared getting ready moments.
The importance of photographing details
Details are an essential part of getting ready photos.
I usually photograph them while the bride is finishing her hair and makeup. This allows me to work quietly, without interrupting the flow of the moment, while still creating a complete visual story of the day.
Shoes, jewelry, the dress, perfume, handwritten notes, these elements are not just “objects.” They help set the atmosphere and give context to the wedding day.
When you look back at your gallery, these images help you remember not only how everything looked, but how it felt.
Getting ready with the most important person: the bride and her mom
We intentionally left space in the timeline for them to be together ,adjusting the dress, sharing quiet words, exchanging looks full of emotion. These moments don’t need direction. They just need time.
As a wedding photographer, I always pay special attention to these relationships. They are often subtle, intimate, and incredibly powerful. Photographing them during the getting ready allows for a calm, emotional storytelling that wouldn’t be possible later in the day.
In this specific story, the most important person was the bride’s mother. For another bride, it could be a sister, a best friend, or anyone who holds a special place in her heart. What matters most is the connection and creating space for that relationship to naturally unfold.
Portraits of the bride, using natural light and space
Another important part of the getting ready is dedicating time to bride portraits.
In this case, we didn’t need to change location. We stayed in the same room, using the available natural light and the space around us. By playing with light, shadows, and simple compositions, we created elegant and authentic portraits without interrupting the flow of the day.
First look with the bridesmaids
As planned during our video calls before the wedding, the bride decided to do a first look with her friends before seeing the groom.
This choice created an incredibly emotional moment. The reactions, the hugs, the tears,everything happened naturally and was filled with genuine joy.
From a photography point of view, it was a powerful moment to document, and one that the bride will be able to relive forever through her images.
A quiet moment before the ceremony
Before leaving for the first look with the groom, the bride took a moment alone to read a letter from him.
This was an intimate, quiet pause in the middle of an emotional morning. Moments like this don’t need to be staged, they just need to be respected and documented with sensitivity.
Why getting ready photos are worth it
Getting ready photos are not just about preparation. They deserve space in your wedding photography timeline because they:
help tell the full story of your day
capture real, unfiltered emotions
highlight meaningful relationships
create a natural, documentary-style narrative
This is why I truly believe that getting ready photos are an essential part of your wedding coverage and why they are always worth it.
If you’re planning your wedding contact me for more information about my wedding photography services.
And if you’d like to discover more about this couple and see where their story began, don’t miss my previous article “Surprise Proposal in Rome: A Romantic Trastevere Photoshoot”
where everything first came to life.