Getting Ready for Your Wedding Photos & Video: A Simple, Stress-Free Guide

Wedding planning is full of excitement, anticipation, and just a little chaos — and that’s totally normal! A bit of preparation before your wedding photographer and videographer arrive can make a huge difference in how relaxed the day feels and how beautiful your photos and film turn out.

Here’s a friendly, stress-free checklist to help you feel fully prepared for your wedding morning.

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1. Gather Your Wedding Details Ahead of Time

One of the first things your photographer and videographer will capture are your wedding details — the small pieces that help tell the full story of your day.

Try placing items like these in one spot:

• Invitation suite (invite, envelopes, RSVP card)
• Rings (both partners!)
• Jewelry
• Shoes
• Vows or letters
• Perfume / cologne
• Any heirlooms or sentimental items
• Flowers (if available)

If you’re looking for us to capture a flat lay of meaningful items, having everything ready means we can jump right in without interrupting your morning.

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2. Do a Quick Tidy of the Getting-Ready Space

No one expects a spotless room, but clutter can sneak into photos and video quickly.

Before we arrive it’s best to:

• Clear food wrappers, water bottles, and bags
• Move suitcases or garment bags out of the main room
• Open curtains or blinds for natural light

Just a few minutes of tidying makes your space feel brighter, calmer, and more photo-friendly. Plus a clean space helps a clear mind!

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3. Build in Buffer Time for Hair & Makeup

Hair and makeup almost always take longer than expected — and that’s okay! The key is building in extra time so nothing feels rushed.

Helpful tips:

• Plan who goes first and stick to the order
• Expect small delays and give yourself grace

Plan your timeline with your photographer’s arrival in mind. Ideally, the bride is still in hair or finishing touches when we arrive so those final, beautiful moments can be captured.

When the morning flows smoothly, your photos and film reflect that energy.

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4. Eat Something (Seriously — This Matters)

Between nerves and excitement, it’s easy to forget to eat — but your body (and your future self) will thank you.

You’ll have more energy, look more relaxed, and actually enjoy the morning more. Make sure to take care of yourself <#

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5. Set the Vibe of the Room

The energy in your getting-ready space plays a huge role in how your wedding photos and video feel.

Consider:

• Playing music you love
• Keeping the room limited to people who bring calm, positive energy
• Thinking about who you want in these moments (parents, close friends, etc.)

Some of the most meaningful moments happen naturally in these quiet, in-between spaces.

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6. Write Letters or Read Vows Beforehand (If You’re Planning To)

If you’re exchanging letters or private vows before the ceremony:

• Write them ahead of time (no last-minute scrambling!)
• Decide when and where you’d like to read them
• Leave enough time to actually enjoy the moment

These moments are often emotional, intimate, and incredibly powerful in both photo and video.

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7. Coordinate with Your Officiant (This One’s Big!)

Before the ceremony, it’s a great idea to have a quick conversation with your officiant.

Ask them to:

• Step slightly out of the background during the first kiss
• Move out of the frame as you walk back down the aisle

This small detail makes a huge difference in your ceremony photos and video — especially during those once-in-a-lifetime moments.

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8. Make Sure Everyone Knows the Photo Plan

One of the easiest ways to keep your day stress-free is making sure key people know when they’ll be needed for photos.

This includes:

• Wedding party
• Immediate family
• Anyone included in formal group photos

Let them know ahead of time when and where to be. This keeps things running smoothly and prevents delays after the ceremony.

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9. Build Buffer Time Into Your Wedding Timeline

One of the biggest factors in how your day feels (and how your photos turn out) is having enough breathing room in your timeline.

Almost every part of a wedding day runs a little behind — and that’s completely normal.

To keep things stress-free:

• Add 10–15 minutes of buffer time between major events
• Plan extra time for getting dressed, transportation, and transitions
• Avoid stacking your schedule too tightly back-to-back

This allows for real moments to happen naturally, instead of feeling rushed from one thing to the next.

When your timeline has space, your photos feel more relaxed, natural, and true to the day.

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A couple other high-impact additions (worth including)

10. Decide on an Unplugged Ceremony & Keep Phones & Clutter Minimal During Key Moments

If you care about clean photos and having all your guests present, this is huge!

• Let guests know ahead of time if you’d like your ceremony to be unplugged
• Have your officiant announce it before the ceremony as well!

If you choose to go this way, this will prevent phones blocking your aisle shots.Especially during:

Other times to be aware of phone presence is during getting dressed, first look, any other pre-ceremony moments. Groomsmen should always keep phones out of their pockets when taking photos.

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11. Lock in a Sunset Plan

It’s important to think about this ahead of time if you’d like to do golden hour photos. Think about:

• When you’ll step away
• Who needs to know (planner, DJ, etc.)
• Where you want to go! Adventure awaits!!

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12. BOUTONNIERES + POCKET SQUARES!!

I’m always happy to help, but it’s a great idea for whoever will be wearing a boutonniere or pocket square, to know how to put them on beforehand — it helps keep things running smoothly and helps us avoid that last minute oopsie. Here’s a helpful video for them to check out: https://youtube.com/shorts/2-tb1nF0amE?si=F8XHJteShCTNYZoW

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13. Trust Your Photographer & Videographer

Once we arrive, your job is simple: be present and enjoy your day.

You don’t need to know how to pose or act — that’s our job. We’ll guide you when needed and step back when moments unfold naturally.

The best photos and films come from real connection, not perfection.

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14. Remember: This Is Your Day!

Things don’t have to go exactly according to plan for your wedding to be beautiful.

The laughter, the nerves, the happy tears — those are the moments that make your wedding photos and film truly meaningful.

Take a breath. You’ve done the planning. Now it’s time to celebrate, and I can’t wait to celebrate with you!