Should You Get Getting Ready Photos on Your Wedding Day?

Yes, we think getting ready photos are worth it for almost every bride, and it's not because we want to sell you more hours. It's because the getting ready portion of the day holds moments you genuinely cannot recreate later: your mom fastening your veil, your dad seeing you for the first time, the quiet before everything picks up speed. If you're trying to decide whether to build getting ready coverage into your wedding day timeline, here's everything we think you should weigh before you book.

What are "getting ready photos," exactly?

Getting ready photos are the images (and often video) captured while you and your bridesmaids are doing hair, makeup, and getting dressed, usually in the one to two hours before the ceremony. They cover everything from candid moments at the makeup chair to your mom helping you into your gown to the first look at yourself in the mirror once you're fully ready.

They're not staged. The best getting ready coverage looks less like a photoshoot and more like someone was just there, quietly catching what was already happening.

Why do brides get getting ready photos and video? The real reasons.

1. It's when the emotional, unscripted moments happen

Once the ceremony starts, the day moves fast and everyone is "on." Getting ready is different. It's slower, smaller, and full of moments nobody planned: a mom's hands shaking a little as she does up the buttons, a bridesmaid tearing up watching you put your dress on, a sister zipping your shoe while you laugh about something that happened that morning. These moments tend to become some of our couples' favorite images from the whole gallery, more than they expect going in.

2. It documents the people who did the most and are photographed the least

Your mom, your mother-in-law, your bridesmaids, whoever is helping you that morning, these are people who poured hours into helping you get ready and might not end up in many formal photos otherwise. Getting ready coverage naturally includes them in a way that feels honest, not posed.

3. It rounds out your wedding story

A gallery that starts at the ceremony skips the beginning of your day. Getting ready photos give your album (and your future kids, if you're into that kind of thing) the full arc: before, during, and after. Without them, there's a gap right where some of the most tender parts of the day actually happened.

4. Detail shots happen here too

Your dress on the hanger, your shoes, your rings, invitation suite, perfume, jewelry, all of that gets photographed during this window. If you've spent time and money curating those details, getting ready coverage is when they actually get seen.

5. It gives your photographer time to build trust with your group before the "big" moments

Photography during getting ready isn't just about the shots themselves. It's also warm-up time. By the time you're walking down the aisle, your photographer already knows your group, your dynamic, and how you move, which tends to make everything after feel more natural too.

What should you think about before booking getting ready coverage?

Getting ready photos are worth it for most brides, but "worth it" still means being intentional about a few things so you actually get what you're picturing.

Should your photographer arrive at the very start, or toward the end?

This is one of the biggest planning decisions, and there's no single right answer, it depends on what you want the photos to feel like.

Arriving early (foundation and base makeup already done, but before final touches): you get more candid, in-progress shots, more of the process, more time with your people before things get formal. This is the move if you want a documentary feel where getting ready is its own chapter of the story, not just a lead-in to the dress.

Arriving toward the end (last 30-45 minutes before you're dressed): you get fewer candid process shots but more polished, composed images, final touches, the dress reveal, jewelry going on, a first look at yourself in the mirror. This works well if your morning is chaotic, your space is tight, or you'd rather your photographer's hours go toward the ceremony and reception instead.

Neither is wrong. The honest answer is to think about what you'll actually want to look back on, and to talk it through with your photographer when you're building your timeline, since this is exactly the kind of thing worth nailing down before the day.

What else should you prepare or plan for?

Tidy the space before your photographer arrives. Clear the room of extra bags, coffee cups, and clutter. A clean space, or even just a corner near good window light, makes a real difference in how the photos turn out.

Have your details ready and in one place. Dress, shoes, rings, invitation suite, perfume, jewelry, anything you want photographed, pack it all together ahead of time so nothing gets left in a car or a different room.

Think about lighting, not just location. A room with a big window is almost always going to photograph better than one lit only by overhead lights. If you have a choice of getting-ready rooms, pick the one with the most natural light.

Give yourself more time than you think you need. Rushed getting ready time reads as rushed in photos. Build in a buffer so you're not doing your last button while everyone's yelling that the car is here.

Decide who you want in the room. Getting ready photos often include your mom, your bridesmaids, and sometimes your mother-in-law. If there's someone specific you want captured with you, or want to keep the room smaller and quieter, say so ahead of time.

Loop your photographer in on the plan. Send over your venue's floor plan or a photo of the room if you can. It helps your photographer plan light and angles before they even walk in.

FAQs: Getting ready photos on your wedding day

Do I need getting ready photos if I'm not that into "process" shots?

You don't need a full hour of candid prep shots to benefit from this coverage. Even a shorter window focused on final touches, the dress, and a few candid moments with your mom or bridesmaids captures things you'll want later.

How long should getting ready photo coverage be?

It depends on your group size and how much of the process you want documented, but a common range is 45 minutes to 1.5 hours before you need to leave for the ceremony.

Can I get getting ready photos without a videographer too?

Yes. Getting ready coverage works with photography alone, video alone, or both. It's simply the time window, not a specific service.

What if my getting ready space isn't very photogenic?

Talk to your photographer ahead of time. A good photographer can work with tricky spaces by leaning on window light, tighter framing, or moving parts of getting ready to a better-lit room if one's available.

Should the groom's side get ready photos too?

Many couples do include this, especially if the groom's group is getting ready nearby. It's worth mentioning if you want both sides covered so it's built into the timeline.