Tips for Getting Ready on Your Wedding Day
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Explore the Planning Tools →Getting ready is quiet, then loud, then suddenly it’s time to walk. Here’s what actually helps that morning go smoothly.
Clean up before you start. Hangers, coffee cups, phone chargers, garment bags, all of it ends up in the background of your photos if it’s not put away. Ten minutes of tidying the space before hair and makeup begin saves you from a beautiful photo with a Starbucks cup in frame.
Use a real hanger for your dress. A wooden or decorative hanger, not the plastic one from the store, or the dry cleaner’s wire hanger. This is one of the most photographed objects of the morning. Worth the five dollars.
Lay out the details before anyone’s dressed. Rings, invitation suite, shoes, jewelry, perfume, anything you want photographed as a still life should be gathered and ready early. Hunting for a ring five minutes before the ceremony is not how you want to spend that time.
Natural light beats the bathroom mirror. If your getting-ready space has a window, do hair and makeup near it. Bathroom lighting is harsh and unflattering, and it shows.
Keep the room calm, not empty. A few close people, real conversation, maybe some music. Too many people crowding the space makes it chaotic for everyone, including whoever’s trying to do your hair.
Eat something. Nerves and adrenaline make people forget to eat, and a hungry wedding party by 2pm is not a happy one. Have snacks in the room.
None of this needs to be perfect. It just needs a little intention so the chaos that’s coming later in the day doesn’t start an hour early.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do to prepare the room before getting ready starts?
Clear clutter like hangers, cups, and chargers out of the space, and gather the details, rings, invitations, jewelry, ahead of time so nothing’s a last-minute search.
Does the type of hanger for my dress actually matter?
Yes. A wooden or decorative hanger photographs much better than a plastic store hanger or a wire dry cleaner’s hanger, and the dress hanging is one of the most commonly photographed details.
How many people should be in the room while getting ready?
A few close people is plenty. A crowded room makes it harder for hair and makeup to work and adds chaos before the day even starts.
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