Bridal Party Photos

When you are planning your wedding, it's important to consider whether you would like to include bridal party getting ready photos. There's no hard and fast rule to this and I find it's a bit like marmite, you love the idea or you hate it. For some, having the bridal party pictures is as important as the rest of the day, yet for others they would rather keep this part of the day private.

I am often asked for my opinion, and I always say it is a personal preference - trying to give as much of a picture (excuse the pun) as possible of what bridal party getting ready photos look like. As a documentary wedding photographer, I am capturing your day as it unfolds. However, I am always mindful during the bride and bridesmaid photos that people are often in robes, underwear or less than they would usually wear.

I am understanding of the fact that most people are self-conscious without make up and during the morning everyone is, at some point, mid-way through either make up, hair or both. Whilst natural, the photographs I do take are always a delicate balance of portraying the story and the best version of you at any given moment.

If people really aren't sure, I suggest I arrive an hour - 90 minutes before and that way, I can still create some bridal portraits for you, just without a lot of the preparation.

Bridal Portraits

Rather than a stand here, look here, drop your arm and so on kind of approach, I create your bridal portraits with the same natural and relaxed approach that I do the rest of your wedding photography. If you feel relaxed, your bridal portaits, will be too. I mean what we all want is to look at our bride photos and say - as Keira Knightley so eloquently did in Love Actually - 'I look quite pretty'.

And with that said, let's move into our 5 tips to getting the best bridal portraits

Tip 1 - Plan

It goes without saying but you want to enjoy your getting ready time. Plan who you would like with you, what you would like to do and where you would like to do it. Remember to think about your photography in this - which elements you would like to cover. Would you like the person giving you away to come to the room beforehand for a surprise reveal?

In addition to the who, what and where, here are a few things to also consider:

• space
• food & drinks
• dress hanging
• dressing (hanging and who is helping you dress)
• photographs
• hair and make-up 'stations'
• privacy/visitors

These things massively impact on your bridal portraits because they all affect how the day will go. If you've thought of these things you'll find everything feels more organised, which takes us to tip 2.

Tip 2 - Relax

Despite what you think about yourself, you look your best when you are relaxed. The best bridal portraits, mother of the bride photos and bridesmaid photos will always be when you are looking natural. How to look natural? RELAX!

Now, despite what you may think, that isn't always going to be found at the bottom of a bottle of bubbly. If you do want to have a drink, my strong suggestion is one, after a little breakfast. I once arrived at a hotel room ready for the bride photos and the bride flung open the door and asked if I wanted a Bacardi and coke! 'Erm, not at the moment, thank you,' I replied, 'but I would like you to have some water!'

On the morning of your wedding everyone is nervous and whilst that's perfectly normal, there's lots you can do to help you relax. This tip is so important! Have your Maid of Honour or one of your bridesmaids take on the role of chief relaxer. Bridesmaids love specific tasks and choose assigning this one wisely. I've seen it in action many times and works a dream!

When you are relaxed you are naturally yourself, your shoulders drop, and you will notice what's happening around you - you become present. You want to remember as much as you can about your day. You will also laugh more and all in all this will create a perfect canvas for me to photograph you and your bridal party getting ready photos.

Tip 3 - Time does not go by so slowly (despite what Madonna says)

Every bride has a plan for their wedding day morning, and you'll have a good idea of what will be happening and when. In my experience, there are 3 things that will throw your timings off. Hair, makeup or bridesmaids.

It is always worthwhile when planning out your timings to consider how you want your morning to look. If you have 5 bridesmaids and 3 flower girls, there is going to be a lot of hair and make-up going on. Consider whether you would like everyone getting ready with you in the same place. How long will each person take for hair and make up.

Depending on the number of people in your bridal party, will depend on the number of hair and make-up artists. Usually, the bride has her own and bridesmaids share. Work out the timings and plan in for contingencies because they often happen, and it is better to be a little early or have a little time to sit and be before dressing than it is to be rushing. Back to feeling relaxed.

Make sure everyone knows their job. It's easy to think that everyone knows what a bridesmaid should be doing but it isn't obvious to everyone. If you have expectations, chat to your bridesmaids about them. Make sure everyone is happy with what they are doing on the day. You want them to enjoy that as much as you but remember, they are all there because they love you, want to help and make your day run smoothly.

If you have someone in your bridal party - believe me it does happen - who is going to go rogue, consider whether they need to be in your bridal party. Have people around you who are going to be helpful and a calming influence for you, not Penelope panicky pants!

I've been at many weddings where the bride quite simply runs out of time. Wedding photography is an investment. Therefore, you will want your wedding photographer to be able to capture the bridal party pictures that include the getting ready part but importantly, the end result. We all want a couple of killer bridal portraits as well as mother of the bride photos, bridesmaids pictures and if you have little ones, photographs with your flower girls, page boys and your own children if you have them. Plan wisely.

Tip 5 - Girls just wanna have fun!

Yes they do! With all that planning and prep, don't forget to have fun! This is YOUR day, you are the VIP. Enjoy that and relish the time with your best friends, sisters, mum or whoever is with you getting ready.

Bridesmaids are brilliant at doing fun. Maid of dishonour as someone once told me, can be true and whilst you want your crew to be organised and efficient to make sure everything goes according to plan, you also want to have fun!

Fun means the bridal party photos are going to be too. I love the mix of stunning bridal portraits, tear jerking mother of the bride photos and absolute debauchery with bride and bridesmaid photos. Bridesmaids are also great at creating some hilarious and memorable photos.

It's best not to be too contrived. There are times when people will send me some Pinterest photos of bridal party photo ideas, which I encourage and always accommodate. However, the best bridal party photographs will always be those where you are in the moment. I think there's a balance. If you do want some specific shots, we can have a more natural and relaxed approach to them, so they don't come out as overly staged. As a documentary wedding photographer, I am always going to be capturing the story, whatever that might be.

I'd love to capture yours, get in touch, I'd love to hear from you.