Getting ready on your wedding day

01. LOCATION | While choosing your lodging and getting ready location keep in mind the aesthetics and look that fit the general vibe of what you’re going for. It’s best to keep the rooms you are getting ready in neat and do any necessary tidying up the day before. Try to pick up any loose clothing on the floor move any luggage or miscellaneous items to one side of the room or out of the rooms all together. This will allow us to candidly photograph/Videograph you two without any clutter or distractions in the frame. It will also create a more calm and peaceful environment for you to get ready in.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Always look for a nice clean calm open space.

• The more natural window light the better.

• Have a family member or a bridesmaids prepare all the details you’d like us to photograph (rings, dress, printed invitations, vow books, shoes, etc.).

• The less busy and distracting the space is the better.

• Consider the general aesthetics and decor: do they match the vibe of what you’re going for.

02. MOMENTS TO CAPTURE | Amazing heart felt moments to capture (photo/video):

• Copying your vows into your vow books.

• Writing and reading each other love notes.

• Giving a gift to your partner.

• Reading letters from family or friends.

• Giving gifts to wedding party.

• Having family help with putting on attire (dress/suits).

• Sending each other voicemails the morning of. (With the anticipation of not listening to it till after the wedding).

First of all, what’s a first look? Your first look is the moment you see your partner for the very first time on your wedding day, all done up and looking incredible. If it hasn’t felt like your wedding day is really here and happening up until this point, it will now. First looks are often emotional at first following by a stream of pure excitement and joy. Your first look is typically when any nerves and stress begin to fall away too. You realize you’re right where you’re supposed to be standing before the person that makes you feel the most comfortable in this world about to have one of your best experiences yet together.

Why have a first look?

Traditionally, at big church weddings the couples did not see one another until they are walking down the aisle during their ceremony in the afternoon after so much of their wedding day has already gone by. But you’re here because you’ve chosen to throw tradition to the wind so having a first look is your opportunity to see your partner

The first look is when you can anticipate all your nerves settling, once that moment is history you can concentrate on being fully present with your partner.

for the first time in their wedding attire! It allows you to see your partner earlier in the day so you can spend as much time as possible together, even if you want to get ready separately. It’s a moment where you can fully be present without distraction it doesn’t make your ceremony any less emotional or special, in fact most often couples feel initially less nervous and more excited once they have had their first look to themselves.

Where to do the first look?

Some couples choose to have their first look at the getting ready location maybe in the front or the backyard out on a spacious deck, a dock, a bridge, in any scenic corner of the property. Don’t forget to consider this when you’re booking lodging. The benefits of doing your first look right at the getting ready location is that you’ll be able to diminish any nerves right from the start, spend the maximum amount of time with your partner and enjoy the journey to your next location together.

The planning of the ceremony really gets done by your planner we don’t have much of an input here but there are a few things that will make our job a little easier.

- Make sure you kiss for longer when you’ve been announced married! This allows us more time to capture this special moment!

- When walking down the aisle walk slower than you’re used to and stop in the middle to kiss again! This is where if you feel a little sneaky you can add a dip or twirl or have your family and friends either blow bubbles or throw petals, etc. (Remember this is your day so be creative, no boundaries)

- Before the cremony starts, the videographer will add a small microphone on the groom's jacket to be able to capture all the audio from the ceremony.

- If you have a special person you want us to capture during the ceremony or anytime throughout the day please let us know beforehand, we do our best to capture photos of everyone but cannot guarantee we will capture it all.

The ceremony is quite a thrilling experience, because on top of feeling all your emotions, the energy from all of your guests is highly contageous. So multiply your emotions X (number of guests) = heart exploding! We absolutely love capturing these moments.

- We highly recommend doing all the family photos right after the ceremony. So once you walk down the aisle and had your moment together it’s important to ask all the family member to stick around for photos.

Consider having a phone free ceremony. While guests taking pictures does not generally impact us too much - we've learnt how to navigate around them. However from an anthropological perspective, we are sure you would love to see (and have great photos) of your family & friends smiling faces and being 100% present witnessing your ceremony & in the moment, rather than the glow of a hundred iPhones.

* Providing us with a list for your family photos beforehand is helpful to stay on time and organized. We usually ask for a family member with a loud voice to help us through this process!

Keep each other smiling. Reminisce over all the amazing stories adventures and misadventures that brought you to where you are. Remind your partner how great they look and how much you love them. Have fun and enjoy yourself! Happy looks good on you!

It’s incredibly common for a couples to fear being awkward in front of the camera. Trust us, we hear this from almost everyone we talk to you. We want to assure you that letting those worries fall away will be easier than you anticipate. Remember that you’re going to be looking so good and you will be experiencing so many wonderful emotions on your wedding day. Those feelings of overwhelming joy will shine through your photos. This designated portrait time is a great chance for you to to enjoy some slower paced alone time. Our best photos and videos happen when you actually forget that we're there and are wrapped up in each other and a stunning scenery around you. If any posing adjustments needs to be made we will speak up and give you two some gentle directions. We will never leave you hanging and or wondering what to do. The more time you have a portraits the more relaxed you too will fill in the more great portraits we'll be able to take! The magic typically begins to happen after spending at least 15 minutes at a location.

You’ll find yourself quickly forgetting about any cameras the more you focus on being present with your partner and the beautiful scenery around you. That’s what the day is all about. Trust us! We do this professionally and we have the same goal in mind. We want your photos to look as incredible as you do.