Bridal Preparation Photographs

I've decided not to have any of these. I look a bit rough in my dressing gown, will be doing my own make up and going out to the salon to have my hair done. Hence he'd only get a picture of me struggling into my control underwear, which would not be anyone's idea of lovely!

I'm going to be at my venue, using the in house hairdresser and my make up artist is doing our make up in a boardroom. I can't get into my bridal suite til an hour and a half before the ceremony. Just not sure i want pics of me stressing. But don't want to regret the decision either

My videographer was there first, did a fab job at calming everyone down! Then the tog arrived in time to see the champagne being opened...

I didn't pose for anything while I was getting ready, they literally just snapped/filmed while I was doing stuff!!

Strangely enough I mentioned this to my b2b this week as we're meeting with our photographer at the venue in a couple of weeks and "definitely not" was her fairly unambiguous answer.

There'll be enough going on during the morning, and enough people in the room, without having a photographer to contend with.

I'm having my dad do mine. He is a professional photographer mind ?

He was supposed to be doing all my photos but since we found out he's ill, his friend (and also a professional photographer) is going to do mypics but only from my arrival at the church. So my dad will do the ones of us getting ready.

It depends if you want the arty pics of shoes, dresses hanging up etc - but you could just as easily pass your camera round in the morning and each take it in turns to take some photos. Your TOG might not include them in your album though ?

I'm still in two minds about this - i've seen some lovely pictures of brides during the morning preparations, but I suspect I will look as ropey as Heck first thing that mornign without my make-up.

and there are to be no shots of me half in and half out of the dress - not a good look!

Most photographers (I hope!) understand that the bridal preps can sometimes be a stressful time for the bride, and people can be nervous, so keep things very low key at this point in the day. I stay in the background and just take a few relaxed shots of the preps as they happen, maybe just a few posed make-up shots if there's time, and then a few posed photos when the bride is ready. I'd ask your photographer what they usually do during the bridal preps, if they're very un-obtrusive then you may not realise that they're there, and they'll get some fab photos of you before the ceremony. Don't worry they wouldn't be snapping away at any awkward moments, they'll have been to plenty of weddings and will hopefully know what a lady does and doesn't want photographing ? Definitely worth having a chat with your photographer before you make your mind up.

Hope that helps a bit!

Ali x

For me at least, Bridal Prep shots are never posed.

When I arrive I usually start with photographing the flowers, shoes, dresses. Then some whilst the bride is having her hair and makeup done and then maybe some portraits of the bridesmaids and bride separately.

Then I get some shots of the bride being buttoned / laced into her dress and leave some 20-30 minutes before she does.

I'll do some formal shots if asked but generally it's very relaxed and reportage. Worth having.

Thanks for all of your opinions. I will speak to my TOG and ask him what he thinks we should do. He is a friend of my H2B and is being very flexible with what we want, so i know he will be happy to help.

Cass were you told 12 in the suite? I asked them to phone me as soon as it was ready and they phoned by about 10.45 to say it was ready for me. Ask them to do the same.

I had bridal prep photos, most of which weren't posed. The tog was just there in the background snapping various things - me having make up or hair done / flower girls playing / myself and sisters all in a line at the hairdressers reading mags! They're ace, I love them.

I'm having them because our tog included it in their package and wouldn't reduce the cost if we didn't have it. If I'm honest I'm not that keen on the idea as I wanted it to be a very personal time with just me, my bridesmaids and other female relatives, I don't particularly want a stranger hanging around taking photos of it. In the end though I thought: I'm paying for so I might as well have it.

Our package also includes groom preparations - which should be interesting. My OH has already asked our tog "you realise my 'preparation' is going to involve 30 mins of me reading the paper and drinking coffee and about 5mins of me throwing on my suit and getting in the car? Are you sure there's enough material there?"

There was no posing for me and I barely even noticed my photographer - although it was quite nice to have a wedding professional to chat to. It was also when photos of my dress, shoes and bouquet were taken. I really like my preparation photos, it's telling the story of the day:

I was told 2pm!!! But have paid a small amount to have my CBM's family room from 12pm But i will be asking for my money back if i can use that room or my bridal suite before then. Bloody cheeky wotsits. I am using the in house hairdresser, so i will be asking them while i'm there i want the room as soon as i can have it. Both my adult BM's are quite capable of being firm but polite and hopefully i can get in there sooner. Plus i don't really want my bridal suite ransacked before my H2B even gets to see it lol

I'm faking my make up photos - hardly anyone has seen me without make up on since I was thirteen and there's no way I'm having my maskless face in photos!

The photographer is going to take a phote of my friend/make up artist holding a make up brush to my cheek once I have my war paint on...

You were told 2?? Honestly, I was in just after 11.30 which was when I eventually arrived. Phone them to check, you have to be out by 10 I think so they don't need 4 hours to clean the bridal suites! Which one are you in? I was in the Barnard Suite (actually, is that wierd knowing that if you're in the same one?! ?)

I think we were meant to have one other room early too - not sure if that happened or not in the end. I know I had 12 people in our bridal suite either getting ready or filming / taking pictures so you can certainly fit a lot of people in there!

I know it's a joke! Make up and hair isn't going to be finished til 12.15 ish and they have offered us a meeting room for free for the make up artist to use. And weirdly enough, i am in the same bridal suite!!! ha ha

Because i am having my hair done there, it just means i would want somewhere to put all of our stuff and dresses, as i certainly do not want to leave them in the car in the car park!

I'd double check that at your final meeting (which should be soon?) and ask them to call you when it's ready. Hopefully it will be by the time hair and make up is done and you can get straight in there.

Oh, and definately have the prep photos done. You don't have to ever look at them again but you can't have them done after the date if you change your mind.

I will send Michelle a message now. She has been very good. i am also waiting to hear from her in case the chapel is ready in time. Fingers crossed. Yeah i think i am swaying towards having them done now. I can always kick the TOG out if he is getting on my nerves lol

I definitely am, on girls nights outs its always me holding the camera taking the pics so I'm going to make the most of being on the other end of it whilst I can

It will be nice to document the whole day and our tog is really chilled out so I can't see him getting in the way

I am having bridal prep shots. Firstly my photographer specialises in reportage photography and is really into "telling the story of the day". Secondly I get very nervous and flustered when I think someone is taking photos of me, so having him there for an hour or two while I get ready will help me get used to it. That way when it comes to walking down the aisle I will be calm and radiant as opposed to frightened and holding my hands in front of my face!

I see it more as having the time you spend with your bridesmaid etc when you're getting ready being documented.

I had bridal prep shoots as our togs were there all day (and Teri was doing my make up). So pleased I have them as they tell the story of the whole day and some of them are some of my fave photos. None were posed (except one when I stood with my mum and dad for a pic).

Our photographer will be there during my preparations - I'm getting ready at my Mum and Dad's house and wanted to capture all of the excitement of getting ready with my BMs. Our photographer is so lovely and very discreet and her style is very much "snap from a distance" so I am not worried about feeling too under pressure.

I guess if you have one there, you need to just be clear on what you want - if you don't want to be posing for pics but want some of you getting ready then be clear with your photographer that you don't want anything too intrusive and the right photographer will understand x

I agree with this.

Besides, the way I look at it is I might as well have them done and if I don't like them, I never have to look at them again. If I don't get them done, I might regret it and there's no way to go back and fix that.

Glad the co-ordinators have been better for you than they were for me. Also ask her who is on all day for the wedding, we had no one there so double check who to call on if you need them.

Taken from 3 metres away and they had no idea the camera was pointed at them:

My H2B really wanted me to have the bridal prep photos, but I am undecided as of yet.

It scares me to death as getting ready on a normal day to go work is bad enough!

I'm faking mine too Mooey. TOG arrives at 10am and will do some pictures of tables people etc once am ready i will have some "getting ready" pictures taken and then some leaving the venue for the church. I didn't fancy being seen half dressed / no make up.

My dad is also doing our morning getting ready photos. He'll be the only man in the house and otherwise be twiddling his thumbs - he is also a very good photographer! But I didnt want him to do the rest of the day - I want him to enjoy it and socialise. So will have a professional Tog to do the rest.

I have been a bridesmaid a few times and my experience is that the Tog's are very good at getting great pics without getting in the way or slowing things down. I've never had to pose - just the occasional 'look up' or 'smile' etc...

Ha ha Dilly, a woman after my own heart!! (also, got no bridesmaids so that's that theory dead in the water!)

I love my preparation shots, got some lovely ones of my niece waiting to be dressed, me literally "squeeeing" and clapping my hands at my sister when her hair was done, me drinking champagne (this was in a lot of photos!!)

A very valid point.....