How to Have The Best Morning on Your Wedding Day
- Madison Neumann
- May 24, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 6
Your wedding is going to consist of so many big moments: ceremony, cocktail hour, reception, and much more. How you spend the morning preparing for it all is just as important as any other part of your big day! After photographing countless wedding mornings over the years, here are some tips I've gathered on how to make the most of it and set the tone for such a special day in your life.
Set up a good schedule with your hair and makeup artists
To ensure a smooth-running morning, you will first want to talk to your hair and makeup artists. They will help you establish a "getting ready" schedule that works best for you and your wedding party.
When creating this schedule, I recommend considering any options that could save you on time, like hiring additional artists if your budget allows - it's absolutely worth it to splurge a bit on this part of your day if you can.
Don't get ready last
As a whole, getting ready is pretty time consuming, and often runs overtime - but as the one getting married, it's going to move so quickly. The last thing you will want is to feel rushed before all of the big events get started. Place yourself in the middle of the schedule so you have time to relax both before and after your time in the chair.
If your photographer will be arriving after you're already done, you can request to get back in the chair for touch-ups to be captured. I always love a good touch-up shot!
Plan for all hair and makeup to be finished by the first scheduled photo time
Pajama pictures with your wedding party is a super fun way to start off your photos for the day. If this is something you'd like to have, make sure to work it into the schedule that everyone is done with hair and makeup by the time your photographer arrives (or recommends photos to begin.)
People often forget to factor photos like these into their timeline, which can cause a stir as everyone runs around to get photo-ready earlier than they anticipated.
Organize your details ahead of time
If your photographer takes detail photos, chances are they will start snapping away as soon as they arrive while you're wrapping up getting ready. To make things easy, organize all of your detail items into one container ahead of time. That way you can simply hand your photographer one box that has everything they will need in it. This will also help you as you prep for your big day by having one designated container for all your details.
Popular detail items to include are: your rings, invitations, vow booklets, shoes, jewelry, pocket squares, hair accessories, perfume/cologne, ties, watches, etc.
Do all of your outfit prep beforehand
Suits, dresses, and other formalwear often requires at least some preparation. From snipping tags to ironing and steaming, I recommend getting this all done by the day before the wedding, or early on the morning of. Heat and moisture from steamers and irons can easily melt makeup and raise the temp of a getting room, which you will want to avoid at all costs. This will also give you the opportunity to spot any potential wardrobe malfunctions and remedy them before it's crunch time.
Plan on both breakfast and lunch
In many getting ready spaces, a lovely breakfast is set out, only for the leftovers to continue sitting out for hours before you realize it's 3:00 pm and all you have to refuel with are stale bagels on the counter. You'll want to plan on breakfast and lunch, or at least an ample amount of snacks, especially if your getting ready time goes past noon.
Hydrate!
In addition to plenty of food, you'll want to make sure you're hydrating throughout the morning. So many people say they are too anxious to eat or drink anything on their wedding day, but it really is important! Especially in warmer months, lack of hydration will catch up with you quickly once you're out taking photos and enjoying your wedding day events. I recommend picking up a hydration multiplier like Liquid IV or electrolyte packets to maximize what you drink.
Set the tone with good background noise
Nothing sets a mood like a good playlist. This is the perfect opportunity to play songs that will get you and your wedding party energized and excited for the day ahead. If music isn't your thing, plan on a nostalgic movie or big sports game to have going on in the background. This plays a bigger part in your morning than you might think!
Add more time to your schedule than you think you'll need
