Wedding Day "Getting Ready"

This is part 1 of a 10 part wedding series. 
Be sure to check back for the next 9 posts!

After months of planning, your wedding day will arrive and you'll still have a long list of to-dos to accomplish. The first on the list is getting ready. Maybe you've got appointments at a hair or nail salon. Maybe you're just doing your own hair and makeup at the church. Perhaps you've hired a makeup artist to ensure you and your bridesmaids look radiant. Whatever your plan may be, the photographeer should be there...to capture those moments of preparation for your big day. 

Sometimes this part of the day is relaxing and gives you a moment of peace before the ceremony. Other times this part of the day is the craziest because you just feel like there's not enough hours in the day to get everything just perfect. Did you allow yourself enough time for hair and makeup? Will you be late to the church because your cousin's hair just doesn't hold curl well and it took longer to style it?  What if you don't like how your hair looks...will there be time to fix it? Perhaps you'll oohh and aww at your tomboy best friend who just happens to look super cute all dolled up. 

With hair and makeup complete you can now move on to thinking (or stressing) about all the other important little details...the shoes, the jewelry, and your lovely wedding dress. More frantic questions will arise: Did you remember to pack your shoes? Will you be able to handle wearing your adorable dress shoes for the next 4-6 hours? What if the dress doesn't fit? Does anyone have a stapler? (This was an actual question at a wedding I photographed where one of the bridesmaid dresses was too big around the bust. They stapled it together at the last minute. No joke!)

If you are lucky enough to have a moment to breathe then you might glance around the room and see that you are surrounded by people who love you and by those who have done everything in their power to make sure your day goes smoothly. Don't forget to thank your bridesmaid who was thoughtful enough to pack hairspray and extra bobby pins. Better yet, remember to thank the Maid of Honor for making sure you eat a little snack (even though you swear you're not hungry) before you walk down the aisle so you have the strength to make it through your heartwarming vows. 

"Does anyone have a stapler?"
(actual question asked before a wedding)

So while the ladies are nervously getting ready, what are all the men doing? Mostly relaxing. Rarely, in my years of shooting weddings, have there ever been any rushed groomsmen before a wedding...with the exception of times when someone has forgotten something very important, like the ceremony music or the groom's cufflinks. If you are smart enough to book a second photographer, then you will be fortunate enough to have pictures of both the ladies and the men getting ready. Sure, the men getting ready isn't as exciting, but it's still an important part of the day. 

All in all, frantic questions may cloud your head. If you can, just go with the flow. However peaceful or uneasy getting ready is, the photographer should be there for you. It's these photographs that will later help you reflect upon everything that led up to your hectic, but beautiful day.