5 Reasons Why You Need Wedding Prep Photos

And How To Make The Most Out Of This Photo Session

Your wedding photographs are going to be a memoir that will tell the story of your wedding day. 

With the years, when your own memory fades, your photos everything that will be left of your wedding day.

Let me stress that again: the whole story of your wedding day will be told - almost exclusively - by your photos.

When this story starts and when it ends is up to you.

So why start with the ceremony when you could have prep photos?

In this article I’m going to give you 5 reasons why your photography session should start way before the ceremony, before you even put your wedding outfit on.

It’s about emotions, not about getting dressed

People planning a wedding don’t usually take into consideration the getting ready part. Some think it’s just about getting hair and make up done and about getting dressed. Do you need photos of that? You can definitely survive without.

But I’ve seen hundreds of weddings and - I swear - this is when emotions run high! There’s excitement and anticipation that lead to some really beautiful moments: imagine the tension while getting ready, your family helping you out, the friend carrying your rings, your parents looking at you in your wedding outfit for the first time.

It’s a moment for lots of laughters, tears, hugs, kisses with the people that matter to you the most.

And even if you elope and don’t have people over, having photos of you and your partner getting ready will give you a much more complete storytelling of your elopement. Besides the emotions, you will also be able to remember the trip to the place you chose for tying the knot.

You can show these photos to people who weren’t there

Another big advantage of prep photos is the fact that you can share them with the people who couldn’t be there. This is so true especially when the couple gets ready in two different places and would love to see what the other was doing and how it felt. In case of eloping couples, this is a great way to share these moments with your family and friends who couldn’t join you.

You can familiarise with the camera

The getting ready part is a moment where people feel vulnerable and don’t want photos being taken. I mean, who wants to be photographed by a stranger while they’re in their pyjama and without make up?

Truth is, this is a great way to familiarise with the camera before things get hectic. I promise that if you take this little step out of your comfort zone, you’ll realise that being photographed is not a big deal and you’ll be more relaxed later, when we take portraits. In my experience I’ve seen that the more time you spend around the camera, the more natural you will feel about it.

This is when you have time for friends and family

Wedding days get chaotic fast, with everybody running on a tight schedule. From the ceremony to the dance floor there isn’t really much time for spending time alone with family and friends. The hours before the ceremony are actually the slow moments where people can take it easy and can get together for more genuine interactions, without being surrounded by all your guests.

You might regret it later

Yes, prep photos means more time with the photographer and therefore more money. In the planning stage there’s already a lot to plan and budget for, and so it’s only normal that you decide to cut off the prep part to save some money. 

But if you care about memories, this is a small investment, with a tremendous return and what seems a big expense now will look ridiculous in the years to come. 

Remember that your wedding images are - again - memories, and memories gain more and more value over time. In 10, 20 or 30 years from now your world will be a bit different with kids growing, friends getting older, grandparents who won’t be there any longer. You might regret saving some money on what ultimately counts the most: images of your life.

Bonus - How to make the best out of prep photos?

Here’s a list of things to pay attention to, when planning your wedding prep session:

1. If possible, choose a big space since people need to move around you

2. A lot of natural light coming from big windows would be ideal

3. Put the accessories - if any - all in one place: jewellery, cards, vows, rings, etc.

4. Keep the place clean and tidy, reduce clutter to a minimum and remove everything you don’t want to be in photos

5. If possible, remove all the unnecessary small furniture, especially in small rooms: chairs and small tables will only be an impediment

6. Start the prep session at least 15 minutes before the make up is complete or before you are actually dressed

7. It would be great to photograph people shaving their beard or styling their hair

8. Write cards for each other, to read while we take photos