Nail Your Getting Ready Photos 

Just before the New Year holidays, we co-organised a unique styled shoot with our wedding photography expert panelist Maria Sundin. The aim of the shoot was to create some gorgeous images to complement today’s TIP feature on nailing your ‘getting ready images’. With limited time, we managed to pull together some amazingly talented vendors who helped create an inspiring shoot and had lots of advice for readers too.

The ‘getting ready’ part of a wedding offers plenty of opportunities for your photographer to take some creative detail shots while you and your girls are being beautified. It’s also the perfect moment to capture images of you and your favourite ladies together in a more relaxed and natural environment.

Below, Maria talks our readers through some pointers to help you create the perfect ‘getting ready’ photo opportunities. Vendors involved in this shoot are credited at the bottom of the feature (Note: Images of groom, grooms accessories and image to reflect ‘pick the lightest room’ where not part of this styled shoot). Over to you Maria …

Above: Maria Sundin of Maria Sundin Photography

You’ve got your dress, your overnight bag, your jewellery, your shoes and your man, and you’re about to have the wedding of your dreams. A big part of the wedding day, not to be forgotten, is the getting ready photos. These moments with your bridesmaids or groomsmen, siblings and parents before walking down the aisle can be really special. Here are a few simple tips on how you can ensure those getting ready photos look amazing.

WHERE TO GET READY?

As you plan your wedding, think about where you’ll get ready. Whether at home or at a hotel, if you want photos of both of you getting ready, it’s always a good idea to stay within walking distance of each other. If you’re in a hotel, get rooms next to, or close to each other (or perhaps borrow one of your guest’s rooms) so that the photographer can easily go between your rooms. We love the suites at Park Hyatt Dubai! The suites have plenty of room for all your bridesmaids and friends and there’s great light.

PICK THE LIGHTEST ROOM

Without great light, there are no great photos. So if you have a choice, pick the room with the most light to get ready in. I usually look for rooms or places near windows that are bathing in light.

CLEAN ROOM

Make sure the room is clean and tidy. I’m pretty sure you won’t be happy to have the Spinney’s plastic bag, dirty laundry or lunch leftovers in the background of your wedding photos. I would suggest keeping your things tucked away in a different room if possible, and try to keep clutter to a minimum. I sometimes even remove the paintings from a hotel room to get a clean canvas!

ORGANISE THE ACCESSORIES

Have everything that the groom and you are wearing on the day organised in one place, without tags, ready to be photographed. This would include your jewellery, your shoes, a veil, a garter like the one below from Dubai Bridal Showroom, and whatever else you are wearing such as a headpiece. My latest infatuation with headpieces is Anaqa, a Dubai-based brand. Her designs are delicate and soft, different and just beautiful. Have a look at the ANAQA headpiece below, teamed with a gorgeous Mantilla veil from the Dubai Bridal Showroom! 

CHOOSE YOUR SIGNATURE DRINK

This is the time for bubbles or you can craft your own signature drink to share with your bridesmaids! For the purpose of this shoot, Rio at BCME whizzed together a faux mocktail, aptly named ‘Roseberry’ (using blackberries and rosemary). A pretty signature drink, can make for gorgeous pictures.

If you’re staying in a hotel like Park Hyatt Dubai, the bartenders will be happy to help create your preferred signature drink!

WEARABLE BRIDESMAID’S GIFT

If you’re looking for a cute gift for your bridesmaids that’s also functional, a robe is the perfect answer. I’m in love with this gorgeous silk robe from the White Company’s 2015 collection. The White Company is also registered with MyList.ae, the Dubai gift registry for your wedding. The colour of these robes is just gorgeous and if you get one for yourself as well, your dilemma over what to wear before getting changed in the morning will be solved. Another great gift and keepsake is a jewellery piece for your bridesmaids to wear at your wedding. I love these jewellery hairpieces from ANAQA.  

A DAY TO GET A MAKE-UP ARTIST & HAIR STYLIST

If there’s any day of the year that you should hire a professional, it’s today. Working with a great makeup artist will ensure your skin glows all day and your makeup stays on! A hair stylist who can perfect your bridal hairdo – and make sure it remains styled the whole day – is a must. We teamed up with Be Bar – Blow Dry Bar , who brought some amazing stylists to the set, and Dubai-based makeup artist MHG (Monica Make-up Dubai), who worked with the gorgeous #4 lashes from Mac Cosmetics (I want these!) for this natural and romantic look that we LOVE!

BRING THE RINGS

Even if the best man, the ring bearer or the groom is going to keep the rings right before the ceremony, it’s a great idea to have them with you in the morning so they can be photographed. This includes the engagement ring and both your wedding bands.

Bride Club ME  and I teamed up with a selection of UAE wedding vendors to do the shoot for this article on getting ready, and we decided on a different wedding ring, an Arm Candy fashion tattoo. Assistant stylist Salwa Chamsi-Pasha brought these beauties to our attention. Slightly harder to photograph if it’s not on the finger, but works great as an accessory. If not for you, for your bridesmaids!

FLOWERS

Ask your florist to deliver your bouquet and the boutonnieres to the bridal room just before you start to get ready, so that these can be photographed while you are getting your hair and makeup done. I sometimes advise having an extra flower arrangement in the room to make it look and feel beautiful. Photographers can also use a flower or two from the arrangement to incorporate when photographing your details. I’m in love with the Parisian florists style at Anthiea Flowers  in Abu Dhabi; he just makes the most exquisite floral arrangements! Just look at the flowers below!

INVEST IN NICE HANGERS

Hang your dress and groom’s suit on a nice sturdy wooden hanger. It doesn’t need to be too fancy, but no cheap metal or plastic allowed as it will be photographed!

DON’T FORGET YOUR INVITATIONS!

Bring two copies of your stationery along to your bridal suite. This is a great time to get photographs of your invitation, the envelope, the RSVP cards and any extra pieces of stationery such as the table numbers, name tags, menu cards, ceremony cards, etc. Why two copies? Sometimes there is a great back and a great front to a card or an envelope and we like to photograph both sides in the same photo. Have a look at the stationery suite below designed by Emily from  Ever After Press  – on the envelope, there’s a unique seal on one side and beautiful calligraphy on the other.

HAVE FUN

This is the most important part. Don’t forget to have fun with your bridesmaids! Cheering and toasting, ordering a platter of nibbles and putting on some great music is what it’s all about to set the mood for the day!

The little Pink Styling Book 

Organised and styled by: Maria Sundin & Rio from Bride Club ME / Assistant stylist: Salwa Chamsi-Pasha / Photography: Maria Sundin Photography / Venue: Park Hyatt, Dubai / Stationery & gift cards: Ever After Press / Calligraphy: Gill Turner via Ever After Press / Flowers: Antheia Flowers / Signature drink (Roseberry): Created by Rio at Bride Club ME / Silk robes: The White Company via Mylist.ae / Head pieces: ANAQA / Mantilla veil and garter: The Bridal Showroom / Wedding dress: Saja Wedding NY / Blue silk ribbon: FrouFrou Chic / Brown silk ribbon: Silk and Willow / Bride & bridesmaids hair: Be Bar – Blow Dry Bar / Bride and bridesmaids makeup: MHG (Monica Make-up Dubai) / Chrystal glasses: Tavola via MyList.ae / Flash ring tattoo: Arm Candy fashion tattoos via Boarders at Dubai Mall.

Xx Maria Xx

Looking for more wedding tips and advice? Click here.