Should You Include Getting Ready Photos On Your Elopement Day?

When helping our couples create wedding timelines, we’re often asked if it’s really worth including getting ready photos on your elopement day.

Without a doubt, the answer is always YES!

The time spent preparing for the day often includes some of our FAVORITE moments. We will always encourage our couples to include coverage during this time for three main reasons:

1. They help tell the full story of your wedding day.

Your wedding day is so much more than your ceremony and a few photos after. Our goal when documenting your elopement is to be able to tell the story of how you chose to get married. The time you spend preparing for the day is SO important! Often, it is while couples are getting ready for the day that everything starts to feel REAL. Strong emotions can sneak up quickly, and we often hear from couples how grateful they are to have those moments captured!

2. You get to casually meet your photographer and ease into their photography style before the big moments of the day.

If you’re feeling apprehensive about having your photo taken all day, getting ready photos can actually help quite a bit! Getting to meet your photographer before the big moments, like your ceremony, really allows you to get comfortable in front of their camera. If we get the honor to photograph your elopement, you’ll get to casually hang out with us, get to know our style, and feel comfortable with our laid-back, documentary approach. In the end, it always makes those really big moments (like your ceremony and couples portraits) feel that much more comfortable – you’ll be seasoned pros in front of our camera by then!

3. They don’t just have to include you putting on your wedding attire!

One of the best things about deciding to elope or have an intimate wedding is the ability to really slow down and create a day that’s unique to you! The getting ready portion of the day is the perfect time to consider what activities you’d like to include as you prepare for the day, both physically and mentally.

Some of our favorite getting-ready activities include:

• Snuggling up with a cup of coffee or tea
• Enjoying a dip in the hot tub
• Playing a few rounds of your favorite game
• Copying your vows into your vow book
• Listening to your favorite record
• Meditating or doing yoga together or with your loved ones
• Playing a few rounds of your favorite yard game
• Facetiming friends and family
• Making breakfast together
• Swinging in a hammock
• Enjoying time with friends and family
• Making a piece of art together
• Exchanging gifts
• Reading letters from loved ones
• Helping each other get dressed

Favorite tips for making the most of your getting-ready photos

Declutter Your Space

When we’re documenting the start of the day, it’s super helpful if the space is decluttered when we arrive. Consider stashing luggage away, doing a quick sweep of any surfaces that might be in the background, and hiding anything that might be distracting in photos. You definitely don’t have to do a deep clean and we can get creative with angles if needed, but it’s helpful if we have a mostly clean space to worth with from the start!

Dedicate Enough Time

We typically spend an hour and a half to two hours documenting the getting ready portion of the day. Often this means that your hair and makeup will need to be mostly done by the time we arrive. If you tell your hair and makeup artist to plan on being 90% done by the start of your coverage, that will allow us to capture them putting on the final touches while still giving us time to include other activities during this portion of the day!

Plan Ahead

You’ll want to keep in mind what else needs to happen in order for your intended getting-ready activities to take place. For instance, if you’re planning on video chatting with your loved ones, make sure they will be available during the timeline you’re planning to call. If you are getting ready with your loved ones, make sure they know what time they need to be dressed and ready.

Gather Your Wedding Details

If you have any important details that you want to be sure we get photos of, getting ready is the perfect time to capture them! We’ll be sure to get a list of what you would like captured ahead of time. In order for us to capture those details efficiently, it’s helpful if you can plan on having them all gathered in one place and ready to go by the time we arrive, since we’ll often start with the detail shots! Items that couples typically like to include are rings, flowers, vow books, jewelry, invitations (if you have any!) family heirlooms, attire, shoes, and anything else that you might have gotten especially for your wedding day!

While you’re thinking about what details you’d like to include on your wedding day, consider some of the smaller things that can really help those details pop. Those might include loose flowers from your florist, a unique ring box, a map or postcard from where you’re getting married, or a bottle of the scent you plan to wear on your wedding day.

Getting Ready Examples

To get a feel for what getting ready photos can look like, here are a few of our favorites!

You have the ability to make your wedding day as unique as your relationship. When you’re thinking through how you want the day to unfold, make sure you think about how to want to kick it off!

Ready to get started?!

As two born and raised Coloradans who have photographed 200+ couples in over 100 locations across Colorado we are ready to make your dream elopement day happen. Yes, we are photographers, but we are also your pack mule, your best friend, your planner, and your guide to having the best dang day in Colorado. If you love new experiences and want to kick wedding tradition to the curb, then reach out to us and we’ll help you start planning a wedding day as adventurous as you are. Now, let’s do the dang thing!

In the meantime, be sure to check out our list of Best Places to Elope in Colorado, and our guide for How to Plan a Colorado Elopement!