Today I would like to talk about one of the most important and often underrated parts of the wedding day – the getting ready of the bride and groom. Unfortunately, many wedding planners and newlyweds allocate too little time for this moment in the overall timing of the day. This is a critical mistake, which I will try to explain from the perspective of a wedding photographer and videographer who has been working in Montenegro for over eight years.
The getting ready of the bride and groom is not just preparation for the ceremony. It is the first opportunity for your photographer and videographer to capture authentic, emotional shots that will become some of the most treasured in your wedding film and photo gallery.
Why Getting Ready is a Critically Important Part of the Wedding Day
When I start shooting a wedding in Montenegro, the bride’s morning becomes the perfect moment for me. This is a time when everyone is in a relaxed, natural state. There is no hustle, no pressure, no audience. It is during these hours that I capture the most sincere, vivid moments that later become gems in the wedding film.
First Impressions and Communication
When the photographer and videographer begin shooting, the bride’s morning is the perfect moment for getting to know each other and establishing contact. Mutual trust is formed, the first communications that directly affect the quality of work throughout the day. I always try to arrive an hour before the scheduled shooting time to scout the space, understand where the light will fall, and where to position the bride for the best shot.
During this time, I tell the newlyweds about my work, how I see their day, and what moments I would like to capture. Such contact creates an atmosphere of trust and comfort, which directly reflects on the quality of photos and videos.
Capturing Wedding Details
It is during the bride’s getting ready that I get the perfect opportunity to capture all the details. Standard attributes of any wedding – the wedding dress, rings, groom’s suit, bouquet, shoes – all require attention and time for quality shooting from different angles and under good lighting.
But the most interesting part begins when the newlyweds want to add uniqueness to their wedding. I always enjoy seeing creative solutions and individual approaches. This includes wedding stationery specifically designed for the wedding – invitations, menus, table number signs, boutonnieres. The photographer and videographer create beautiful collages from these details, which enhance the overall gallery and highlight the individuality of your celebration.
I always advise newlyweds to think in advance about the color palette and style of their wedding. This is extremely important for wedding photos and videos. Matching dresses for bridesmaids or groomsmen, beautiful umbrellas, fans, name decorations, special bracelets for guests – all these details create visual harmony and tell a story. Don’t forget to inform your photographer and videographer about these elements in advance so we can plan the shoot considering all nuances.
Here is another important request from an experienced photographer and videographer – prepare all the details in one place. When all the accessories, decorations, and stationery are gathered in one convenient location, it saves precious time in a very tight schedule. We will be able to take detailed shots without rush and hurry.
Optimal Timing for Getting Ready: How Much Time is Needed
How Much Time is Needed for the Bride
It is very important to correctly calculate the time for the bride’s getting ready. I recommend a minimum of two hours for the actual getting ready shoot. But the rule is: the more time, the better the result.
Two hours is the minimum that allows the wedding photographer and videographer to work calmly with the details, create a beautiful collage of all the elements, and also capture quality portraits of the bride in her dress. When there is no rush, the bride relaxes, forgets about the camera, and we get the most natural, beautiful shots.
I have seen many weddings where only 40-45 minutes were allocated for the bride’s getting ready. The result is always the same – the photographer and videographer are forced to rush, missing something, not having time to capture everything they wanted. The bride feels this rush, gets anxious, and her smile looks tense. Ideally, allocate at least 2.5-3 hours.
How Much Time is Needed for the Groom
The groom’s getting ready requires a minimum of one hour for the shoot. This time includes the groom’s preparation, putting on the suit, detail shots (suit, rings, shoes, cufflinks), and portrait shots. If the groom has friends helping him get ready, and you want to capture these moments, it’s better to allocate at least an hour and a half.
The Best Portraits Are Taken in the Morning: Why Is That?
In the morning during the getting ready of the bride and groom, the best, most beautiful portraits are always taken. There are several objective reasons for this, which I would like to elaborate on.
Fresh Makeup of the Bride
The first reason is the freshest, perfect makeup of the bride. I start shooting the bride’s morning right after the makeup artist finishes, which means my cameras capture absolutely perfect makeup at its best. Throughout the day, especially in the height of the season and during the summer heat in Montenegro, makeup inevitably loses its freshness due to high temperatures, humidity, movement, and interaction with guests. Therefore, I always strive to take the best portraits of the bride in the morning when everything looks perfect.
Energy, Freshness, and Naturalness
The second, no less important reason is that the newlyweds at the beginning of the day are always full of energy, enthusiasm, and sincere emotions. This is a very important factor because later, during the wedding day, with its hustle, ceremony, reception, and entertainment, there may simply not be time for posed portrait sessions. Everything shifts into a reporting mode – you are busy with the ceremony, dancing, interacting with guests.
It is in the morning that I have the opportunity to take portraits where the newlyweds look at the camera with sincere smiles, without tension. They are not tired yet, and their eyes shine with the joy of the upcoming day. Later, by the end of the day, accumulated fatigue and emotional exhaustion can sometimes reflect on the faces of the newlyweds, and this is visible in the shots.
Natural Lighting and Quality of Light
The third reason is the quality of natural light. In Montenegro, the morning sun is soft and diffused; it does not create harsh shadows that appear at noon. If you have windows in the room where the getting ready takes place that face east or north, you get perfect soft lighting for portraits without the need for complicated lighting equipment.
I always look for rooms with good natural light for the bride’s getting ready. This allows avoiding artificial lighting, which often gives the wrong skin tone and looks less natural in video.
Less Rush, More Creativity
The fourth reason is the absence of rush. When there is time, I can experiment with compositions, angles of shooting, and suggest different poses and options to the newlyweds. This is time for creativity, not for rushing through mandatory shots.
No Damage to the Dress and Details
The fifth reason is that at the beginning of the day, the wedding dress is in perfect condition. There are no wrinkles, no stains, and no beads have come off. By the end of the day, the dress may be wrinkled after the bride has been sitting, dancing, and socializing with guests. Therefore, I always get the best shots of the dress in the morning.
Additional Moments Worth Capturing During Getting Ready
In addition to the main shooting of details and portraits, there are several important moments that make sense to shoot specifically during the getting ready.
Recording Vows in a Calm Environment for the Video
Sometimes I suggest to the newlyweds to record their wedding vows in a calm, quiet environment during the getting ready. We go to a separate room where there are no outside noises, and they speak in front of the camera – what they feel at that moment, what hopes they have for the future together. This recording is then used in the wedding film as a very emotional, touching element. Guests watching the film later hear the most sincere words of the newlyweds, spoken at a moment when they were not yet in the spotlight of hundreds of people.
Interactive Moments with Close Friends
If the getting ready location allows (for example, if it’s a villa with a pool or a beautiful view of the Adriatic Sea), I suggest capturing some interactive moments with close friends – bridesmaids, groomsmen. This can be a group photo by the window, funny moments during dressing, or a collective dance of the bridesmaids. Such shots add life to the video and show the atmosphere of fun and joy in the lead-up to the wedding ceremony.
Practical Tips for Newlyweds and Organizers
I would like to give a few practical recommendations that will make the getting ready more comfortable and productive for all participants.
Choosing the Location for Getting Ready
Try to choose a location with good natural light – large windows facing west or east (not south, where it may be too bright). The room should be spacious enough for the photographer and videographer to move freely and find interesting compositions.
Preparing the Details
Gather all the details (rings, bouquet, decorations, shoes, stationery) in one place. Ensure that they are all clean and in perfect condition. If you have any unique elements (for example, family heirlooms or special gifts), show them to the photographer – he will definitely want to capture them.
Coordination with the Beauty Salon
Agree in advance with the makeup artist and hairstylist on the timing of their work. It’s better if the makeup artist finishes 30-40 minutes earlier than the scheduled start of the shoot – this will give the bride time for the first, most natural photos and videos in her dress.
Relaxation and Positivity
Ask all participants in the getting ready to be calm and relaxed. The more natural the atmosphere, the better the photos and videos will look. Play pleasant music, treat everyone to tea or coffee, and create a festive mood.
The getting ready of the bride and groom is not just a preparatory moment before the main part of the wedding day. It is an opportunity to capture the most candid, sincere, and beautiful portraits of the newlyweds. It is a time when the photographer and videographer can work without rushing, when there is room for creativity and improvisation.
If you are planning your wedding in Montenegro, please pay special attention to getting ready when scheduling the timing of the wedding day. Allocate enough time, choose a good location, and prepare all the details. Perhaps the photos and videos from the getting ready will become your most favorite, most captivating shots from the entire wedding album and film.
If you want to capture the getting ready of your wedding professionally, with all the nuances and details, I invite you to contact me. I am ready to help you plan the perfect morning of your wedding day in Montenegro.
