How Much Time Do I Need For Bride and Groom Prep Photos?

I've said it before and I'll say it again, bride and groom prep photographs are some of my absolute favourites.

They're so personal.

They're fun.

They're emotional.

You can share the 'behind the scenes' run-up to the moment you walk down the aisle with your new husband, and see what the guys got up to on the morning of your wedding.

(yep, that's groomsman prep like you've never seen it - meet Lewis!)

There are a few questions you need to ask yourself, to know how much time to allow for preparation photographs in your wedding day timeline. Your photographer will ask you these questions to help them to know what time to arrive and how many hours of photography you'll be needing, but if you've worked it out beforehand you're good to go!

Are you getting ready at home or at your venue?

This applies to both of you.

If you're getting ready at home you'll need to allow a little extra time for your photographer to get from your house to your venue or church to be ready for your arrival.

*If you only have one photographer and you're both getting ready in different locations, that'll make photographing both of your preparations virtually impossible. But with 2 photographers that's not something you need to be concerned about.

With us, my second shooter spends his time with the guys, I spend my time with the girls, there's no dividing up our time, you have our undivided attention.*

Do you want photos of you and the girls getting dolled up?

Some brides love all the details - girls in their jammies, the first champagne of the day - some don't want cameras around until their hair is up and their make up is on.

If you'd like everything to be covered we'll use the timings of your hair and make-up artists' arrival as our guide of when to begin.

How many bridesmaids, flower girls and family members will be with you?

Why does that matter?

The more people there are with you the more time we'll need to factor in. If it's going to be an intimate morning, you might want a little bit of time alone with your closest friend, and we'll step out from time to time to give you some space.

But if the house is going to be bursting with life we'll want to capture everything, and that takes time.