Getting ready photos are the part of a wedding day almost nobody plans enough time for, and the part I'd fight to keep. If you're a Toronto couple mapping out your hours and trying to figure out where to trim, this is me asking you not to trim here. I usually block 60 to 90 minutes for this stretch, and I've never once wished I'd given it less. It's the quiet before everything kicks off, full of nerves and laughing and the occasional happy tear, and it sets the tone for how the rest of the day photographs. If you're still building the shape of your morning, my wedding day timeline guide walks through where the hours actually go.
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It's a warm up
This is the part of the day where you get used to me being around before anything big happens. By the time the ceremony rolls around, the camera feels like nothing, which matters a lot if we haven't worked together before. A little breathing room early makes every photo after it more relaxed.
That warm up pays off most if there's a big emotional beat coming, like a first look. You want to already feel loose by then, not still figuring out where to look. Even 20 easy minutes in the getting ready room does more for your photos than any pose I could give you later.
The small details and the big reactions
Getting ready is where the details live: the dress hanging in the light, the rings, the shoes, the note you've been saving to read. It's also where the real reactions happen, like your mom seeing you for the first time, or your best friends losing it while you zip up the dress. Those aren't moments you can stage later.
One quiet thing that makes this go smoothly: gather your detail pieces into one spot before I arrive. Invitation, rings, jewelry, perfume, the heels, anything borrowed or old. When it's all in a shoebox or a bag in one place, I can shoot it in the first 20 minutes instead of hunting the room while your morning is happening around me.
Everything's still fresh
This is when it all looks its absolute best. Hair just done, makeup crisp, the dress and suit still perfect before a full day of hugging and dancing. I usually get there early so I can photograph the details before they're worn, while everything's still pristine.
The other reason I show up early is light. A getting ready room with one good window is worth more than any lighting kit I own, and the soft morning light near it is the most flattering you'll get all day. If you have a choice of rooms, pick the bright one and keep the space near the window clear, and I'm happy to take a look and help decide when I arrive. Brides tend to need about 40 to 60 minutes here, grooms usually 30 to 45, and detail shots take roughly 20 of those minutes, so build your hair and makeup schedule to land a little before I walk in.
One shooter or two
How we schedule the morning depends on the coverage. If it's just me, we stagger it: I'll usually start with the groom, then head over to the bride, so it helps to plan the two rooms with a little travel time in between. With two shooters, we still like to work the getting ready together most of the time so we're catching different angles of the same moments, but if the timeline is tight or the rooms are far apart, we can split up, one of us with each of you, and cover both mornings at once.
Short on time
If your morning is compressed, there's a way to still walk away with the shots. Have all your details ready to photograph while you get about 90 percent dressed, then we stage a few getting ready moments, a parent or your bridal party helping with the last buttons, the jacket, a piece of jewelry. It's a bit of a mock version, but it's fast, and you still get those frames instead of skipping them entirely.
It starts the story
A wedding gallery should read like the whole day, not just the middle of it. Getting ready is the opening chapter, and without it the story kind of starts halfway through. It also lets anyone who couldn't be in the room feel like they were there for all of it.
Years from now, the buttoning and the last look in the mirror are the frames that pull you straight back into how the morning felt. That's the quiet stuff that ages the best.
So when you're building your timeline, carve out real time for this part. It's the first thing to get squeezed and the last thing you'd actually want to lose. If you want help figuring out how much to set aside for your specific day, reach out and we'll map it together.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do getting ready photos start?
I usually start 60 to 90 minutes before you leave for the ceremony or first look. The trick is working backward from your ceremony time so hair and makeup finish just before I arrive, and you're nearly ready when I walk in.
How long do getting ready photos take?
Plan for about 60 to 90 minutes of coverage total. Detail shots run roughly 20 minutes, brides tend to need about 40 to 60 minutes once you factor in robe shots and getting into the dress, and grooms usually run 30 to 45. If it's a solo photographer, we stagger the two, usually the groom first and then the bride, so leave a little travel time between rooms.
What should I have ready before the photographer arrives?
Gather your details into one spot: invitation, rings, shoes, jewelry, perfume, and anything borrowed or heirloom. Have your bouquet and boutonnieres delivered to the same room at the same time, and keep the space near your best window clear and tidy.
What are detail shots and why do they matter?
Detail shots are the close photos of your rings, invitation suite, shoes, dress, and the little sentimental pieces. They open your gallery and tie the whole day together, and they only look their best before everything gets worn and handled.
Can I skip getting ready photos to save time?
You can, but it's the choice couples regret most. It's the calmest, freshest, most emotional stretch of the day, and even a trimmed 45 minutes keeps the opening chapter of your story intact. I'd cut almost anywhere else first.