Do I Need Getting Ready Photos? An Honest Guide
Getting ready photos can capture those intimate special moments with family, such as the first looks with parents, family, bridal party or even the bride and groom. It’s not necessarily needed, but those moments are emotional and for a lot of couples, the ones they end up treasuring the most.
In Short
- You don’t have to have getting ready photos. They’re a genuine choice, not a requirement that depends on you and your partner, your priorities and other factors.
- They’re worth it if you want the story of the morning captured, have a nice space with good light, or are sharing it with people you love.
- They’re easy to skip if you want privacy, a slower start, or a tighter budget. Your gallery will still tell your story on its own.
- Whatever you decide, make the call for yourselves, not because a checklist or someone else said you should.
Below is how to decide without the pressure, including what these photos involve, honest reasons to have them or skip them, and a middle-ground option many couples land on.
What getting ready photos include
Getting ready photos are the candid and posed images taken in the hours before your ceremony, while you and your wedding party prepare. They usually cover a predictable set of moments:
- The room and the details: your dress or suit hanging, shoes, rings, invitations and flowers.
- Your first look with your bridesmaids, parents or groomsmen.
- Hair and makeup, and the atmosphere of the morning.
- Getting into the dress or suit, often with a parent or close friend helping.
- Gifts, cards and letters exchanged before the day begins.
- The last quiet moments before you leave for the ceremony.
Another thing to remember is if you want both partners covered in separate locations. This can mean a second photographer, which is worth factoring into your thinking early.
Three reasons couples choose to have them
The story of the morning. The anticipation before a wedding only happens once. For many couples, these are the images that bring the feeling of the day back most strongly and the memories they remember vividly.
The details in context. If you have invested in styling, stationery or flowers, this is when they’re captured properly, before the day gets busy.
The people around you. Parents, siblings, and your wedding party are all there in a relaxed setting. The help-you-into-the-dress moment is one people treasure later, especially with parents.
Three valid reasons to skip getting ready photos
You want privacy and calm. Some people simply don’t want to be photographed first thing, and a slower, unobserved morning helps them feel ready. That is a good reason on its own.
Your budget is better spent elsewhere. Getting ready coverage can take up to 3 hours, so this could go towards reception coverage, an album, or another priority entirely.
The logistics don’t suit it. A small hotel room, a tight timeline, or two locations across town can make the morning stressful rather than special.
It helps to remember that getting ready photos are a fairly recent expectation. Couples married beautifully for decades without them, and a gallery that starts at the ceremony is still a complete story of your day.
How to decide what is right for you
- Ask what you want to remember. If the morning matters to you, that is a strong signal to capture some of it.
- Look at your space. Good light and a tidy, roomy space photograph well. A cramped or cluttered room is harder.
- Check your budget. Decide what the extra hour trades against, and whether that trade feels right.
- Think about privacy. Be honest about whether you want to be observed while you get ready.
- Talk to your photographer. Ask about a shorter window or a content creator before assuming it has to be full coverage.
Frequently asked questions
Is getting ready photography worth the cost?
It depends on how much you value the morning and what else the budget could go towards. If the anticipation, the details and the people helping you prepare matter to you, it is worth it. If you would rather put the money into reception coverage or an album, you might want to skip it.
How long do getting ready photos take?
Full coverage usually runs from 45 mins to 90 mins per person. Covering both partners in separate locations can take longer and may need a second photographer.
What if I want to get ready alone?
A quiet, private morning is a completely valid choice, and your photographer can simply start at the first look or the ceremony. You will still have a full gallery of the day.
Do you need getting ready photos if you have a content creator?
Not necessarily. A content creator can capture casual photos and video of the morning on a phone, which many couples love for sharing. Some still book short photographer coverage as well, but the two can also stand in for each other depending on what matters to you.
Key Takeaways
- Getting ready photos are optional. Treating them as compulsory is where the pressure comes from.
- Have them if you want the morning documented, have a nice space, or want the people around you captured.
- Skip them for privacy, budget or logistics, and your gallery will still be complete.
- Decide based on what you want to remember, then talk to your photographer about the right level of coverage.
At Hey Jack, our photographers plan the morning around what you actually want, whether that is full coverage, a short capture, or starting at the ceremony. Explore our wedding photography, or view our photography packages to find the right level of coverage for your day.
