It's finally here! After months and months of planning and preparation, it is FINALLY your wedding day!  You have chosen the people closest to you to share this momentous occasion, picked your perfect dress, chosen the perfect accessories, and scoured through hours of Pinterest pictures to combine your style with the perfect backdrop to create your beautiful UNIQUE day!  Everyone has a love story.  You meet, you agonize over the call back or texts, you finally become an item, you date, you get engaged, you get married, right?  Well, yea, but there are details in between that have made your story unique to you and your partner.  It's YOUR story in your book, the way you met, your first date, little things that happened that are now inside jokes between the two of you, your engagement story, and now the biggest chapter in your book, your wedding day. You want to start the chapter off with all of the important moments between you and the people closest to you, as well as all of the small details that you have painstakingly gone over for the last few months.  One of the most important moments of a wedding day happen while getting ready, and this is why every Bride NEEDS getting ready pictures.

Specials Moments 

It's the morning of your wedding day!  You and the people closest to you have come together to start makeup, hair, and celebrating one of the most important days of your life!  With all of the excitement and anticipation, there are raw beautiful moments that happen through the day.  Your mother may be watching you from across the room holding back tears as she watches you get your hair and make up done.  These are the moments that you may not even realize are happening because of the chaos of the day!  Your photographer is constantly scanning the room searching for those little moments to capture!  Those sweet passing moments that you will want to cherish for a lifetime. While the little moments are so important, the big moments are just as important.  Your mom helping you get your dress on, the bridesmaids checking every inch of your dress, the groom's father helping him with his cuff links and bow tie, the groomsmen gifts, these are all important moments to help complete your wedding day story.  

The Details

We are also there to capture the fun moments, the champagne toasts, the monogrammed robes, the Bridesmaids gifts, THE Dress, shoes, jewelry, veil, bouquet, the rings, and the invitations. ALL of the details that make your wedding day unique to you.  You spent hours, days, weeks, months trying on dresses, searching for the perfect shoes, choosing the right colors, and gifts, we want to capture all of the details in a beautiful way to add to your story.  Pictures that you will be able to look back on with love and admiration.  Get those detail shots, you will be so glad that you did!

Letters and Gifts

The Bride and Groom will sometimes share letters or gifts with one another before the wedding!  I love the idea of the letter.  It's a beautiful way to start the rest of your life together! Also, there may be gifts given to the Bride from her mother, or gifts to the groom from his father or mother.  At Ivory Row Photography, we love capturing the real emotion from those moments. We want you to look back on that moment and feel as if you are right back there well after the memory has started to fade. 

More time for Dancing

Getting Ready pictures can also include pictures of the Bridesmaids with the Bride, and the Groomsmen with the Groom. We can also go ahead and get pictures of the Bride with her parents and the groom with his parents.  By doing those pictures before the ceremony, it allows more time for pictures following the ceremony.  Ivory Row Photography typically allows one hour for pictures following the ceremony (during the cocktail hour).  The more pictures you take before the ceremony, the more time you have for pictures of just you and your new hubby!  Plus, you can get to the reception faster and start the party!

FIRST LOOK!!!

One of the most frequently asked questions that I get is, "Should we do a first look?"  I feel like it depends on the couple!  If you want a more traditional approach, then my answer is no.  If you want to get some pictures of you and your hubby before the ceremony to save time, then yes!  But, the one thing that I always recommend is a first look with a parent or brother or someone close to you!  These are some of my favorite moments to capture, and you will be so glad that you got them!  

These are just a few reasons I highly recommend getting ready pictures.  It allows you to relax and not have to worry about someone capturing the important moments of the day.  All the hard work you have put into the planning and preparation will be captured in a beautiful way that you can look back on when the dress is boxed away and the jewelry has become keepsakes. But, most importantly, it can allow more time for you to spend at the reception with family and friends, celebrating one of the most important days of your life with the ones you love the most!