How to get beautiful morning prep footage
One part of the wedding that you probably haven't thought a whole pile about up until this point is the morning preparation. It's one of my favourite parts of the day to capture - not only because I'm getting to meet everyone for the first time, but also because of the mixture of fun and nervous energy in the room.
No doubt it will be an early start for you, with makeup and hair kicking off in time to get through all the bridesmaids. For the fellas, lets be honest, it's a rather more chilled affair..
Morning video footage can be some of my favourite to edit, but there are some things you can do to help maximise the quality of not just your video, but your photos as well. Let me share some of them with you..
1) Set yourselves up in the most naturally lit room in the house
I'll let you in on a little secret - the number one thing that enhances the quality of your photos and videos is LIGHT. I'm not talking about the overhead light bulbs you switch on at the wall or the lamp in the corner of the room - I'm talking about natural light from outside that comes in through the window. When you're deciding which room in your house to set up your hair and makeup, try and pick the room which has the most natural light coming in from outside (i.e. the room with the most / biggest windows). Typically if you have a sun room, they are ideal. When the makeup artist arrives, ask her if you can position yourself close to (and facing) the window. This will cast beautiful and natural soft light on your face which will level up the shots the photographer and I will be able to get.
2) Save the gifts for when we arrive
There are often plenty of gifts circulating in the morning of the wedding. These might be gifts for bridesmaids, parents and each other. I know there's a temptation to open gifts as soon as possible (maybe even the night before), however these are often great moments to capture on video. They add great variety and excitement to your film. I find that once everyone's makeup and hair is almost done, just before you are about to get into dresses, is the best time to do pressies.
3) Write and read letters to each other
Ok - I appreciate that this one isn't for everyone. But I love it when couples are happy to open and read the letter from their partner on video. Sometimes, if the bride is nervous about sobbing uncontrollably, I have them read it alone first before reading it for the camera the second time round (or third if needed 🤣). As I say, this one isn't for everyone and, if that's the case for you, no problem whatsoever. On the morning of my wedding I opted not to read in front of camera so there will be no judgement from me....
4) Consider doing a first look with your dad / bridesmaids
First looks are super common these days and a great part of the wedding morning. Apart from looking great on video, I often hear brides say that first looks are strangely a great way of settling nerves early on. There are a number of different ways you can do a first look. In all likelihood the photographer and I will liaise with you on the morning to see what way would work best. But if you hadn't considered it already, first looks are a great addition to your wedding morning.
5) Have the details ready
You've put lots of thought and effort into the finer details of the day. I want to show these off as much as possible in your video. A good time for me to capture these is pretty soon after I arrive in the morning (no doubt the photographer will want to capture these as well). Having some of these details sitting out together and ready to go can save a lot of time in the wedding morning (jewellery, wedding invitation, perfume, shoes etc).
So, those are some thoughts on how you can really help level up the results of your bridal prep footage. A little really does go a long way. Other than that, get the Spotify playlist on, the snacks doing the rounds and the coffee going. You'll hear it said a million times - but it's true that the day goes in super fast. So it's important to soak in and enjoy every single moment - that all starts with the morning prep.