The Truth About Dark Church Basements and Cluttered Airbnbs
You spend months planning the perfect reception decor, finding the best outdoor portrait spots, and choosing a gorgeous ceremony space. But there is one location that usually gets completely ignored until the morning of the wedding: the getting ready room. Where you spend your morning has a massive impact on your final gallery. If you are aiming for true-to-color, documentary-style photos of you stepping into your dress or doing a champagne pop with your bridesmaids, the environment matters. Here is why your getting ready space needs to be a priority and how to set it up for the best possible photos.
Window Light is Everything
The best getting ready photos rely on natural light. When you are shoved into a windowless church basement with fluorescent overhead lighting, it completely changes the look of your photos. Fluorescent lights cast harsh yellow or green tones on your skin. To get those clean, editorial shots, we need a room with big windows. The more natural light, the better.
Clutter Kills the Vibe
Wedding mornings are chaotic. There will be duffel bags, makeup bags, curling irons, water bottles, and half-eaten sandwiches everywhere. But if a bright orange plastic bag is sitting right behind you while your mom zips up your dress, it is going to be in the photo. I will always try to move things out of the way, but spending twenty minutes cleaning your room eats right into your photography coverage time.
How to Fix It
- Designate a clutter corner: Pick one corner of the room or a closet as the drop zone. Make sure all bags, trash, and food stay in that specific area so the rest of the room stays clean for photos.
- Open the blinds: Before I even walk in, make sure every blind and curtain is wide open. We want as much sunlight pouring in as possible.
- Turn off the overheads: Fluorescent and yellow tungsten lights mix terribly with natural window light. Turn off the main switches and let the sun do the work.
- Book a better space: If your venue has a dark or tiny getting ready room, consider booking a well-lit Airbnb nearby. It gives you a clean slate, better decor, and plenty of window light to start your day off right.
Your wedding morning sets the tone for the entire day. Give yourself a space that feels relaxed, looks beautiful, and lets your photographer capture those candid moments exactly how you want to remember them.
