As a photographer who spends hours upon hours with the bride getting ready, I have seen more bridal suites than I ever thought I would. Some are gorgeous and perfect for photos while other suites might as well be a dungeon with zero necessary amenities. Photographers can only work so much magic if there’s a bad bridal suite and if you love stunning getting ready photos, these are your bridal suite must-haves to achieve that! In addition, you’ll learn exactly what essentials you should have in your suite.
Windows probably weren’t the first thing you expected to be on my list of bridal suite must-haves. As a photographer, it’s one of the most crucial elements to achieving beautiful light and airy images. I always encourage brides to choose a suite that has at least two windows in order for the light to be ideal.
If your venue’s bridal suite doesn’t have windows, stay far away and choose a hotel room instead! Hotels with light, neutral colored walls and carpets or hardwood photograph will yield the cleanest look. When booking the hotel room, request a suite with at least two windows or even a corner room. You’ll be so glad you did!
The amount of time photographers spend cleaning up shoes, makeup, and clothing from bridesmaids, moms, and the bride can really cut into the time they have to photograph you. To avoid this, designate one closet or corner, ideally far from pretty window light, for clothing, accessories, food, etc. Not only will your photographer appreciate this, you’ll also end up with little to no clutter in the background of your photos!
Hopefully your suite already has a full-length mirror, but if not, make arrangements to have one brought to the room. You’ll absolutely want to take a peek at yourself from head to toe before leaving your suite for photos. I actually changed in a spa bathroom at my venue then walked into a gorgeous hallway for zipping up photos. It wasn’t until I caught my reflection in my hotel hallway window at the end of the day that I realized I never saw myself head to toe. I really wish I had thought to do that! Don’t forget like I did!
Hydrating and eating properly on the morning of the wedding day is a must! Whether you’re up for a full breakfast and lunch or simply little snacks or protein shakes here and there, you should never go into your photos and ceremony without eating. Plan to have healthy, low-sodium foods that are higher in fats and protein in your bridal suite. Healthy fats like avocado will help you feel full much longer than toast, for example, and low-sodium foods will prevent bloating.
Not only it is important to eat, you should also hydrate with water throughout the wedding day. The earlier you start drinking water (i.e. days before the wedding), the better you’ll feel and the more clear and bright your skin will be. Especially if you’ll be consuming alcohol throughout the day, hydrating with water is a must!
Wrinkles don’t make for flawless photos of anybody’s gown and nobody wants to try out the steamy shower trick on the morning of the wedding day. Enlist somebody to bring a fabric steamer to your bridal suite and have a bridesmaid or family member steam your gown and your bridesmaids’ gowns. This ensures the dresses are pristine before leaving the suite!
Whether you want tranquil spa music or exciting top 40 pop music playing in your suite, have a bridesmaid bring a small speaker so your room isn’t too quiet. In addition, I recommend buying a bottle or two of your favorite champagne to enjoy responsibly while getting ready. Champagne toasts make for really adorable bridesmaid photos and I recommend requesting these from your photographer!
Photography: Cavin Elizabeth Photography