Have you ever thought about whether you and your partner should get ready together for your wedding?

As a wedding photographer, I’ve met a few couples who had an immediate, almost instinctive answer to this question.

– “Duh!” or “Hell no!”

But most of my couples are faced with this question for the first time in their lives when I bring it up. And if that’s you, I don’t blame you! After all, planning your wedding is no easy task, and it’s easy to forget about something or get lost in the details.

But that’s where I come in: whether or not you choose me as your wedding photographer, I’m here to ask you all the questions – and help you find all the answers.

With that being said, this particular question has no right or wrong answer. Still, it’s worth weighing all the pros & cons of getting ready together (or separately) for your wedding to make sure you make the right decision for You. After, all – as with almost any decision in wedding planning – it ultimately comes down to what feels right for you as a couple.

So grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and let’s explore the top pros and cons of getting ready together. I truly hope this blog post will help you decide how you’re going to spend the first few magical hours of the day you’ll get married!

Top pros of getting ready together on your wedding day

Regardless of the impression your favorite rom-com might have given you, getting ready together can be an incredibly special – and truly intimate – experience.

I mean, just picture it…

You and the love of your life – sharing laughter, nervous excitement, and maybe even a glass of champagne in the hours leading up to your “I do”.

It’s a moment to soak in all the anticipation of your wedding day together, and create memories that you’ll cherish a lifetime. And besides, isn’t it kind of romantic to catch a sneak peek into all the magic & wonder that awaits – before it actually happens?

So, without further ado, here are the top 4 reasons why you definitely should consider getting ready together on your big day.

1. Enhanced emotional connection before your ceremony

Sharing intimate moments, building a deeper emotional connection, and making sure your hearts are beating to the same tune is never a bad idea.

But I’d argue it might just be the best idea ever before you exchange your vows!

Spending quality time together in the calm before the storm (except err… this “storm” here is a good kind of storm) will help create a sense of togetherness. And this sense of emotional connection will calm any pre-wedding jitters you might feel, and set a positive tone for your wedding day overall.

So, if finding time for each other and sharing romantic & intimate moments in private is important to you, then getting ready together might just be the right decision for you!

2. Lots of candid moments

As a photographer, capturing the candid moments of my couples is always such a blessing for me.

But guess what?

Living through your candid moments – and having them captured through my lens – is an even greater treasure for you. And you’ll get to experience a lot more of these moments if you choose to get ready together…

When it’s just the two of you together, you’ll loosen up and engage in genuine interactions, burst out in laughter, or just let your emotions take over. This is when the magic happens – and this is what might result in the most authentic and heartfelt photographs of your entire wedding day.

So again: if capturing the two of you in love – before the bells toll and the whistles blow – is important to you, then getting ready together on your special day just might be a good idea for you.

3. You’ll have a more relaxed schedule

Wedding preparations can sometimes turn into logistical nightmares.

But having the both of you in the same location can save a lot of time, while reducing most of the logistical challenges. Coordinating with your vendors – like your hair stylists or makeup artist  – is a lot easier if both of you are at the same place. And you’ll have more relaxed photoshoots as well if your photographer doesn’t have “somewhere else to be in 35 minutes”.

So, if you’re looking to have a stress-free, laid-back, and generally chill first few hours on your big day, then getting ready together will definitely take the edge off of both you and your vendors.

4.. Your story will be better documented

When you choose to get ready together on your special day, the story of The Day You Get Married doesn’t have two separate beginnings. It has only one – the one you share with each other.

Besides having some sentimental value to it, it also makes my job – as your wedding photographer – a lot easier. I’ll have the opportunity to document the narrative of your wedding day from the very beginning. I won’t have to split my time & efforts between two threads of your story – because you’ll be together. And there will only be a single thread to your beautiful love story.

So, if capturing the entire narrative of your wedding day is something that’s important to you, then getting ready together is the better choice for you.

Top pros of getting ready separately on your wedding day

On the flip side, there are actually quite a few valid arguments for keeping the traditional approach of getting ready separately.

I mean, it’s tradition for a reason, right?

You might want to experience the element of surprise when you see each other for the first time at your wedding ceremony. You might enjoy the anticipation building up – and coming to a peak as you lock eyes walking down the aisle. And this can be incredibly powerful.

Plus, having separate spaces to get ready gives each of you some “me-time” before you spend your day (and the rest of your lives) together. And this might give you a sense of relaxation and focus – allowing the both of you to embrace the transformation from everyday self to bride & groom.

So, in this section, I’ll go over the top 3 reasons you might want to consider getting ready separately on your wedding day.

1. More privacy in your own space

Want to maintain an element of surprise for your partner (and yourself)?

Well then, you shouldn’t spoil the surprise prematurely.

And unfortunately, getting ready together kind of spoils the surprise and eliminates some of your anticipation. Seeing each other change from pajamas to wedding dresses & tuxedos means little is left for your imaginations & fantasies.

If preserving the excitement is important to you, then getting ready separately will help you experience the touching moment of seeing each other for the first time as you walk down the aisle.

With that being said, there are plenty of other surprises awaiting you on your big day, so it’s up to you to decide how important this particular surprise is to you.

2. You’ll have a clutter-free getting ready space

If you’re both getting ready in the same place, there’s a higher chance of distractions and clutter.

Stumbling across each other’s shoes, not knowing where to put your shirts or dresses, and having to wait for the shower are not fun ways to start your wedding day. Not only can these raise your stress levels even further, but they might also affect the overall ambiance and aesthetic appeal of your getting ready photographs.

And an easy fix to all this is just having your own separate spaces where you can comfortably get ready on your own.

While, I’m not saying that a little mess here or there can’t be charming, you should consider the convenience of having your own place to get ready – and take photographs – on your wedding day.

3. You just might save some time

I know, I know – I said you’ll have a more relaxed timeline if you choose to get ready together. And mostly I stand by what I said.

Still, it’s a bit more complicated than that…

Just imagine you had complex hairstyle and makeup needs, but only one bathroom (and one mirror) at your getting ready location. Or imagine you both had multiple family members or friends helping you get ready, and you’re all trying to cramp yourselves into a single room.

In these situations, getting ready together means you’ll have to spend minutes – or even hours – waiting for your turn to take a shower or do your hair. You’ll have to find your way around all those people in the room, and you might feel that your entire morning is just rushed & chaotic.

Obviously, if you’re planning an elopement, or you’re planning an intimate getting ready experience on your wedding day, then you won’t have to worry about all this. Otherwise, it might be a bit more practical to have separate preparations, just to make sure everyone is ready on time.

Hopefully by now, you’ve gotten a pretty good idea of whether or not getting ready together on your wedding day is the right choice for you. And hey, if you’re still looking for the perfect wedding photographer to capture all your magical getting ready moments, then don’t forget: I’m here for you. Send me a quick message – and let’s see what happens!