Some of my favorite portraits of my brides happen while she is getting ready within the bridal suite.  The environment which you select for getting ready can make all the difference in creating light, beautiful images that you’ll cherish forever!  I’ve put together a list of some tips to select the best bridal suite to ensure editorial wedding day portraits:  

---

PLENTY OF NATURAL LIGHT

One of the key ingredients for a beautiful portrait is good lighting. Large windows are a bridal suite must. Artificial overhead lights and table lamps can cast unwanted orange light and can create inaccurate skin tones. I’ll ask that any artificial light sources be turned off one I begin photographing; therefore it’s very important that the bridal suite have large windows. Sheer curtains are great diffusers and can help create a light and airy feel to your portraits while giving you beautiful and accurate skin tones.

---

A NEUTRAL ROOM

Bright, neutral, and minimal is the way to go when it comes to wall color and room decor. The focus of your wedding day portraits should be you, not the brightly painted walls, distracting decor or heavily patterned carpets. If the bridal suite you’re looking to reserve has decor and knickknacks everywhere, it may not be the best option for your wedding day portraits. Finally, colorful spaces can create undesirable color casts on your skin.

---

A LARGE SPACE

The larger the space, the better! Not only is a larger room more comfortable for everyone, I’ll have more room to get creative. The more space I have to move around, the more variety you’ll receive in your portrait gallery. A large bridal suite is required if you would like full-length bridal portraits.

If your hotel does not have a bridal suite available, consider reserving a series of rooms to ensure there is enough space for everyone to move around comfortably.

A CLEAN ROOM

It can be very difficult to work around a half a dozen bridesmaids and makeup artists and all of their “stuff.” Bags, curling irons, shoes, water bottles, phone chargers, food—these are all things we don’t want to see in your wedding day images!

Choosing a bridal suite that has ample storage allows me to take images that don’t look visually cluttered.

BRIDE & GROOM IN THE SAME HOTEL

A great way to ensure cohesion in your wedding day images is to have both the bride and groom get ready at the same hotel. Doing this can ensure a similarity in space, decor, and color.

Arranging all of the details for one of the biggest days of your life requires careful consideration, planning and organization. Selecting the right space to get ready for your wedding day may seem like a small task, but selecting the right bridal suite can make a huge impact on your portraits.

Alyssa is a Lehigh Valley wedding & portrait photographer. If you’re planning your own wedding day and would like to inquire about having your wedding day artfully captured, send Alyssa a note here!