Photo By Ali V Photography

This is a subject that we felt needed it's own blog post. So here we go!

9 times out of 10, wedding venues do not allow enough time for bridal parties to actually get ready there. Most venues allow only 1-2 hours for set up prior to the ceremony time. Our hair and makeup process can take anywhere between 4-5 hours to complete. (We know that may sound like forever, but it is an industry standard and the time seriously FLIES by!)

So here are some answers to some FAQ on the subject:

Photo By KJ & Rob

Our venue doesn't allow enough time to get ready. What do we do?!

Almost every wedding we do, we are getting parties ready in either a hotel, Airbnb, or the WedLocks Studio.

But I want photos of us getting ready at the venue!

We totally get that! And you still can, but here are a few things to consider:

Photo By Jessica Christie

1. You do not want photos of all of you ACTUALLY getting ready. Do you want photos of you with only one eyelash on, or a photo of your MOH with translucent powder all over her face, or photos of your mom's hair half curled? Our guess is probably not. Those photos never make the blog, never make the wedding album and are virtually unusable. And we want you to get your money's worth with your photographer!

Photo By Ali V Photography

2. Our hands are always in the photos, and trust us, you don't want that. Notoriously, many hair and makeup artists don't have pretty hands. What we mean by that is we are constantly working with our hands and our nails are rarely manicured, there may be lots of tattoos, and our hands are covered in all kinds of makeup. Not always cute in your wedding photos.

Photo By Jennifer Morgan

SOLUTION: Get ready in a spot where time is not the issue. Get ready in a house, hotel, rental, or even the WedLocks Studio, then head to the venue when everyone is done with hair and makeup. You can always get photos of everyone at the venue getting their final details on like dresses, shoes, jewelry, etc. Then when the photographer is there, pick your friend or bridesmaid with the prettiest hands and have her pretend to put mascara and lipstick on you. Voila! Getting ready photos at your wedding venue!

Believe us when we tell you that most of the photos you see are staged in some way. We promise, it is normal!

Photo By Jessica Christie

PRO TIP: If you are one of the lucky few who does have enough time at your venue to get ready there, AWESOME! We love it! Just remember, you will be there ALL DAY, so make sure it is a super comfy spot with lots of natural light.