One question I get frequently from brides is about where they ought to get ready for the big day!  Lots of options here, ladies…so choose wisely!  For some, the photos getting ready aren’t a big part of the day and are not the most important photos.  For others, however, (and I must say I am part of this group) these photos share an important part of the day.  They convey the relationships that you have with your girls…your carefree moments before the big day…those tender looks between a mother and her daughter on her wedding day.  It’s all a part of YOUR story.  So…as you plan for your big day, the question remains:  where should you plan to get ready??  Hotel?  Home?  Salon?  Your Venue?

Some brides choose to rent out a hotel suite at or near their reception site…book it the night before and head over with your girls after the rehearsal dinner and spend your last single night with your closest friends!  [You’ll probably want to book the room for the wedding night, too, unless you have someone assigned to collect everyone’s bags from the room before the wedding!]  Many hair and make up artists are more than willing to come to a hotel room to get you all dolled up for your big day!  This option is the most relaxed and gives you a great chance to have some munchies and drinks while you’re all getting ready.  I definitely encourage you to choose a suite that has plenty of space for everyone to get ready and plenty of natural light!  Applying your make-up in natural light is the best way to see what it will look for the rest of the day!  Want a tip from the photographer’s perspective?  Keep the room tidy!  Make up the bed before you start getting ready.  If these images are important to you, you’ll want a neat room so that the clutter isn’t detracting from the photos!

Another obvious choice for hair/make-up is the salon!  Some hair/make-up artists are more comfortable in their own setting.  Just make sure that if everyone is getting ready together that the salon is large enough to accomodate!  One of my favorites in Boise is Platinum.  Gorgeous decor and they have a lounge upstairs where everyone can hang out while you’re rotating through getting hair done!  Another wonderful, mod salon downtown is Azure Hair Salon in the Linen District.  These are just a few of the many great salons in the area!

So…you’ve had your hair and make-up done at the salon…now where to get dressed??  Many venues and churches have bridal rooms that allow you to get dressed on site!  [I must say…Woodriver Cellars in Eagle has the most gorgeous bridal suite that I’ve seen!  You’ll want to take advantage of that one!]  Before you commit to this as your option for getting dressed be sure to check it out first!  Some rooms are tiny…some have no natural light.  Of course, we’ll still capture some great images of you getting into your dress…but we may be limited to close-up shots if the room size doesn’t allow for full body shots.  Just something to consider!