Syracuse, New York
I’ve written before about how the getting ready portion of the wedding day is my favorite, but today I’m talking about a part of the day I rarely get to witness – the groom getting ready! When Caleb started shooting weddings with me, he took over this portion of the day, so I only get to photograph this portion when I’m assisting other photographers. I’m excited to be sharing all about the the groom getting ready today!
It goes without saying that the groom’s prep on the morning of the wedding looks a lot different than the brides. While the girls will spend hours doing their hair and makeup, the guys take only minutes to get ready and often spend the morning doing other things, like golfing or playing pool. Even though the actual “getting ready” portion of the morning is brief, these photos are still important!
This is our chance to capture the groom’s details.
Details set the stage for the rest of the day and the groom’s details are no different! Things like the cuff links, tie, jacket, watch, cologne, socks, and shoes are all a part of the wedding day story. In many cases, one of these items holds special meaning (such as a watch that was a gift from the bride, or cuff links that the groom’s father wore) and we want to make sure they are photographed. When Caleb arrives at the groom’s location, this is the very first thing he captures.
This is when we get the best groomsmen photos.
Since this part of the day is so relaxed, we often get great candid shots during this time. I love having Caleb photograph the groom getting ready because he fits right in with the groomsmen and can take photos without being a distraction. The groomsmen don’t feel like they need to behave as much as they do when I’m in the room! As soon as the details are set, Caleb takes candid shots while the guys hang out and start getting dressed.
This is when we photograph a classic groom portrait.
After the groom is mostly dressed, the more formal portraits begin. Caleb will photograph the groom as he puts on his tie, cuff links, and shoes to get a different perspective on the same details. He also might give some direction as the groomsmen help put on boutonnieres and jackets. Once the groom is completely ready, he will set up a few formal portraits. I always love these shots because they are so classic and flatter any groom!
So that’s a brief rundown of what to expect when the groom is getting ready. It’s one of the shortest and most laid-back portions of the wedding day, but the images are always some of my favorites!
