Getting Ready on Your Wedding Morning: How to Make It Feel Magical
The hours before you walk down the aisle are some of the most beautiful, emotional, and overlooked parts of the wedding day. It’s not just about hair and makeup. It’s about the laughter, the nerves, the toasts with your best friends, your loved one zipping up your dress and the quiet moment you share with yourself before everything begins.
I’ve seen it again and again: brides who take the time to create a calm, thoughtful getting ready experience remember that part of the day just as vividly as the ceremony itself. So how do you make it feel special? Here are a few things to think about.
Set the Space
Your getting ready room sets the tone. Is there good natural light for photos? Is there enough space for everyone to spread out without chaos? Does it feel calm and comfortable? If there’s no AC and you’re in the middle of summer, plan ahead with fans, breezy fabrics, and cold drinks. If it’s winter, cozy slippers and blankets can make the morning feel like a retreat.
What You Wear Matters
It’s not about the clothes themselves—it’s about how they make you feel. Do you want something fun and playful? Chic and elegant? Soft and romantic? Choose an outfit you can move in comfortably (think: hours in the chair, maybe cross-legged) and one that’s easy to take off without messing up your hair or makeup. A robe that ties, a slip dress, or a button-up pajama set are all great choices. Most of all, it should feel like you.
Photos You’ll Treasure
Your photographer will capture some of the most intimate, candid moments of the day while you’re getting ready. Think champagne toasts with your bridesmaids, your mom zipping up your dress, or that quiet look in the mirror before it all begins. Decide the mood you want those photos to carry: sweet and silly, sleek and posh, or something more sensual and romantic.
Keep Perspective
The getting ready time can feel rushed if you let it—but it can also be one of the most grounding parts of the day. Build in more time than you think you’ll need. Put on music that makes you happy. Eat breakfast. Drink water. Let yourself laugh, cry, and take it all in.
A Little Ritual
I always love when brides add a small ritual into their morning. Maybe you read a letter from your partner, write a few lines in your journal, or take a quiet moment outside by yourself. Weddings move fast, but this pause can help anchor you before the celebration sweeps you away.
Final Thought
Your getting ready hours are the start of your wedding story. They don’t have to be perfect, they just have to feel like you. Surround yourself with people who make you calm and happy, wear something that makes you feel beautiful, and remember to soak in every single second.
💭 Do you want me to also write a shorter, more poetic “Instagram-friendly” version of this, so you can share a bite-sized post alongside photos of brides getting ready at Ristonchi?
