The Challenges of Bride & Groom Prep at Separate Locations

One of the most exciting parts of a wedding day is the morning prep—those candid, emotional, and often chaotic moments when the bride and groom get ready for their big day. But when the couple chooses to get ready at separate locations, it can present quite a few logistical challenges for us your photographers.

The Logistics Dilemma

When both partners are getting ready in different places, timing becomes a crucial factor. If the locations are far apart, we, the photographers have to decide if it would be possible to undertake this and if we can we need to carefully plan travel time, traffic considerations, and the schedule to ensure both sides get coverage. Remember having your photographer (us) travel between locations will reduce the time we are capturing your day.

The Time Crunch

Bridal prep often takes longer due to hair, makeup, and all the intricate details, while grooms tend to have a shorter window for photos. The challenge is balancing both without feeling rushed or missing key moments. If one partner is running late, it can throw off the schedule, making it difficult for us to get to the next location on time. So being on time ready for your photographer is very important.

Missed Moments

A major downside to separate locations is the risk of missing spontaneous and emotional moments. If something special happens—like the bride receiving a heartfelt letter from the groom—it might not be possible to capture both reactions in real-time unless it is pre-planned.

The Best Workarounds

To ensure smooth coverage, here are a few solutions:

• Choosing locations nearby – If the bride and groom can get ready in the same hotel or within a short distance, it makes transitions much easier. No more than 5 minutes apart.
• Optimising the timeline – Allowing enough buffer time for travel and capturing both preparations can help minimise stress.
• Pre-arranging key moments – If both partners plan on exchanging letters or gifts, having a designated time and place ensures both reactions are documented.
• Arrange Groom Preparation – to be carried out at the venue on the grooms arrival, this is the best case scenario when both partners are not staying at the same location and the distance is over 5 mins travel time.

Getting ready at separate locations can add a layer of complexity for us your wedding photographers, but talking to us and with careful planning, it’s possible to capture the magic of your day seamlessly.