Tips for the best wedding getting ready photos - Plus, Chicago hotels & Airbnbs with the best getting ready spaces
Whether you know for sure you want photos to document the memories of your wedding morning or you’re unsure, here are some important tips to consider when selecting a space to get ready the morning of your wedding.
START HERE before diving in to the tips below; read and answer these questions below. Write down the answers to refer back to as you read the rest of this blog post and plan out the vision of your morning. This will help you remain focused on your priorities and vision for the day and allow yourself intentional time to be present the morning of your wedding.
When you think about the morning of your wedding, what comes to mind?
Visualize your ideal getting ready space.
How do you want to feel throughout the morning?
Who do you want to spend the morning with?
How do you want to feel when you leave to go see your soon-to-be spouse for the first time?
These are all important questions to ask before visualizing and researching contenders for your getting ready space.
Nestled in Chicago’s West Loop, the Hoxton’s “The Apartment” space is a beautifully lit and decorated space for a large group to get ready. For this wedding, the bride & groom, their wedding party and their families all got ready together in this space, all while having enough space for the bride & groom to avoid seeing each other until their private first look.
Some wedding venues offer bridal suites and getting ready spaces onsite. If your venue offers this and you like the size, lighting and decor of the space, I recommend considering this space for at least a portion of your getting ready photos. Such spaces are often designed with the goal of optimizing getting ready photos, so you may as well take advantage of it if it’s already included in your venue rental package!
As a Chicago wedding photographer who has photographed weddings across the country, I’ve seen a wide variety of gorgeous and unique getting ready spaces. While this post is relevant to getting ready spaces wherever your wedding may be happening, this post offers some specific recommendations for those planning weddings in downtown Chicago.
Disclaimer: I reference and link to some hotels and Airbnbs in downtown Chicago below, however, I am not affiliated with any of these locations and I am not receiving any compensation for including them in this post. I have also not personally visited or photographed at all of these locations, though I have at many of them.
The Space
First and foremost: choose a getting ready space that is going to help you curate the vibe you want on your wedding morning. If you’d feel most comfortable and relaxed getting ready in your home or apartment, go for it. If you’d prefer not to bring the fun chaos to your home, look into getting a hotel suite. Want to have a big slumber party with all your besties the night before and have the flexibility to hand select an ambiance you love? Rent an Airbnb.
If you have flexibility in choosing where you can get ready, below are the key things I’d recommend looking for when searching for a getting ready space.
The Size
Think about how many people will be getting ready with you the morning of your wedding: you, your wedding party/besties, family members, the hair & makeup team, the photo & video team, and maybe even more. Now, add in the fact that all of those people could be bringing along a bag or two of overnight gear and their wedding day clothes, which may end up sprawled across the space as everyone gets ready. Now factor in that you’ll want space for everyone (yourself included) to hang out and yap while you’re waiting your turn for hair & makeup. Suddenly, it turns into a lot of needed space.
The Ambassador Hotel’s suites are large, beautifully lit spaces with a clean and minimalist aesthetic. The spaces are large enough for large groups to get ready in together without feeling crammed or too cluttered. Some of the suites also have their own private terrace, as well as have access to the rooftop deck with iconic views of Chicago’s Gold Coast.
If you’re the type of person that gets claustrophobic or feels overwhelmed by clutter, this is all the more reason to opt for a bigger space, even bigger than you think you might need. A bigger space automatically brings more relaxation.
A quick side point on clutter: Clutter on wedding mornings is next to impossible to avoid. I don’t want you to try to avoid it completely; trying to avoid it is an unnecessary stress. However, what you can do if you have a space big enough, is to designate one or two rooms that will be the place where bags/clothes/hair & makeup products etc. will be placed throughout the morning. You can have another room be the designated “clean” space where everyone can hang out and take advantage of photo ops. If you’re someone who gets stressed out by clutter, having a designated out-of-sight-out-of-mind location for the clutter can instantly alleviate any unnecessary stress the morning of your wedding. This setup will also save time when it comes time for photos, as I always do my best to tidy up a space before taking photos in it, so if the space is already clean, we’ll save time.
The Lighting
Aloft Mag Mile’s penthouse suite is a massive, beautifully lit space that is perfect to accommodate a large group of people.
ICYMI, lighting is everything. Well, behind you. When it comes to your wedding photography, you & your people are everything on your wedding day, and lighting is second. Finding a getting ready space with beautiful natural light can sometimes feel like hunting for a needle in a haystack, but I promise these spaces exist and are so worth it.
Here are some downtown Chicago hotels with great guest room lighting:
The Hoxton (West Loop)
Ambassador Chicago (Gold Coast)
Viceroy (Gold Coast)
Waldorf Astoria (Gold Coast)
Thompson Chicago (Gold Coast)
Nobu (West Loop)
Four Seasons (Streeterville)
The Langham (River North)
Hotel Chicago (River North)
The St. Regis (New East Side)
InterContinental suites (Magnificent Mile)
The Gwen (Magnificent Mile)
The Peninsula (Magnificent Mile)
Four Seasons (Magnificent Mile)
Park Hyatt (Magnificent Mile)
The Ritz-Carlton (Mag Mile/Streeterville)
Pendry (The Loop, Michigan Ave)
The LaSalle (The Loop)
Virgin Hotel (The Loop)
Loews (Streeterville)
Aloft Mag Mile - Penthouse Suite (Streeterville)
Hotel Zachary (Wrigleyville)
The Guesthouse Hotel (Andersonville)
The Neighborhood Hotel (West Loop / Little Italy / Lincoln Park)
Aloft Mag Mile’s penthouse suite in downtown Chicago offers floor-to-ceiling views of the city
Tip: Suites and rooms within the same hotel can vary on lighting and decor, so I recommend confirming with photos or seeing the space in person prior to booking if lighting & decor are important to you.
Large downtown Chicago Airbnbs with great lighting:
8 BD home with private patio and rooftop deck in Wicker Park
10 BD Wes Anderson-inspired loft with deck & patio in Logan Square
If you want to continue your research beyond these suggested hotels and Airbnbs, I recommend keeping these traits in mind when looking for a space with great lighting:
Windows, windows, windows
Floor to ceiling windows
Corner rooms/suites with windows on both sides
Open floor plans
White or clean neutral walls
This will help reflect natural light back out into the space
The Location
The Transept, a historic church-turned wedding venue in Cincinnati’s Over-The-Rhine, offers a one-stop shop for a wedding day, complete with a two floor bridal suite and a sleek cocktail bar/speakeasy in the basement that doubles as a secondary getting ready space.
Is the getting ready location close to where the next events of the day will be happening? There’s no right or wrong in terms of how long it takes you to get from your getting ready space to the next location on the timeline, however, the shorter the distance between the two, the less stress and room for delays to pop up.
If the location is in the heart of downtown Chicago, for example, and you’re utilizing a large party bus or trolley for your group’s transportation, work with the hotel, your planner and your transportation contact ahead of time to ensure a smooth pickup and drop off in a traffic-heavy area.
Rare, but amazing - As mentioned earlier, if your venue has a bridal suite or getting ready space within it that you love the size and vibe of, this is the best case scenario when it comes to logistics and the day’s timeline. You can save yourself a bit of stress if you and your crew are able to have your hair & makeup completed onsite at your venue where the rest of the day’s festivities will be taking place.
Venue SIX10's large, beautifully lit bridal suite offers stunning views of Michigan Avenue, Lake Michigan, and the Chicago skyline.
Privacy
Having a private, secluded area in your getting ready space is essential if you want your dress or outfit to be a surprise from those you’re getting ready with. Otherwise, having a private space is nice to have for changing into your dress, a quiet moment to read any letters or open gifts from your soon-to-be spouse or family members, as well as for private first looks.
There are many other fun extras to consider for your getting ready space. These aren’t essential, but they can definitely elevate the morning both in style and fun.
Ambassador Hotel’s rooftop offers an iconic Chicago backdrop for private first looks, portraits and even wedding ceremonies.
An outdoor space, such as a rooftop or patio
Downtown Chicago hotels with an iconic rooftop view:
Nobu (West Loop)
Soho House (West Loop)
Ambassador Chicago (Gold Coast)
Viceroy (Gold Coast)
London House (The Loop)
The Drake (Gold Coast)
The St. Regis (New East Side)
Park Hyatt (Magnificent Mile)
The Gwen (Magnificent Mile)
The Peninsula (Magnificent Mile)
The Robey (Wicker Park)
Tip: If rooftop/patio access is an important aspect of your decision, check with the hotel prior booking that 1) you will be able to access the space during your stay and 2) you will be able to have photos taken there; given the space is likely open to other hotel guests or the public, some hotels have restrictions on access or photos for wedding parties due to the consideration and privacy of other guests.
An aesthetic/dramatic/grand place to hang your dress for detail photos
Unique & creative details that match the vibe of your day
I’m always here for my couples as they continue the wedding planning process, so never hesitate to reach out to ask my thoughts about your getting ready space and the morning in general! I’m here to help 🙂
