Getting ready: Here’s how to plan for great photos.

1. You’re a girl (and so are your bridesmaids): And there’s a 90% chance your hair and make-up artists will be too. Bearing this in mind, keep your room feminine. A few chocs or light snacks, definitely some bubbly and long stemmed champers glasses. Try stay away from hamburgers, hotdogs and beer bottles – it’s neither the time, nor place. Some flowers are also a fairly good idea – not an enormous bouquet that gets in the way – something light and airy – something that makes you happy. And music, you need music. Throw in an ipod with a selection of your favourite mellow songs. It’ll set the mood brilliantly, keep you relaxed and you’ll have fun from the word go. Bottom line? Be a girl.

2. Be natural: Now let’s take a look at the actual room. I know it’s not always possible, but if you can, go big. By this I mean, go for as much space as you possibly can. It’s extremely difficult to take photographs in a small, cramped room. So wherever possible, take the largest room you can. Also look at the lighting. You don’t need to be a pro at lighting to work this out, just use common sense. Does the room look dark, or is it light and airy? Are there nice, light flowing curtains on the windows, or is it draped with dark, heavy (and creepy) stuff you wouldn’t touch? Now look at the duvet. If it has a pattern on it, toss it. If it’s plain and natural, it’s a keeper. Inspect the walls, the bathroom, the floors, carpets. Be vicious. The more natural, airy and happy the better. So here’s the test: Would you prance around the room like a naked fairy if left in it for 10 minutes alone, or would you sit in the corner, cover yourself in hesian and rub ash over your head. As you can well imagine, the fairy option wins. Light, airy, happy, space, natural – in any order.

3. Clean and simple: Now this is a bit more challenging than it sounds. But try to keep clutter to a minimum wherever possible. Believe me, as a boy in a girls wedding environment I’m terribly honoured – especially when I get to step over all manner of things like lingerie, slippers etcecetera, etcecetera, etceceteraaaa. So my gorgeous girls, keep it simple. Your make-up artist is most definitely going to make a bit of a mess, but that’s cool because it sits snuggly within the environment you’re in. As does your wedding dress, garter and shoes. But newspapers, magazines, and big heavy suitcases don’t. So before you start getting ready, take what you need and shove the rest into a cupboard! Your photographs will turn out infinitely better! They’ll have style and class written all over them. Trust me, I’m right.

4. Surround yourself with good: Okay, so now that we have an idea of where we’re going with your room, we need some real good. And that good, comes from your family and friends. It’s your wedding day baby! You’ve waited a long time for this day! So too have your bridesmaids! They’re bloody overjoyed for you. Like you, they want everything to be perfect. So surround yourself with them. Laugh, cry, dance, sing, drink champagne! Do stuff! But whatever you do, enjoy yourself and really live in the moment. And when your dad arrives to take a long, last, lingering, marveling, proud look at you – hug him – a big, large huggy-hug-hug. (Remember, you’re still his little girl.) Do this and I absolutely guarantee you that if I am fortunate enough to be behind the camera, you will have photographs that will give you goose-bumps forever.

Okay, let’s leave it there. That should give you a pretty good idea of how to get started. Follow the above as a guideline and yes, use your imagination to add your own personal touch and personality to things. That way, you’ll kick the day off with a brilliant start! And it’ll only get better from there…