BEHIND THE SCENES | HOW I PREPARE FOR WEDDING DAYS

Hello and welcome to my new series: Behind the Scenes!
I’m taking you behind the curtain into my life as a full-time wedding photographer! Today, I’m sharing how I prepare for wedding days — plus a high-level overview of the gear I bring with me.

But first, a little intro!
If you’re new here, I’m Monica — a wedding & lifestyle photographer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. My goal is to capture dreamy, ethereal, and timeless portraits that couples will cherish for years to come, while also documenting all the real, raw, and wild moments (which I sometimes totally instigate 😅).

THE DAY BEFORE A WEDDING

As much as I can be a procrastinator in regular life, I’m the opposite on wedding days. Being a wedding photographer has actually made me a more efficient human! Real-life Monica = Type B. Wedding Monica = Type A.

Here’s what I do the day before to make sure I’m 100% ready:

1. REVIEW TIMELINE & VENDOR LIST

I start by reviewing the wedding timeline, vendor list, and layout. This helps me tailor my gear loadout — for example, if it’s an intimate wedding of <50 guests, I’ll leave my 70-200mm lens at home and opt for an 85mm instead. I also assess lighting needs: if there’s no lighting vendor or videographer bringing their own lights, I prep my own off-camera flashes or continuous video lights.

2. CHARGE BATTERIES

Charging priority goes by time needed:

• Video light batteries (4+ hrs)
• Camera batteries (2+ hrs)
• Flash batteries (1+ hr)

I test every piece of gear after charging to make sure everything’s in working order.

3. PREP SD CARDS

I shoot with two cameras, both with dual card slots — so that’s 4 SD cards for me, plus extras for my second shooters. I typically pack 8–10 fresh SD cards just in case. I’ve never had to use all of them, but it’s nice to have a backup!

4. CLEAN EQUIPMENT

I clean every lens with cleaner and a microfiber cloth, then use a dust blower to clean the inside of my cameras. Honestly, it’s kind of a therapeutic ritual at this point — throw on some music and zone out.

5. PACK GEAR & BAG

Once everything’s charged and cleaned, I pack it all up so it’s ready to grab and go in the morning. No scrambling = calm wedding day vibes. Calm is how I prepare for wedding days.

MORNING OF

Wedding days are nonstop from the moment I arrive, so my morning routine is all about mental prep and staying grounded.

1. Yoga flow & Meditation

I never used to be a meditation person. Honestly, I’d watch videos of people meditating every single day and I thought to myself, “I wish I could be one of those people.” It turns out, I absolute can! Except not in the way you think. For me, I find that I meditate best after a workout. I need a bit of warmth in my body and some endorphins before I can officially feel the quiet in my head. Usually I do a quick 25 yoga flow by Arianna Elizabeth and use the headspace app or 10 min meditation by Lavendaire. If I have enough time, I might go on a 20 min walk afterward to get some air & vitamin D.

2. Fuel Up

I eat something filling and high-protein, like a breakfast burrito or salmon lox bagel. I eat half in the car right before arriving, and the other half right before the ceremony — this keeps me energized until vendor meals. These are the best options because I find sandwiches to get too soggy and hard to eat while driving!

3. Caffeine (in moderation!)

I used to be a Philz coffee girl, but these days I go for a matcha latte — the gradual energy keeps me focused without feeling jittery.

3. Visualize the Day

I do a mental “dress rehearsal,” walking myself through the timeline and envisioning how I’ll direct and pose the couple, and how my second shooter will support.

4. Affirmations

I remind myself:
I am an amazing wedding photographer. I am creative, calm, cool, and collected. I will serve my clients with my full heart. They chose me for a reason. Today will be a successful and beautiful day.

It might sound a little cheesy, but it truly helps me start the day grounded and confident.

5. Get fired up!

The best thing you can do as a wedding photographer is to make sure you have fun WITH the couple. For the last 10 mins of the commute, I’ll usually blast my favorite reception songs and get fired up and ready! Sometimes I do car karaoke or I’ll mindlessly stare into space. Ideally I like to get to the venue 30 mins before my start time to apply sunblock and use the restroom one last time before.

And that’s it! That’s how I prepare for wedding days. I hope this was a helpful post and I’ll see you in the next one! 🙂