Sometimes it’s tricky to figure out a great location for getting ready the morning of your wedding! The top three easy choices are typically: at your venue, a nearby hotel, your house/parents house etc. if it’s nearby. When these options don’t work out for one reason or another, say you aren’t able to access your venue early enough, or maybe the aesthetics or space of the nearby hotels don’t really fit with your vision or needs, and maybe mom and dad’s house is too far away, etc., there’s one more ace up the sleeve I recommend my couples check out! That ace is Airbnb! I’ve had several couples use Airbnbs for getting ready locations on their wedding days. (Like this gorgeous boho Airbnb in Asbury Park, NJ used for bridal getting ready photos from Tera & Matt’s wedding!) I love the idea of choosing an Airbnb for a few reasons:

1. You can choose something with a unique or fun style to fit the vibe of your day!

Whereas hotels maybe a little more sterile and generic feeling, you can choose an Airbnb with character that fits your wedding vibe!

2. You don’t have to worry about clutter and cleaning!

Your home might have the right amount of space for getting ready, but if you are worried about the stress of rushing around to straighten up and hide clutter in the closets, etc. an Airbnb that is pre-cleaned for you with minimal clutter laying around will make life much easier.

3. You’ll have plenty of space to work with!

Sometimes hotel rooms can be cramped with not too much space. Choosing an Airbnb with enough space for hair & makeup to set up, areas to hang out, and even space for your bridal party to sleep over the night before your wedding can work out perfectly!

Interview with a real bride

I asked one of my sweet brides, Melissa, to share some thoughts about her Airbnb that she chose for getting ready on her wedding day! (Check out Melissa’s wedding blog post here!) Read through Melissa’s answers to all my questions below!

Why did you decide to use an airbnb for getting ready on your wedding day?

I decided to use an Airbnb for my wedding day because it was much more convenient than getting ready at home or a hotel. The house we stayed at had enough bedrooms for myself and all my bridesmaids so that we could all be rested and get a good night’s sleep before the big day. In addition, the Airbnb had plenty of room for us to hang out, relax, and enjoy our night. I first researched hotels nearby the wedding venue and we would have had to book multiple rooms with way less space. It made total sense to go with an Airbnb! 

How did you find your airbnb?

I searched on the Airbnb app for locations in the town we were getting married in and found the perfect one, which ended up being just 5 minutes away from our venue. 

Do you have any tips for finding an airbnb in a particular style/vibe/color palette, etc. that you’re looking for? 

There were only about 4 homes to choose from when I was looking for an Airbnb so I got lucky that there was one available that had such a cute style. My choices were limited since the town of our venue was rural and not very populated, but it goes to show you can find an Airbnb for your needs just about anywhere! 

What were important key elements you were using to find an Airbnb that was good for getting ready in?

The location was important because it allowed us more time to get ready in the morning since it was so close to our venue. But the style of the home is what really drew me to it. It was a colonial style house on a farm but the interior was updated and beautifully decorated inside.  There were so many photo opportunities such as the cute tree swing in the backyard and the horses on the property. I also wanted to find one with lots of windows that would give great natural lighting for getting ready photos. I was lucky to find one with a covered, wrap-around porch, which gave me peace of mind that we could get some outdoor photos in the case that it might rain (which it didn’t). We still got to take advantage of it because it blocked us from the harsh morning sun and got some great photos there! 

Are there any other tips or helpful notes to share?

Finding a great getting ready location was a last minute decision for me but I highly recommend it. It was great not having to worry about cleaning and perfecting my own home on our wedding day and some of my favorite pictures with my bridesmaids were taken there. 

Making sure the bedrooms are clean and the beds are made before you start getting ready is a good idea if you want to take those cute pictures on the bed with your bridesmaids.

Letting the host know that you are staying for your wedding is also a good idea. I was lucky to have an extremely accommodating host who was excited a bridal party was staying in her home. She made sure her property was perfectly landscaped and even asked what our wedding colors were for decorative flowers. Our Airbnb  was also next to her horse farm so she went the extra mile and hired someone to bring out all her horses for the photos! Your host might do something special if they know it’s your big day 🙂 

Want some more wedding planning tips? Check out this blog post featuring hair and makeup prep tips from Michelle Elise Artistry!