Hello friends! So today is all about the First look! If you aren’t familiar… a first look is when you see each other before actually walking down the aisle! I’m a SUPER big fan of the first look and I’m about to tell you why!
Many people love the traditional ” walk down the aisle” first look! However, there are many reasons that people don’t think about as to why you should do a first look ahead of time!
1. The first look is the ONLY alone time you have with your almost husband or wife the entire day of your wedding! Think about it! Wedding days are CRAZY! You are so busy the whole day getting ready, taking pictures, the ceremony, the reception, talking with guests, dancing, eating… there’s NO alone time until the end of the day and by that time you’re probably exhausted! This day is supposed to be about the two of you! This is the main reason I love the first look! You get some alone time to just stop and be together without (mostly) any distractions. It’s a time for you and your partner to take in each other and all the craziness going on around you. A time to remember why you are doing this in the first place!
2. The timeline! Many couples don’t take this into consideration when thinking about doing a first look! There are so many timeline perks if you do a first look! Most of the time you can get all of the pictures done before the ceremony! Bride and Groom portraits, bridesmaids, groomsmen, full bridal party, family.. all of these can be done beforehand if you decide on a first look! Then you as a couple get to join in on the cocktail hour and talk to all of the guest there to celebrate your love! You don’t have to carve out time after the ceremony for all of those pictures. Which takes up a lot of the cocktail hour.
3. It calms the nerves! If you’re anything like me and get nervous in front of crowds or hate being the center of attention then this would be a great option for you! A lot of the time my clients get super nervous right before the ceremony! They sometimes get stressed. So having already seen your partner ahead of time could help lower that stress level. I’ve seen so many times the stress/nerves just fall away as soon as my brides and grooms see each other. Its like the weight just lifts off their shoulders. You won’t spend half of your ceremony being overwhelmed or nervous!
4. It won’t be AS special. Lets be real.. you’ve probably been planning this day for a long time. And maybe you pictured you walking down the aisle and seeing your soon to be husband for the first time.. nothing can be more special than that. But seeing each other in “ lets do this mode” is a lot different than seeing each other privately. The emotions are going to be there regardless of when you first see each other. I’ve seen some amazing moments when my couples choose to do a first look and I’ve seen just the opposite too. Seeing each other for the first time is probably one of the biggest and most built up moments of your wedding day. It’s the moment that you’ve dreamt about.. will he cry? What will he say? Will I cry? Sometimes guys (and some girls if you’re anything like me hahah ) are less likely to show AS much emotions if being watched by all of your best friends and family.
5. You get twice as many pictures! I don’t know about other photographers but my first look couples get more pictures. There is more time to spend taking pictures of just the two of you.. there’s no stress to get the couple done fast to get them off and talking to their guests. I do bride and groom portraits and sunset portraits. That’s two times throughout the day in completely different lighting that you guys get to take pictures together just the two of you. That’s twice as many pictures which is obviously a bonus. The first look pictures are so sweet but also sunset pictures are “HOLY COW we are married “photos and they have a completely different vibe!
These are just a few perks to doing a first look! Ultimately its up to the couple and their preference. Just a few things to consider before making your final decision!
Be the first to comment