Should I have a First Look?

This is one of the biggest questions to answer when it comes to photography on the day of your wedding. We want to talk about what a First Look is, whether it’s right for you, and 3 reasons to consider having a First Look on your wedding day!

The Tradition of Waiting to See Each Other

Up until the last decade or so, couples usually waited to see each other on a wedding day until the bride was walking down the aisle. Years of tradition dictated this, and if you go back far enough, we find that it originated with the practice of arranged marriages. Historically, the bride was veiled and hidden from the groom until the very last minute when she walked down the aisle and the groom lifted the veil to see what she looked like. Waiting until this moment during the ceremony gave the groom less of a chance for cold feet or to run off if he didn’t like what he saw…pretty romantic, huh? (We say that with as much sarcasm as we can muster.) Over the years, that origin has been forgotten, but the practice remained. Thankfully, it became a much more romantic custom. We still love when couples see each other for the first time at the ceremony. However, there is a new tradition that is now taking its place, and that’s what we’re here to talk about!

A New Tradition

That new tradition is The “First Look”! First of all, you might be wondering what a First Look is, and then why should you consider one! The First Look is when the couple decides to see each other before the bride walks down the aisle. The bride is still able to have that “reveal” moment to her groom, but in a much more intimate setting. When our couples have a First Look, we always scout out a beautiful, private location for this to happen.

Imagine this…we set your groom up in this secluded place…no people, no on-lookers, no distractions…and you, his beautiful bride, walk up to him and gently tap him his shoulder. He turns around and finally gets to look at you, his stunning bride! And not only would he get to see you, but he could embrace you, cry with you, kiss you, talk to you, and really ENJOY that moment for as long as you both wanted. Nerves start to diminish. After all, you’re the one who makes him the most comfortable. It’s just the two of you (and us!), capturing the excitement and the joy of your wedding day.

3 reasons to consider a having First Look:

1. You get nervous in front of a crowd. This one of the biggest reasons to consider seeing each other before the ceremony! The person you’re marrying is probably the person you’re most comfortable around in the whole world, so it makes sense that they help calm and ground you. We always make sure your First Look is a private, intimate moment, away from the eyes of family and friends. We hear from so many of our couples that they had started to feel the nerves taking hold (which is totally normal!), but that as soon as they saw each other for the first time in that intimate setting, all their nervous energy melted away and only excitement and joy remained!
2. You want more time together, just the two of you. One thing couples don’t usually realize is how little time you actually get to spend together on their wedding day. From getting ready in separate places to making the rounds to see all your guests, moments alone are rare. But the First Look gives you time and permission to be together on your own, even if it’s just for a few minutes. This time is just for you – soak it all in and enjoy the alone time together!
3. You want to get right to the party! When you have a First Look, this frees up time after the ceremony for you to get right to your guests because we’ve taken most of the necessary photos already! When scheduling a wedding day timeline when a First Look is involved, we are able to also photograph most of your couple’s portraits as well as the wedding party and family portraits before the ceremony.

 

It’s Your Choice!

Deciding whether to do a First Look or not is such a personal choice, and we never want our couples to feel pressured one way or another. The most important thing to us is educating our clients so they know their options and can make the choice that fits them and their wedding day the best!