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You´ve seen the photos on social media where the bride and groom do some kind of first look and it is super funny or very emotional and you can´t help but hope your fiance has a strong reaction too!! Or perhaps you have seen some of your friends´ first look photos and thought they were just kind of boring or cheesy. Maybe you just want to stick to tradition and not see your fiance until the wedding ceremony. A first look is certainly not for every couple, (and it may not be for you!) but here are 3 reasons why you should consider a first look.
What is a ´first look´?
A first look is when a couple chooses to see their fiance before the wedding ceremony and typically takes photos capturing each of their reactions verses waiting to see each other at the ceremony.
consider a first look if… Photos are super important to you.
When you decide to do a first look, you get so many more photos! This is because you have set aside time, earlier in the day, to capture beautiful images of you and your fiance before the ceremony begins. Not only do get more photos, your post-ceremony photos are often less stressful –and hey, a stress-free wedding is what we are going for isn´t it?! Cocktail hour is typically the only time you have for photos after the ceremony unless you plan to miss some of your reception –and who wants to miss the party they have been working so hard to plan?! Cocktail hour is just that ONE HOUR. One hour for your bridal party photos, all of your immediate family photos and all of your newlywed photos (often referred to as romantics). Squeezing that many photos into one hour can become stressful, especially if you did not hire a quality professional photographer that is able to keep things not only fun but also moving along efficiently to maximize your photo time. By doing a first look, you not only get some photos of you and your fiance before the ceremony, but you also have a chance to knock out all of your bridal party photos too! That leaves more time for family photos if you have a large family, extra photos of you and your fiance OR time for you to join cocktail hour and mingle with your guests.
Consider a first look if… You value time to really soak it all in together
This is my personal favorite reason to consider doing a first look. Wedding days go by in a blink of an eye. One moment you are getting your hair done and in the next moment your waving goodbye as you make your grand exit with your new husband/wife. Within that time frame, you and your partner never really had a moment to just soak it all in together without guests coming up to congratulate you or a photographer coming up to pose you. When you schedule a first look into your timeline, you have a moment not only to capture seeing each other for the first time on your wedding day but also take a moment to really be with each other to talk, calm each other’s nerves or simply embrace that fact that you are about to get married!!
Consider a first look if… You know the history behind the tradition
Did you know the tradition of not seeing the bride before the ceremony actually stems from arranged marriages? Families did not let the groom see the bride because they did not want either of them to RUN!! In those times the couple NEVER saw each other before the wedding day. We have since progressed and I imagine you have chosen your fiance and the only running you plan to do is towards the alter (maybe not in those heels though..).
Did you know the tradition of not seeing the bride before the ceremony actually stems from arranged marriages?
Those are just a few of the reasons you might want to consider when thinking about doing a first look on your wedding day. There are so many ways to have that special moment with your fiance before the ceremony.. If you still like the idea of waiting to see your fiance until the ceremony, perhaps you might consider doing a first touch or a letter reading instead! That way, you still get some additional images together before the ceremony. Next up, we will chat about the different ways to do a first look and ways to share that special moment without actually seeing each other!
Photos: Tony Wodarck Photography
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