For this weeks Wedding Day Planning and Tips post, we’re talking about one of the most exciting, but nontraditional, parts of the day, THE FIRST LOOK!

First off, i’ll start by saying that a first looks doesn’t have to happen! If you are traditional, and don’t want to see your bride/groom until the moment the bride walks down the aisle then so be it! I am happy to make your dream of your special day come true, but let me give you a few reasons why you most definitely SHOULD have one!

Why A First Look

First looks are AWESOME! I have only had a few weddings where my couples decided not to do a first look. Once they find out all the benefits of one, they are on board 100%. Brides can be worried that once they have a first look, they won’t get that REACTION that they are hoping for. You know the one where the groom has some CRAZY reaction to the bride coming down the aisle!?

Every bride wants that! Some think that if they have a first look, they won’t get that reaction they have been dreaming of their whole lives. They also think that it won’t be as intimate or emotional as when they are walking down the aisle. I’ll take this little excerpt from the amazing photographer, Katelyn James, as she says it like this…

“It’s before the ceremony and the gravity of what is about to happen starts to sink in and calm, collected groom that was playing golf just a few short hours ago is now starting to feel a little anxious. So what happens next? The groom waits in a little room some where just waiting for his que from the coordinator. It seems like it is taking forever. Finally, the coordinator leans her head in and hurries the groom to get ready. With Clammy hands, the groom enters the ceremony and what does he find?….he finds anywhere from 80-300 people and they’re all looking where? RIGHT AT HIS FACE…because everyone has expectations and anticipation about his first reaction. This is the farthest thing from a private, intimate moment. Sure it’s SO powerful and SO wonderful…I said that walking down the aisle was one of the BEST PARTS of my whole wedding day!! It’s magical…by the time our ceremony rolled around my groom was ready to enjoy our beautiful day! The nerves were gone, and when the nerves are gone true emotions are free to be expressed. So basically….Grooms become incredibly nervous on wedding days, even if they seem cool and collect. For most grooms, the nerves kick in before they see their brides because when they see her, everything becomes VERY real!! SO when the nerve start creeping up, instead of keeping the groom in a secluded space until his time to enter the ceremony, what if you took him to a private pace, no people, no onlookers, no distractions, and you let his beautiful bride, the love of his life, walk up to him, and gently tap his shoulder.  He would turn around and finally get his first look at his stunning bride and not only would he get to see her. He could embrace her, cry with her, kiss her, and ENJOY that moment with her for as LONG as they wanted. As she shows him her dress, twirls a few times and then asks him what he thinks. His nerves start to diminish. After all, she’s the one that can make him most comfortable anyways.”

After the initial part of the first look, you are able to move into some romantic portraits with no one trying to rush things. This is the ONLY time you get to be alone on your wedding day (besides me of course). You get to have that intimate time with your fiancé. Without a first look, that doesn’t happen. He doesn’t get to tell you how amazing you look until well after the ceremony is over. Also, when you choose to do a first look, you will end up with almost 40% more portraits of the two of you. These are the photos most decorate their homes with, and after your investment, your will get the most for your money! After the romantic portraits are done, your best friends join us and we start with the bridal party formals. They’re fun, you are both relaxed and that anxiety has left. There’s no coordinator telling you “15 minutes left!!!” or a DJ trying to find the photographer for a time check. It really is great!

The Wedding Ceremony

After the guys and girls go their separate ways after the bridal party formals, it is time to start getting ready for the ceremony.  The guests start trickling in, and pretty soon the music starts to play. The groom stands at the front, anxious and excited, to see his bride once more. The bride music starts, the guest rise, and the groom looks up to his stunning bride. His best friend, his companion, his sweetheart, and she looks stunning. The closer she gets, the more his smile grows. He may start to cry, or he may not….

With a first look, after the ceremony, you are free to enjoy the rest of your wedding day. Without one, we have to pull you and the bridal party away for formal portraits, which are usually a little rushed. With it, you can actually enjoy them and have fun hanging out with some of your best friends.

Disclaimer

To the brides–if you have never seen your man cry or get emotional, you can’t expect him to be that way on your wedding day-and that is OK! Some guys aren’t emotional creatures, and won’t show much emotion when their bride comes down the aisle. Just enjoy the moment and the day, and don’t expect too much from him!

Romantic Portraits

Going straight from the first look to the romantic portraits makes for some special, emotional moments. You have just seen each other looking your best, and with the excitement of the day, you’re already in the “lovey dovey” mode. You are ready to love on each other and these make for some of the sweetest moments of the entire day! These are always some of my favorite images of the whole day. You will get to be alone with your groom. You will have a chance to really connect before the craziness begins. As well as the romantic portraits right after the first look, i love getting some “just married” shots of the two of you as well. The lighting is usually perfect, and it’s a great time to get a few more photos of just the two of you. If you decide to not do a first look, I make sure to include more time after the ceremony for these portraits.

This is one of the most exciting parts of the day for you. You’re finally married, and you can’t wait to start celebrating with your family and friends.

Stay tuned next week when I give some tips for the final pieces of the wedding day.

Ceremony and Reception!

If you loved this post, they check out the tips for Details and Prep here.