What is a “First Look?” To some it may sound like a horrible idea as it goes against the traditions of a wedding day, but sharing a “First Look” can actually be very beneficial in so many areas. A “First Look” is simply when the Bride & Groom allow time to see each other before the ceremony…mostly so that they can capture all of their portraits beforehand! This may sound crazy to some of you, but if you’re open to going against the traditional way I can assure you it will be worth it. Keep reading!

1) A First Look Allows You To Enjoy the “Surprise” Freely

I remember on my wedding day how nervous I was. I remember walking through those doors as I was about to make my way down that LONG aisle towards my future husband. I also remember not wanting to walk slowly down the aisle, bc of all the countless eyeballs staring at me. Then you have that pressure on the Groom, when he KNOWS everyone is staring at him to see what kind of a reaction he’s going to give. Will he cry? Will he at least tear up? Will he smile? How will he react? Sometimes it is so hard to enjoy the moment bc instead of it being an intimate moment between the both of you, it can feel like a show where guests have expectations of what they feel your reactions should be. I also remember once I had finally made it to the end of the aisle & once my father gave me away, my Groom had to lean over & whisper how beautiful I looked. Very quickly of course. It all happened so fast, it was hard to be able to enjoy that initial moment with one another.

With a First Look, you are able to enjoy a private moment together before the ceremony with no expectations, no onlookers (other than the photographer), no time constraints, & no restrictions. You can take that private moment together, & let it sink in. You can freely tell the other how beautiful or handsome they look, & your Groom can even spin you around to get the full affect 😉 A First Look takes so much pressure off & allows you to be comfortable enough to enjoy each other’s company. This is also a special time bc it will be your last time together before becoming husband & wife.

The number 1 reason I have for Bride & Groom’s not wanting to share a “First Look”, is for the reason of being afraid of taking away from that moment when the Bride walks down the aisle to her Groom. I can honestly tell you that I have captured many first looks where the Bride & Groom STILL cried as the Bride made her way down the aisle towards him. Nothing, not even a “First Look”, can take away that moment where the Groom sees his Bride walking down the aisle to start their new adventure together. It is a completely, different intimate kind of moment that cannot be altered.

2. Your Only Alone Time

Let’s face it. Wedding days can be crazy! Between the hustle and bustle of getting ready, pictures, socializing with family & friends….it’s very easy to get pulled in many different directions throughout the day. When you share a “First Look” with your groom, it will be your only real alone time together. This will be the only time during the day that you won’t be surrounded by family members, guests, or even the Bridal Party. This is strictly your time! I remember on my wedding day, my husband and I were hardly together on our wedding day (sounds horrible, right?). Most of it was due to the fact that my husband had a ton of family & friends who flew from out of town, so he wanted to do his best to “make the rounds” in order to talk with everyone. Usually, this is how most weddings go. If you are together, it’s usually spent socializing with others & not necessarily with each other. Having a “First Look’ gives you that extra alone time that you need!

3. More Portraits

This point is very simple- MORE portraits! Who doesn’t want more portraits on their wedding day? Especially when you invested into an amazing photographer. With a “First Look” it guarantees you more portraits/portrait time since you won’t be racing against the clock in order to get to your reception on time. Not only does it allow for more time, but it also gives you more variety with your portraits.

4. More Time

This goes hand in hand with the point above of having more portraits. More time, allows for more portraits, but it also allows for more time in your wedding day. By sharing a “First Look” you can also knock out so many more photos before the ceremony even starts. Typically after I capture the “First Look” and Bride & Groom portraits, I will go right into Bridal Party photos. Sometimes I can even squeeze in some family formals as well. So how does this allow for more time in your wedding day? After the ceremony instead of rushing right into pictures, you can go right into cocktail hour with your family & guests to enjoy the celebration. This allows you more time to actually enjoy the celebration, while also not feeling rushed into introductions right before the start of the reception. After the ceremony, you can RELAX. You & your groom can now feel like part of the party, without having the obligation of being elsewhere while everyone else is enjoying that glass of champagne or plate of horderves 😉

5. Diminishes Nerves

Sharing a “First Look’ takes away some of that nervous energy you may get right before you walk down the aisle. That nervous energy that comes with seeing each other for the first time, has now passed & you can make your grand entrance to your groom with a little more ease 😉 Being able to talk with one another, or even laugh & joke with one another right before also helps calm your nerves. Once you are able to express those nervous jitters to each other, you suddenly realize that you’re both in the same boat & as a result it brings such comfort.

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