Wednesday Walkthrough Wednesday | First Looks

**​Disclaimer: This post is for couples who are on the fence about having a first look. I’m here to tell you why I love first looks and the benefits that can come with one.
 
For those couples who already know that having a first look is not for them. That’s okay. I’m giving you permission to close this tab or scroll to the bottom of this post for other wedding planning tips in the Wedding Walkthrough series.

What is a first look?

Simply put a first look is where the bride and the groom see each other before the wedding ceremony. I will scout out a beautiful location and place the groom in a secluded area. He is given instruction to not turn around until his bride tells him to. I then guide the bride to the location and get her set. At this point, she is in control of when her groom turns to her. I leave this part up to her…she can stay several feet away and ask him to turn, she can tap him on the shoulder, she can walk around the front of him. My second shooter and I give the couple space to react, to hug, to cry, to talk. This time is solely for them.

History of the first look:

I know from experience that most couples who are on the fence, credit tradition as their primary reason for not wanting a first look. What I mean by that is most couples want to uphold the tradition of the groom seeing the bride for the first time when she is walking down the aisle. So a little background about that particular tradition…it started during the time of arranged marriages. Parents of the betrothed did not want to risk the union and forbade the couple to see each in fear that they would rebel. Mainly, they were worried that the guy wouldn’t find the woman attractive and he would leave. I’m a huge a history buff, so I remember this story from one of my many history classes in college. I found it interesting that our traditions now still stem from centuries old customs, that actually have nothing to do with it being romantic.

Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that one way is right and the other is wrong. Brides and grooms…the choice is yours and yours alone.
 
Now to the reasons that I love first looks. Four out of the five reasons below, have nothing to do with photography. They are simply things that I personally look forward to for my own wedding and things that I have seen on wedding days that transform the experience for my couples.

​-The number one reason that I suggest and love first looks, is that it gives my couples alone time. As I said,  this time is just for the two of them. Most of time, this is the only alone time they have the whole day. Think about it…in traditional ceremonies, the bride walks up, the officiant starts the service and the couple doesn’t even have a chance to say hello or comment about how amazing the other looks. That’s no fun! I wanna hug my man, especially if he is all dressed up.
 

-First looks helps with the nerves. I’ve seen it time and time again…the bride is nervous, the groom is nervous.  But after being able to hold each other in their arms, the nerves melt away. They can pray together, hold hands, and  cry if they want to. Instead of being nervous during the ceremony because they can’t talk, all the eyes are on them, etc…first looks allow couples to be fully present during their ceremony. They can soak it all in.  

I’m not married; I haven’t been on the planning end of a wedding as bride. But one thing I do know, is that Nathan is my best friend. If I’m nervous, or scared, or full of joy…he is the one that I want to share it with the most.  I want that time before all the eyes are on us, to just say hi and give him a hug.
​
-More time together. Couples who chose to have a first look, have more time spent together on their wedding day. If you take a look back at my “wedding walkthrough” post, explaining how I create wedding day timelines…you will see that couples with a first look often have two or so hours together before the ceremony even starts. This is a celebration of your journey as a couple; wouldn’t you want to spend that time together?

-Not only is it more time to spend together, but it also allows for more time for couples portraits. Since you will have more time together if you see each other before the ceremony, which means you are spending less time hiding from each other. This in return, means more pictures of the two of you. We can get couples portraits done before the ceremony and aren’t rushed to make it to the reception on time.

​-As explained on last weeks “wedding walkthrough” about timelines…couples who opt for a first look, go straight into family formals following the ceremony and then they get to enjoy some of their cocktail hour. This gives them a chance to mingle with guest for a little bit instead of while they are trying to eat their dinner. The couple can grab a drink and hang out for a few minutes before dinner is served the party begins.
 
I hope this post can shed some light on the benefits of having a first look. I would never force someone to have a first look, but after being able to capture so many of these moments I know that first looks are amazing on so many levels. As a photographer they allow us more time with couple and more portraits…but as a woman who loves her partner-in-crime, I know that I look to him for support and I want to share that day with him celebrating.
 

---

Enjoy this post? You might enjoy this too!

Bridal Details (and what not to leave at home)

Timeline Examples (and the one question everything depends on)

Dressing the Bride (Tips for helping the bride get ready)