Today I’d love to share a moment during ones wedding that surprisingly doesn’t often happen…a first look!! I absolutely love it when my couples opt to do one before their ceremony because this is a private time for you both without all the eyes over the guests. For those who aren’t familiar with the term, a first look is when the couple arranges a time to see each other before the ceremony. This is becoming popular for so many reasons and really a load of time throughout the day!
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1. Finishing all portraits before the ceremony = less stress. A large majority of your wedding day consists of portrait time and we can create less stress by doing both bridal party and couple portraits before the ceremony. It would only take up to an hour, so by doing a first look it eliminates that one hour of waiting time for your guests between the ceremony and reception. Plus, think about it… Your hair and makeup is also fresh and super camera ready! I recommend keeping family formals for after the ceremony, because it’s normally more difficult to have everyone show up early! There will be a brief 15 mins MAX during your reception that I like to grab my couples during sunset to get those gorgeous glowy photos we all love!
2. It extends your day by 2+ hours. Instead of trying to cram all of the portraits + family formals in an hour to an hour and a half, you can give yourself a more relaxed timeline. This is much less stressful for you and your entire bridal party! Instead of worrying about cramming all ones in one time space, all the portraits are very relaxed and a lot more fun! Plus, we can get those fun champagne popping bottle photos we all love so much!
3. You’ll receive MORE photos in your final gallery. If you have a first look, this gives us a LOT more freedom to go to several spots, either on location or off! If you have a place you’d really love your portraits at, or want to travel to a few different locations nearby, a first look allows us to do so. This leaves you with so much variety for portraits in your gallery! Couples that do a first look typically receive 25% more portraits in their gallery if they do one!
4. You can relax and talk to each other. When your partner sees you for the first time when you walk down the aisle, they can’t hug you or tell you how beautiful you look. They has to wait 30 minutes before having the chance to do so, and by then, the initial first reaction has worn off! Most guys rarely show all their emotions in front of every guest at your wedding. It let’s them show their reaction freely! (aka tears) During a first look, I always find the most private spot for you two so you can fully embrace and get ready for the big show! Often, this part of the day will be your only time alone together all day!
5. It eliminates nerves. My couples tell me how most of their nerves went away after they saw each other! It helps you to feel more relaxed and make the ceremony more enjoyable. Just think, you won’t be so nervous during the ceremony which will make it much more memorable!
Hopefully this give you another outlook and helps any doubts that the term “first look” may bring you. It’s all about having fun before the chaos!
