First Looks | Is it right for you?

I have a deep love for first looks, but not everyone knows what this is. So, let me explain.. A “first look” is a private moment when the bride and groom see each other for the first time, prior to the ceremony beginning. This usually takes place in a secluded area, sometimes with or without parents and the bridal party present.

Sharing a “First Look” is a personal decision each couple has to make. Is it traditional? Absolutely not! But think about this…It’s wedding day. The groom has slept in and already played a round of golf while his bride-to-be has been awake since 6am. Se has already spent several hours being pampered and drinking mimosas with her bridesmaids. Time is going by so fast today, and the coordinator lets the bride and groom know that it’s time for them to each get ready to head to the venue. The groom goes into hiding at the back of the church with his groomsmen, and the bride is waiting in the car outside with her dad. The music starts as guests file in and get seated. The coordinator comes in and tells the groomsmen it’s time to lineup with the bridesmaids. He’s left in this room alone. The nerves are sinking in big time now and he’s anxiously waiting for the coordinator to come back in to tell him it’s time. Finally, she does. It’s his time. With sweaty palms, he walks into the ceremony site and all eyes are on him. The precessional music begins and he sees both of their friends walking down the aisle taking their respective places on either side of the alter. The doors to the back of the church close…it’s almost time and he’s nervous and anxious to see his bride. The Wedding March starts and everyone stands as his beautiful bride is walking towards him. He sees her! She’s walking towards him in a gown and she is more beautiful than he even imagined. She reaches the end and they are both so excited to finally see each other, but the ceremony is beginning. They pray, recite vows, they exchange rings, they pray again..FINALLY! They’re husband and wife and share their first kiss as husband and wife! She grabs her bouquet from her maid of honor and he high fives his best man and they walk out to the back of the church. He has waited 30 minutes, maybe even longer, to be able to tell her how beautiful she looks and how much he loves her! Almost immediately, the rest of the wedding party joins them and then their families. Family formal portraits are for the next 30 minutes, followed by the bridal party portraits. for another 20 minutes. Bride & Groom portraits begin right after and THEN they are finally ready to join the reception!

I have a deep love for first looks, but not everyone knows what this is. So, let me explain.. A “first look” is a private moment when the bride and groom see each other for the first time, prior to the ceremony beginning. This usually takes place in a secluded area, sometimes with or without parents and the bridal party present.

Sharing a “First Look” is a personal decision each couple has to make. Is it traditional? Absolutely not! But think about this…It’s wedding day. The groom has slept in and already played a round of golf while his bride-to-be has been awake since 6am. Se has already spent several hours being pampered and drinking mimosas with her bridesmaids. Time is going by so fast today, and the coordinator lets the bride and groom know that it’s time for them to each get ready to head to the venue. The groom goes into hiding at the back of the church with his groomsmen, and the bride is waiting in the car outside with her dad. The music starts as guests file in and get seated. The coordinator comes in and tells the groomsmen it’s time to lineup with the bridesmaids. He’s left in this room alone. The nerves are sinking in big time now and he’s anxiously waiting for the coordinator to come back in to tell him it’s time. Finally, she does. It’s his time. With sweaty palms, he walks into the ceremony site and all eyes are on him. The precessional music begins and he sees both of their friends walking down the aisle taking their respective places on either side of the alter. The doors to the back of the church close…it’s almost time and he’s nervous and anxious to see his bride. The Wedding March starts and everyone stands as his beautiful bride is walking towards him. He sees her! She’s walking towards him in a gown and she is more beautiful than he even imagined. She reaches the end and they are both so excited to finally see each other, but the ceremony is beginning. They pray, recite vows, they exchange rings, they pray again..FINALLY! They’re husband and wife and share their first kiss as husband and wife! She grabs her bouquet from her maid of honor and he high fives his best man and they walk out to the back of the church. He has waited 30 minutes to be able to tell her how beautiful she looks and how much he loves her! Almost immediately, the rest of the wedding party joins them and then their families. Family formal portraits are for the next 45 minutes, followed by the bridal party portraits. for another 20 minutes. Bride & Groom portraits begin right after and THEN they are finally ready to join the reception!

While the wedding day above is “traditional,” it only allows for a short time for the bride and groom to be together on their wedding day. While some couples love this tradition, First Looks are becoming more popular with weddings. What I have actually come to realize from these couples who want tradition, is that the bride really wants to see the raw emotion from her groom as he sees her for the first time. Think about this though…What if they are in a private location, with no one else except your groom and the photographer? The moment is full controlled by the bride and groom where they can take as long as they want to just be in the moment and be together. Then they can tell the photographer when they are ready to proceed with portraits. They’ll be able to spend so much time together before the ceremony to just be. When it is time to get ready for the ceremony, the groom isn’t nervous or anxious…he’s actually EXCITED! Excited to see his bride walking down the aisle and having that very special first kiss as husband and wife!

I am going to get really personal here for a moment. I WISH first looks were a thing when I got married. If you know my story and why I chose to specialize in weddings, then you know I had no photographer for my wedding due to a mixup of dates. I asked my husband a while ago if he remembered me walking down the aisle…he laughed and said, “Well, I remember seeing your dad first because of people crowding the aisle.” Wait, what? This right here is why I wish that First Looks were around. I deeply believe that this moment would have meant to so much more to us and that we would have treasured this memory, even without images.

Side note…we had a pretty incredible Anniversary Session to celebrate 15 years of marriage!

The most important thing to keep in mind about a First Look is that it is YOUR decision to make!

Happy planning!

~Kristen~