Maybe you feel like the whole “don’t see each other until the wedding ceremony” thing feels a little out-dated. Maybe you’d really like a special, quiet moment with your soon-to-be spouse before everything gets started. Or maybe you just don’t want an entire room full of your friends and family see you sobbing tears of joy as you gaze upon your love in their wedding attire for the first time. Whatever it may be, here’s 7 reasons’s why you’ll want to include a First Look as part of your wedding day and why you’ll definitely want photos of it!
But First… What is a First Look?
The First Look is a new twist on the old tradition where a couple doesn’t see each other on the day of the wedding until they’re all dressed up and ready. But instead waiting until the ceremony as per tradition, a modern First Look lets the couple have that special moment of seeing each other for the first time before all of the festivities begin. After getting ready in separate rooms, the couple meets up at their chosen spot–usually a quiet room or a peaceful spot outside. Some couples choose to have a big reveal by having one person stand on the other side of a wall and the other walk around a corner. Others prefer to have one
person face away and then turn around to see their fiance for the first time. With a photographer there, all of those priceless emotions and reactions—the jaw drop, the tears of joy, the “oh my gosh I can’t believe I’m about to marry this gorgeous person” face—get captured and saved for a lifetime. There’s a lot of options for how to do a First Look, but here’s some reasons why you’ll definitely want one:
You just got your hair done, your flowers are bright and crisp, and your outfit is freshly steamed and wrinkle-free—the first few moments after getting ready, before the ceremony begins, is the best time to capture how absolutely stunning you look! Before boutonnieres are squished from hugging loved ones and makeup gets smudged from all of the happy tears—you’ll definitely want a few photos of how perfect it all is. A First Look gives your wedding photographer a golden opportunity to get a few shots of you and your spouse at your finest!
There’s a lot of emotions you may feel on your wedding day—it’s completely normal to feel anxious amongst all of the excitement! But seeing each other before the ceremony can help calm any pre-wedding jitters. A First Look lets you have a quiet moment to take a deep breath and relax together so you can enjoy the rest of the day a little less stressed.
Your wedding day is both an extremely exciting and extremely busy day. You’ll have a lot planned and a lot of family and friends that you haven’t seen in a while. The First Look gives you and your fiance a chance to actually see each other without the pressure of everybody staring. Plus, it gives you a little time to breathe before the rest of the evening turns into a blur of emotions, hugging guests, and dancing the night away. You may not have any alone time the rest of the day… so a First Look is the perfect opportunity to have a little moment of quiet together!
The First Look can be incredibly emotional and produce heartfelt, genuine reactions from both you and your fiance. More emotions come out with the privacy of a First Look than when you’re in a full church of guests. So not only does this give you the chance to freely express everything you’re feeling without being self conscious of how you look in front of everyone, but it lets your wedding photographer really capture those precious reactions and emotions. A First Look may be one of your favorite moments of the day, and you’ll have the photos to remember it by!
One of the best perks of having a First Look is that it allows you to get most of your other photographs out of the way earlier as well. If you wait to see each other until the ceremony, then you have to wait until afterwards to take all of your couple portraits and group shots. But if you have a First Look, it gives you the opportunity to get photographs of you and your fiance with your wedding party and families ahead of time. Then you can go straight from the ceremony to your reception and you don’t miss out on any of the partying!
The people in your wedding party are your best friends and dearest family members—and they’re there to help you celebrate! So of course you want everyone to have a good time and the last thing you want is everybody sitting around awkwardly for the events of the night to start. Because a First Look lets you get all of those group photos done before the ceremony, not only do you and your fiance get to enjoy the party sooner—so does everyone else! You and your wedding party don’t have to miss out on cocktail hour and your guests don’t have to wait around for you to arrive to get the party started. It’s a win-win!
Whether you’re getting married in a church or a beautiful outdoor space, many wedding venues have time limits on how long you can stay after the ceremony. In churches, often there will be confessionals or other activities scheduled after a wedding which might not leave much time for photographs. Even outdoor spaces, like the Dubuque Arboretum, might have several weddings in a row so you may not be able to stay long after your ceremony. Just another reason to do a first look and get the majority of your pictures done ahead of time! (If you’re worried about timing, always check with the venue or officiant before the wedding day.)
So whether you want some time with your spouse-to-be away from all of the other wedding guests, or you just want to make sure you get photos with the two of you looking your best—adding a First Look to your wedding photography checklist is a must-have!
7 Reasons you need a First Look
Enjoy Alone Time with Each Other
Emotional Impact
More Time to Party
Your Guests and wedding party will love it
Your Ceremony Site Will Thank You
THANK YOU
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