As I continue to help others plan their special day I tend to encourage a 'first look' before the ceremony for the bride and groom for a number of reasons.
- You can knock out a ton of photos before the ceremony, including bridal party portraits and bride and groom portraits, leaving you to enjoy the cocktail hour with family and friends.
- A number of brides that I've worked with do say it helps calm their nerves having that special moment before their walk down the aisle, allowing them to be more relaxed the remainder of the day/evening.
- The photos are always priceless!
- Your hair and makeup are as fresh as can be for the most beautiful photos.
That being said... Joe and I are not doing a first look. When we first talked about it, I wanted to and he was actually against it. After much discussion and revisiting the subject, we've flip flopped and he'd now prefer to and I've changed my mind and no longer want to. While our wedding may not be the most traditional of weddings, there are some things I'd like to take a more traditional route with- and this is one of them!
The 'first look' has becoming increasingly popular over the past few years and like so many aspects of a wedding is such a personal preference whether to partake or not. My favorite photos of the wedding days tend to be of the 'first-look' or those faux first looks where the bride and groom share a special moment alone before the ceremony while still staying true to the tradition of not seeing each other before the ceremony. Have a look for yourself!
