The First Look is when you see each other on your wedding day before your wedding ceremony. It’s a private moment for the two of you away from the eyes of your family and friends. It is probably the most intimate moment you’ll share together on your special day without the distractions of your guests. It’s truly a wonderful moment for both of you to take it all in and get your pre-ceremony jitters out of the way.
Are you considering having a First Look? Are you still on the fence about it? If so, here are my top three reasons why a First Look should be a priority rather than a consideration.
It’s the most uninterrupted moment you’ll share together throughout your entire wedding day. From the moment your guests lay eyes on you during your ceremony, you’ll be on center stage. They’ll want to take pictures and videos of you and with you. They’ll want to talk to you, dance with you and celebrate with you. There will be no time to exclusively share a moment. Many brides and grooms stick with decades of tradition and opt to see each for the first time as they walk down the aisle. Oh how you long to see his reaction when he sees you for the first time in your wedding dress. But with distractions of your guests cheering you on, snapping pictures and videos, it’s really easy to miss this moment you’ve been waiting for. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen and heard a bride say she didn’t even get to see the groom’s face because one of the guests was standing in her direct view and as a result she missed that once in a lifetime moment when a tear trickled down his face as she was walking down the aisle. Or when he whispered under his breath, “wow”! Opting for a First Look gives you that same moment you desire without the risk of missing out. It’s just the two of you embracing each other and taking it all in!
Having a First Look allows you to get perfect couples portraits. This is probably the only time throughout your entire wedding day that your hair and makeup will be at its freshest. Both your gown and his suit will be freshly steamed, lint and spot free. Talk about the perfect pictures! Plus, your photographer and videographer will be able to capture the most up close and candid emotions between the two of you. Tear stains and makeup smears from crying at seeing each other for the first time, not to worry, you get to touch those up before actually walking down the aisle. Keep in mind you can’t stop the flow of your ceremony for your maid of honor or makeup artist to touch up your makeup. So why not get all of those emotions and jitters out prior to your ceremony? That way, you can confidently look at your guests and even smile for a picture or two as you walk down the aisle since you’ve already shared your moment with each other during the First Look.
My third most important reason to have a first look is more time! It frees up a lot of time. You’re able to get all of your couple’s portraits, bridal party shots, as well as your room reveal photos also. This leaves you with just family portraits to complete during cocktail hour. Do you even know what this means? Let me fill you in! This opens up the possibility for you being able to grab a bite to eat during cocktail hour!. Which is kind of a huge deal because you’ll probably be starving by this point since you’ve practically started getting ready for your day since the break of dawn. You even get some actual time to relax a little and freshen up before your grand entrance. A major win, if I do say so myself!
Have I convinced you that having a First Look should be a priority instead of a consideration? Let me know in the comments if I’ve changed your mind. I look forward to your feedback.
I hope you found this to be a great read and that it can serve as a helpful guide for you in your wedding planning process.