The First Look, is it for you?

There are so many things to talk about when you start to plan a wedding.  What vendors you will use, where you will get married, the wedding date – sheesh!  But one of my favorite things to educate my couples on is the First Look.  And in this blog, were going to talk all about it.

First off, congratulations on finding your soulmate.  Your forever. Your I DO! Let’s take a moment to have a ceremonial confetti toss and a champagne toast to you!  YOUR ENGAGED!

I want to start by saying, enjoy your time as an engaged couple.  Don’t rush into things because you think you have to get married right away!  Soak up the congrats and the parties, and don’t feel as though you owe anyone a wedding date.

But, when the time comes and you are ready to start planning, I want to offer a little bit of advice to the soon to be newlywed.

When it comes to planning there is a seemingly never-ending plethora of decisions, questions, and to-dos.  What I want to talk about is a seemingly new thing in the world of weddings, especially in the south. It is a tradition for the couple to be kept apart before the ceremony, as seeing each other before the ceremony is bad luck.

However, I am here to break those superstitions down, and move us into the 21st century!

Let me introduce you to – The First Look

What is the “First Look”?

The first look is a 45 minute – 1 hour time period before the ceremony for the couple.  Once everyone is dressed and ready, the bride and groom will sneak away for a few moments – just the two of them (and the photographer/videographer).  One of you will wait patiently as the other approaches, taps the other on the shoulder, and turns around to see each other for the first time! It is a magical, intimate, and often even emotional moment.

Why would I want a first look?

There are two main reasons why you might consider a first look.

The first is that it allows you and your spouse to spend those first moments seeing each other – without the audience of 100 + people.  There won’t be any pressure to keep it together. You can both laugh, or cry, or feel any of the emotions of this magical time. It also relieves some of the nerves that can happen at the altar.  All of those jitters melt away, and you can focus on enjoying saying I DO!

The second is that it creates ample time for couple portraits!  If you are the couple that values portrait time of you and your future hubby or wife, the first look is for you.  In a timeline without a first look, there will be a period of about 30-45 minutes after family formals for couples portraits.  Having a first look will give you two opportunities to capture those images, both pre and post I Do. It will give you so much variety in your gallery, and if any unforeseen circumstances arise – such as weather, we will still have plenty of opportunities to capture those portraits.

How do I plan for a first look?

This is the easy part – let your photographer do the work!  Your photographer will work with you and your planner to build a timeline around photographs if you so choose.  If you don’t have a planner – click here for a sample timeline with a first look!

The first look often happens after everyone is ready, and all “getting ready” images have been taken.  Right before your ceremony. The location will be pre-determined by your photographer once they arrive on location, and no one will be around but you + your spouse, your photog, and your planner.

What if my spouse is more traditional, and doesn’t want the first look?

That is totally fine!  Many couples prefer the more traditional route, and that is totally ok.  Just know the number of portraits of just the two of you will be smaller than with a first look.  Choose whatever suits you as a couple, because that is what it’s all about!

Another hot button topic that I love to talk to my couples about is having an Unplugged Ceremony, so click here to read that post!

I hope this helps with your wedding planning journey.  Remember, I am always here to help if I can!