A “first look” is when you and your fiancée decide to see each other before the ceremony. Some people are hesitant about doing a first look as they think it may take away from your walking down the aisle moment, but here are a few reasons why you might want to consider it.
The first look can be a wonderfully intimate moment for both of you to enjoy. Believe it or not, this may be your only alone time all day!
Having that private moment together can ease the butterflies and allow you both to enjoy more fully the walk down the aisle later. For some couples, it can truly calm their nerves and helps them enjoy the ceremony more. We certainly wish we had done it ourselves.
If your ceremony and reception are at the same location and you don’t want to limit the length of cocktail hour, doing a first look allows for all creative and family photos to be done before the ceremony, which can save a lot of time. It allows us to go off- sight which may not be possible otherwise. This also means you get to enjoy cocktail hour and mingle with guests while it frees us up to shoot the reception decor and cocktail hour. Otherwise, we might be finishing up photos with you and your bridal party during that time.
We understand the tradition of not seeing each other before the ceremony, and that can certainly make for a powerful moment. But, if you feel like a first look is for you, there can be many benefits to doing so.