THE PROS OF SHARING A FIRST LOOK

BEFORE THE CEREMONY

What can I say about Nathan and Hannah?? They are so freaking adorable together!! They opted to write private vows to read to one another the day of their wedding and I have grown to absolutely love this idea!! I wish I had done it at my wedding. They were able to have a special moment alone (with me sneaking some pictures of course) to read their vows to one another without the pressure of being in front of a crowd. They were able to speak directly from the heart and not worry about what others thought about the words they were speaking. They were able to share this special moment together that they will remember for a lifetime.

MANY people question doing a first look before their ceremony and I say DO NOT HESITATE!! DO IT!! Personally, I really wanted to do a first look the day of our wedding because I hate attention being drawn on me and I knew my reaction would not be as real walking down the isle than it would have been being just us two alone. This can be proved too with my wedding portraits. While I’m walking down the isle I’m smiling and happy but I was bottling up tears that were forming behind my eyes. I’m an ugly cryer and I didn’t want everyone to see that as I was walking down the isle looking the most beautiful I have ever felt. 

Having a first look would have taken away the pressure of everyone watching me lay eyes on my husband for the first time. As well, we would have been able to share in a special moment such as Hannah and Nathan did. We opted to pray together back to back the day of our wedding. This was so special too and VERY hard not to turn around and see my husband. 

Your first look is an amazing part of your wedding day! If you aren’t sure about this tradition, the next few bullet points will hopefully explain why it would be a romantic addition to your wedding day celebration that not only adds to the experience but also reduces stress. Please know I would never want any of my couples to feel pressured to go with this option. However, I do want to make sure I share all of the benefits of a first look!!

1. OVERALL, YOU GET MORE PORTRAITS.

   You invest a lot into your wedding photographer, so you need to make sure you use their time as wisely as you can! Sharing a first look before the ceremony gives you, your fiancé, and your photographer more time to get stunning portraits of just the two of you! These portraits will be what you cherish the most after your wedding is over and done with. When you are looking back on your wedding portraits in twenty years, it will be these stunningly posed and candid portraits that will shine bright and make you feel every emotion all over again.

2. YOU CAN SHARE THIS MOMENT FREELY.

As I said before, I honestly regret not sharing a first look with my husband on our wedding day. When I walked down the aisle, I was shocked and overcome with emotion to the point of not being able to show what I was feeling. Having a first look prior to your ceremony allows you and your fiancé to feely feel your emotions. I think this point alone is enough reason to share a first look on your wedding day!

3. THIS WILL MOST LIKELY BE YOUR ONLY TIME ALONE.

Weddings are busy, busy days!! No one thinks about that when going into the day and it’s important for you to take it into mind. On wedding day, you spend most of your time with your friends and family chatting and dancing the night away after the ceremony. Before the ceremony? You spend your time locked up inside a room with your girlfriends. Yes, that is SUPER fun!! But, why not spend as much time as possible with your future husband or wife on the best and most important day of both of your lives? It makes no sense!

4. YOUR NERVES WILL DISAPPEAR!

Most couples tend to forgo sharing a first look because they feel it will take away from the special aisle moment. It’s not true at all! Before walking down the aisle to my husband I was so full of nerves that I was shaking, on the verge of tears (happy ones for sure), and had to nervous pee (that’s a real thing people!!)! Sharing in a first look helps eliminate those nerves and lets you feel all your happy emotions.

5. YOU GET TO TAKE YOUR COUPLES PORTRAITS RIGHT AWAY.

Why loose all those happy feelings from seeing the love of your life on your wedding day? When you share in a first look you get to start taking your couple’s portraits immediately after when you’re feeling all lovey dovey and snuggly! If you wait until after your ceremony the moment is still there…but not quite as strong.