Tough questions:
Should we do a first look or not? Actually it’s a question that I get asked quite often with fairly fierce opinions on either side of answering parties.
For anyone still in the dark on the details, a “first look” is when the bride and groom take a private space and a few minutes to see each other BEFORE the bride walks down the aisle. This is usually an hour or two before the wedding ceremony and begins with the groom on his own in a private place and then the bride joins him and there is a big reveal. There’s 10 minutes of tears and whispers and compliments and promises (and photographs unless you really want to make your photographer cry-but not to worry the moment is quite private, this is what long lenses are for) and then 20 minutes of photos of just the two of you and then usually you are joined by the bridal party and there’s large group shots taken all before the wedding ceremony commences.
So of course there are very clear camps on either side. You have your Fiddler on the Roofer’s who must do all things with the utmost tradition and have been dreaming about watching their bride walked down the aisle and that first glimpse since they first had a crush on Topanga from The Wonder Years (Did I just date myself? That’s awkward). Then you have your type A organizers who look at their schedule and know that if they see each other before the ceremony they can have more than half their photos done before the wedding starts and thus make their wedding guests wait for less than half the time- which equals partying sooner.
Me? I am firmly in camp Switzerland. A traditionalist at heart who has worked weddings for years and sees all the possibilities that a first look can bring. My purpose today is to educate you to the fullest extent of the law and to tell you that whichever way you choose, I’m firmly on your side.
So without further ado, the pros and cons of a first look:
Benefits of seeing the girl at the end of the aisle for the first time ever:
It’s probably the way your daddy did it, and your grandfather, and the guy before him-TRADITION!
All those nearest and dearest to you get to see your reactions to each other and that’s pretty great
It’s your day and it shouldn’t matter if guests will have to wait for you later while you have photographs done, you’re only going to do it once in your life, they can wait a little while
Benefits of having a first look:
You get to speak to each other right away so you don’t forget all the things you wanted to say right when you are standing there for the first time.
The moment is quite private so the awkwardness level goes down several notches (and if you happen to be an ugly crier you don’t have to share it with the world).
No matter when you see each other for the first time, it’s still going to be the first time, you are not spoiling it just because you don’t have an audience
You can get some of the bride and groom photos and all or most of the bridal party photos done before the wedding ceremony, which cuts down on the time that your guests are waiting for you after the ceremony by quite a bit.
A first look is done SLOWLY, so there are more photos- all the memories!
So there you have it, you’re going to see each other- these are both sides of the same coin- I’m all for either one but now you’re informed, go forth and prosper!
Vendor love:
Venue- Balboa Park
Bride's dress- Bride's by Demitrio's
Groom's styling- Nordstrom
Bride's hair and make-up- @mariamariasanchez
