In approximately 90% of the weddings that we photograph and that are shown on the blog, the bride and groom opt to share their first moments together privately through a First Look! This allows me to shoot beautiful portraits before the ceremony while also giving them a very intimate and personal time to just be together! So not only do they receive intimate time together, they also enjoy a stress free timeline, 40% more portraits and 3 hours added to their day to be with their best friends!
I don’t say this to try to persuade you, I just always educate my brides about this so that they realize that if they want an ABUNDANCE of portraits like what they see on my blog, they may not receive as many images if they decide not to share a First Look. It’s completely fine to opt-out of the First Look, I just wanted to make you aware that if I have less time, you will have less portraits and images of the day.
More than anything, I want you both to have portraits and images of the two of you that you absolutely LOVE!! This is my top priority! It is 100% ok if you’re wanting to refrain from this idea. However, after photographing over 300 weddings, I have found that there are a few things that cause immense stress during the wedding day and disappointment after the celebration is over, and that is having a rushed timeline and not receiving the amount of beautiful portraits that you’re hoping for. I believe it’s MY JOB to do everything humanly possible to make sure that I manage your expectations as accurately as I can.
I suggest sharing a First Look. Now, I know that there may be a few reasons why you’re not interested in this concept and I’d love to share what my experience has been over the last 8 years!
This has become the MOST COMMON choice in recent years. 90% of our couples share their first few intimate moments together privately during a First Look... without over 100 guests watching their every move. They find this time together to be more special and more sincere since it’s just the two of them, and we stand back and wait for our queue to begin portraits.
Despite popular belief, the First Look does not take away the special and sacred moment of the bride coming down the aisle to her groom, if anything, it strengthens the emotions of that moment because the anxiety, nervousness and uneasiness of the day have been removed. Grooms tend to be more relaxed and able to respond emotionally when the nerves of the day are removed and they can just focus on the gravity of what is happening in that moment.
Tears are going to happen either way... or not happen at all. For most brides, it’s very important for them to see their groom respond emotionally to how beautiful he thinks she is. We have found that that puts a lot of pressure on the groom.... especially if he isn’t a very emotional guy! So, we remind our Brides that if their guy isn’t a crier normally, it would be wise to not expect him to cry on the wedding day. However, we have seen several non- emotional grooms shed tears when they are seeing their bride for the first time in a private, intimate environment instead of in front of all of their guests. So, the moral of the story is, if you’re desiring to experience a tender, sweet moment with your groom, you are more likely to experience that interaction if you allow TWO opportunities for that to happen!
By sharing a First Look, you are extending your wedding day together by several HOURS and are creating more opportunities for the two you to enjoy more aspects of your day while also receiving MORE portraits of the two of you! For example, most couples who share a first look take portraits before the ceremony and then immediately take all of their bridal party portraits! This means that we roll right into family formals after the ceremony and then we capture some more bride and groom portraits. Once those two tasks are complete, our couples normally start greeting guests by joining cocktail hour while we capture the untouched reception details and mingling!
Overall, sharing a First Look is one of the only ways that we can GUARANTEE that our couples will experienced a day with reduced stress. We view a “First Look” as an “Insurance policy” for your wedding day because it allows us to have more than one opportunity for your portraits! Because of this, we always explain the benefits and why we think it’s so powerful!!! I consider it my duty to make sure that you are well educated so that you can make a decision that is right for you and your unique day!!!
So, with ALL of that being said, the decision is yours and we will do EVERYTHING humanly possible to create the BEST possible experience for you NO MATTER WHAT you decide!! We respect your decision and your opinions so please don’t hesitate to ask us questions as you discern whether or not a First Look is right for you!! No matter what, you’re going to have the most beautiful wedding day! I just want to make sure I help you make it as stress-free as possible!
XOXO,
Christina