We have confessed our love for "First Looks" in the past because we think they're pretty awesome! However, the first look isn't right for everyone. Read this article for some tips on whether or not you should do one!

I can tell you first hand because I was one of those brides weighing these options not too long ago. If you're new to planning your wedding, a "first look" is when a bride&groom opts to see each other before the ceremony instead of waiting until the "down the aisle" moment to see one another. This allows your photographer to capture all the bride&groom portraits, as well as bridal party portraits pre-ceremony, allowing for a quick transition to the reception after the ceremony.

We can work with any wedding scenario and above all else care deeply that each of our couples experience a stress-free, and as close to perfect day as possible. If you choose not to do a first look, don't worry, you'll still get amazing photos and video! But for those of you on the fence, here's a little bit about our own wedding story and why we chose a first look.

The Reaction

I wanted a reaction from Stephen when I walked down the aisle and was concerned that special moment wouldn't happen if we had a first look. Luckily for us, we were able to have two special moments. Our "First Look" was intimate and just us. When it came time to walk down the aisle with my dad, another rush of emotion filled me and tears became to come just like at our first look together. I'm so thankful we had the opportunity to have two different special moments together, each of which was documented. From the first look to walking towards him to say our vows, it was all special and full of memorable reactions.

Don't stress or put a lot of expectations on your or your spouse's reactions. Everyone reacts differently and even the simplest looks can be the most beautiful.

Nerves

We were both so nervous the morning of the wedding. I don't think I could have gone the whole afternoon without seeing him! Once I saw Stephen, I felt an instant sense of peace and was so happy to be able to spend the next several hours together before guests started arriving for our ceremony. For us, we knew that waiting until we saw each other down the aisle would be the opposite of an intimate private moment. There's nothing wrong with sharing that moment with all your guests as you walk down the aisle, but for us the thought of all eyes on us and our reactions was scary. It felt like too much pressure. Now walking down the aisle was amazing, probably one of the best memories of my life. Because we had seen each other before, we weren't nervous wrecks and actually got to breathe and take in the moment fully together.

grooms-reaction-to-seeing-his-bride-for-the-first-timejpg

Portrait Time

Another reason we and lots of our TréCreative couples opt for the first look is because of increased portrait time! That being said, we were already in the wedding industry when we got married, so our reasoning is a little biased. We really wanted to take full advantage of the investment we had made in our photographers and videographers. Giving them the space to be creative and not have to rush to get to the reception. For us and many of our couples this is a huge priority. Often these portraits are the only time you'll be alone with just you and your spouse on the day of the wedding. For us, we really wanted that time together! We were able to talk and be together for an hour or so while taking photos. After our first look we headed straight into portraits and afterwards got to knock out all our bridal party photos as well. This allowed us to spend more time with our guests at the reception instead of having them wait around while we took photos after the ceremony. In addition to having amazing photos before the ceremony we took full advantage of dreamy sunset photos later in the evening!

Why Not To Do a First Look

So now that you know how much we love first looks, we want to put another disclaimer out there again! Our TréCreative couples are NOT required to do a first look by any means. There are some times where not doing a first look is more beneficial. The number one reason we find that people aren't doing first looks is when they have a really early ceremony time.

Coming up in February we have a Bay Area wedding where the ceremony right around noon, but the reception isn't until dinner time. With early ceremony times like this, there's enough space between the ceremony and the reception where it totally makes sense to do all the photos during that time! If we were to do a first look, the bridal parties would have to be getting ready WAY too early, and no one wants that!

Some believe that it's bad luck for a Bride and Groom to see other before the ceremony. This originates from the time when most marriages were arranged. If you're not having an arranged marriage, then we wouldn't worry about this superstition!

Above all else, if you have any questions when it comes to your wedding day timeline, don't hesitate to ask us! We can help you out or if you need wedding coordinator recommendations we'd be happy to send some over as well!

We'll end this post with a very quick montage of some first looks that have stuck in our minds over the years (that we've captured on video)!

SHARE THIS VIDEO ON FACEBOOK

Aren't those just the sweetest?!? If you want to see the full films that go along with those first looks you can find them on our videography page. If you loved this post, share it with a friend who would love it just as much!