What’s a “First Look” Anyway??

When I bring up The First Look at a consultation, I’m either met with complete shut down, or confusion about what it even is.
I think being in the South Contributes quite a bit to this.  We Southerners tend to love our Traditions!  Although, for the most part, I find it is the groom who has the most concern about it.

For the groom, it seems, there is a fear that they will not have the same emotional response witnessing their bride walking down the aisle if they see her prior to the Ceremony.  As if it takes away from that experience and will steal this big climactic moment that they have envisioned.
You gotta give it to them Southern Boys…they sure do love their Southern Girls!  At the heart of most Southern boys is a desire for romance.  So for today, I am talking to you Grooms (but Brides!  Take notes!).

Here are a few reasons why I highly encourage the First Look:

1.  For the “GASP” moment…alone!
   As I said above, there is a fear of seeing the bride before she walks down the aisle.  Not just a fear of the “bad luck”.  For the groom, I have found, that it is more about missing out on that GASP moment!
   Here is the truth:
   When your bride walks down the aisle, you will have 100+ of your “closest” friends/family watching your every move.
   When she arrives in front of you, you will not be able to touch her immediately.  You cannot hug her, kiss her or even tell her how incredibly STUNNING she looks!
   You stand, without words, looking at each other (again, while 100+ people watch).  You hope and pray that she can read your mind, that you can somehow tell her with your eyes what you want to shout from the rooftops…”You are GORGEOUS!! I cannot believe you are standing here about the Marry me!”
   Don’t get me wrong, you definitely get a gasp moment here!  As she walks down that aisle, you absolutely will gasp at how breathtaking she looks, and how incredibly blessed you are to be standing there.
   But.
   At the First Look…
   You get to lay your eyes on her when it is just you two (well, also Chris and I!).  Watchful eyes are nowhere around.
   No one to watch you as you see your bride for the first time.
   No pressure.
   You see her for the first time…and you gasp.
   You spin her in the most romantic way, as you take her beauty all in.
   You can hold her hand, pull her close, and kiss her ever so sweetly.
   You can wrap your arms around her waist, pull her in close, and whisper “You look amazing…I love you”.
   You can dance around for a moment and just let your love envelope you both.
   It is the perfect time to just be.  Before the craziness of the day really begins.  Before the day becomes about being a host.  A moment for just the two of you.
   With the First Look, you get two gasp moments.
2. Take the PRESSURE off!
   As I said above, when you don’t do the First Look, your first time seeing your bride is as she walks down the aisle.  In front of an audience.  Your mom, dad, aunts and uncles.  The pressure is definitely ON!
   The first look removes all of this!  We don’t even like the Wedding Party to be around for this time.  Just the two of you.  These few moments may end up being the only alone moments of the day, the only time you can really take a breath, relax and be yourselves.  Laugh together, shed a few tears of joy, and show each other how excited for this day you really are!
   Then when she walks down that aisle, you get to enjoy those moments sans pressure!  Who cares if everyone is looking!  You’ve already told each other how excited you are, you’ve already told her how beautiful she is and you are READY for the alter!
3. Your Photographic TIMELINE
   Have you ever been to a wedding and had to wait upwards of 2 hours for the Bride & Groom to enter the Reception?  It’s because the photographer is wanting to make sure her clients are getting what they have always dreamed of photographically!  They are making magic!  I don’t ever mind waiting, but then again I’m a photographer!  I know what’s happening, and I can appreciate it.
   But.
   Ask my mom…and she’ll tell you she HATES that time.  She does not understand why you would make your guests wait so long!  She is also an introvert, and large parties giver her some anxiety!  She’s the one I warn you about that will skip out after the cake! (Love you mom…but you know it’s true!)
   Wouldn’t you love it if you only needed 30min after the wedding for pictures?  Just your immediate family and maybe a few more of the two fo you as husband and wife??
   We could even take it a step further, and get all of the family portraits done beforehand!
   Or what if you plan on having a Sunset Ceremony, and your vision for portraits is beautiful natural light?  If your Ceremony is at sunset, there is no time after for those natural light images you have dreamed of!
   Doing a First Look ensures all of the portraits are done, and done in the beautiful lighting you have always dreamed of!
4. The Tradition (?)
   This is a little extra for you;)  Do you know where the tradition of not seeing your bride before the alter even began??
   It was traditionally something done in cases of arranged marriages…so that the groom wouldn’t FLEE the scene of the wedding if they didn’t like the way the bride looked.  (insert crazy eye emoji here!!)  Don’t believe me?? Check out the article HERE 

   If you need more reasons, the Wedding Guide all of my brides receives has FOUR pages dedicated to this topic!
   If you are a bride of mine, you will soon get all the reasons why it’s so important (if you haven’t already!).  If you aren’t a bride of mine yet…What are you waiting for?!
   I would LOVE to talk to you about your hopes and dreams for your wedding!  Head over to my CONTACT page to send me a message!

 

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