First, what is a first look? Do you know how it can help your day?
Second, do you want your day to run smoother?
“Should I do a first look” is a very common question when it comes to your wedding day. So, we are going to break down what it is, how it can help and hopefully that will give you an indication if you want to do one or not.
What is a first look?
A first look is a quick, small little event that takes place before the ceremony, for you both to see each other after you are dressed up.
It is staged with your significant other in a location facing away and have you walk up from behind. It allows you both to see each other before the ceremony so you can enjoy one another before your guests arrive.
Many complaints that I hear couples talk about their wedding day is the lack of time they have with each other. This is a great solution to that problem.
Should I do a first look on my wedding day?
The short answer is yes.
Here are some great reasons why.
6.) Having a first look helps make your day run smoother
Many times, throughout your wedding day, if you’re doing a traditional wedding, you’ll find that needing to tuck bride/groom away to do photos can become a bit of a hassle.
Tucking people away can waste a lot of time that could be better spent getting some great images or just spending some more time with each other.
Many wedding venues, especially here in Texas, have a suite for both parties prior to the wedding.
While that sounds nice, many of them are close enough together that taking care of little errands gets to be problematic if you aren’t trying to see each other.
Unless you have a planner/coordinator taking care of the details for you, people are constantly shifting back and forth to keep both of you from seeing one another.
Having a first look allows you to smoothly transition from each part of your wedding and gives you more time to enjoy your day.
5.) Get a majority of photos knocked out before your ceremony
Another reason having a first look helps is to get a majority of your photos knocked out before your ceremony, not after.
Right after your first look allows a perfect time to do your creative hour for those images you’ll want to keep around or print large.
It also allows to knock out several of the groomsmen/bridesmaid shots ahead of time too… which allows for you to spend less time after the ceremony.
Trust me, I’ve seen a lot of brides get uncomfortable in heels after standing in one spot, knocking out their family photos. Now add more group variations from your bridal party after your ceremony if you do it traditionally.
Let me think, would you rather be doing photos after your ceremony or…
4.) Get to the reception faster
Couples are often excited to see friends and family who have shown up to their wedding day. First looks allow you to get to them faster because you have already knocked out a majority of your photos.
Now you can let the fun begin instead of waiting around for photos that you could have done ahead of time.
Do you want to do your creative shots and a several of your group shots before your ceremony or wait until after?
3.) Outdoor Temperature
This is a HUGE reason down here in Texas. By the time a ceremony is over, we are looking at the heat of the day. You’ll have about 10 minutes or less outside before you start sweating.
Makeup starts running, skin gets oily, people are sweating all over; all the stuff we don’t want to show up in photos, will happen in no time.
To fix this, we either need a location with some architecture indoors to give you some amazing shots or we need to head outdoors for a great scenic shot.
Either way, we are probably headed outdoors for photos. Do you want them earlier in the day or during the hottest time in the afternoon?
2.) An opportunity to re-apply makeup
This is a perfect reason for all of you crier’s out there. Many times, you can have a makeup artist on standby after doing your first look to re-apply makeup after you are done crying.
This has been a life saver for many after doing a first look. They get to see their loved one for the first time and they are crying all over.
Instead of waiting until the ceremony, many brides get their initial cry out during the first look and can fix makeup before anyone else see’s it is running.
1.) Spend some quality time with your significant other
This is hands down, one of the most important reasons to do a first look. Unless you have time blocked off into your wedding with your loved one, you won’t have hardly any time at all.
During a traditional wedding, it will kick off with your ceremony, 1/2 hour for family photos, another hour for creative photos, do your grand entrance for the ceremony, eat, visit friends and family, cut cake, bouquet and garter toss, dances, more visiting and finally it will be time to go home.
Do a first look early in the day, do a few photos and spend time with your loved one away from everyone else before all the evening’s events interrupt any sort of time you may have together.
