So you might be asking… what is a bride and groom first look? Well, let me tell you! A first look is when the bride and groom arrange a private time to see each other before the ceremony. The only people present will be the two of you and your photographers and videographers capturing the moment! First looks are becoming more popular for so many reasons because there are so many incredible benefits of doing one!!
Although I love bride and groom first looks on a wedding day, I always encourage my couples to do whatever it is they want to do. Because at the end of the day, it’s their wedding day! So even though I love first looks, in the end I want their day to go however they envision it. This blog post is simply meant to help you decide whether a bride and groom first look is right for you!
There is no pressure to do a Bride and Groom first look… However, there are so many benefits and reasons why so many of our couples do opt for one!
1. You’re only alone time.
Throughout the chaos of a wedding day, it will very likely a bride and groom first look will be your only alone time! It allows you to have a chance to talk and enjoy hanging out with each other for a few quiet moments. Grooms, you get to tell your bride how beautiful she looks as soon as you see her! You’ll also extend your time together on your wedding day by 2-3 hours vs. if you waited to see each other until the ceremony.
2. Fresh Hair and Makeup
My brides LOVE this because their hair and make up is fresh for all of your portraits. You don’t have to worry about touching up before photos because you just had your hair and makeup done! Your bridesmaids will LOVE you for this as well!
3. More portraits in your final gallery
With a bride and groom first look, you can enjoy taking all of your wedding portraits and not feel rushed. Plus, you’ll receive more variety in your portraits because of the extra time! It makes taking photos a lot more enjoyable because you aren’t trying to squeeze them all in during cocktail hour, where we would also be squeezing in family and bridal party photos!
4. Logistically, when you do a bride and groom first look, it’s a dream!
When you do a bride and groom first look, you can have the majority of your wedding photos before the ceremony begins because we will jump right into bride and groom + bridal party photos after the first look! This means, no long cocktail hours with guests waiting on us to finish taking photos! This was my BIGGEST regret at my own wedding, especially because our cocktail hour had a mariachi band!
5. It diminishes nerves.
So many couples say their nerves went away after they saw each other for a bride and groom first look! It helps you to feel more relaxed and make the ceremony more enjoyable. Plus, you’ll probably be able to soak in your ceremony more because you weren’t so nervous. The whole ceremony could otherwise be a blur, which is what I experienced during my own wedding. My husband still gives me a hard time that I didn’t cry happy tears when I walked down the aisle! Because all of our guests had their eyes on me, it was hard to relax and truly enjoy those first moments with my soon to be husband. This is another reason why I really wish we would have had chosen a bride and groom first look- so Arturo and I could have shared that moment just the two of us, without an audience!
6. You can enjoy cocktail hour.
Once we do family formals directly after the ceremony, you can actually go to cocktail hour or start the reception! Bridal party members who are not family, also get to enjoy ALL of the cocktail hour as well!
If you are a traditionalist and decide that a first look is not for you, you’ll need to talk to your wedding photographer to see if adding an extra hour of coverage would help you avoid sacrificing on the amount of images you’ll receive, as well as make sure you have some activities, music and cocktails for guests during the cocktail hour while they wait for you to finish your bride and groom and bridal party portraits!
How interesting that you talk about the first look for your photos. I am engaged and getting married this spring. I will find a reputable wedding photographer locally for us!