The First Look

The first look...the moment all the anticipation of your wedding day has been culminating to. You have the flutters and butterflies knowing the man or woman you’re about to marry is ready to see you as their partner for the very, first, time. This is one of the most special moments a married couple will experience. With all the butterflies, also comes all the worries of not knowing how this special moment will work out. Here are some tips if you are considering doing a first look for your wedding.

First things first, you want to think of the location of where you think you’d like this moment to be captured and the relevance of the location you pick. You want to make sure you chat with your photographer to work out a plan together. Things like the natural lighting at this specific location, time of day, style of photos, who all will be involved, all the logistics need to be squared away ahead of time.

Additionally, a first look can help to maximize the time the bride and groom spend with their guests at the reception. Planning ahead and getting these precious pictures in can assure private time with your future husband/bride that you might otherwise not have after the ceremony. Most brides and grooms admit that doing a first look before the ceremony actually calms a lot of the nerves and jitters they may be feeling before it all begins.

One last thing to consider while doing a first look is the versatility this option can allow. Some couples may prefer a particular location that might mean a lot to them, while others may prefer a location outside of their ceremony/reception venue. For example, a fun alternative could be doing an elevator first look, where the bride travels in an elevator to the groom's level where he is standing facing the photographer and when the doors open, they have some photos snapped of their expressions before the bride steps out in full view. Other unique ideas include the couple sitting in the front and back seat of an old car or using a blindfold. The first look can provide couples with endless possibilities and can be customized to the individual couple’ss personalities and likes. Also, remember that you can use the inside of a specific location such as the reception venue. Depending on the location and time, an indoor location can also favor the couple’s wedding schedule to avoid harsh light outside and can provide beautiful pictures with the venue as the backdrop.

First looks are not only for the bride and groom. First looks are great for bridal parties and dads as well. There’s nothing like getting to see the faces of your closest friends who will be standing by your side while you say “I do” when you step out in that gorgeous gown, or the watery eyes of a dad seeing his beautiful little girl in her dress for the first time. These are precious moments that will only add to the joyous memoris of your day.

 Remember, it’s your day and with a little bit of planning, brainstorming and adding your own personalities, your first look can make for some wonderful and unique photos to add to your day.