First Look- In their words.

Times are changing and more and more couples are opting for something different on their wedding day. Nearly all of my wedding couples are choosing to do a ‘First Look’ on their wedding day and all have different reasons for doing so. For most of them it’s choosing to take control of their pictures and allowing plenty of time to create and produce wedding images that they have always dreamed of. It’s their opportunity to have their own time together without the pressure of having to get to the reception. It’s to take advantage of the location, the lighting and to calm wedding day jitters.

As a photographer, choosing to do a First Look is the best decision you can make when planning your wedding day. It allows me to have adequate time to create amazing pictures of the bride & groom and to really make their pictures one-of-a-kind. I could really go on and on about how much I LOVE doing First Looks but I decided to let my past clients tell you. After all, they are the experts in this area. So if you are on the fence about doing your own first look, let their story inspire you!

Andrea & Gerardo Martinez 10.17.09

Lindsey was our wonderful photographer. While planning our wedding we found out that the sun would be setting during our ceremony, but we still wanted the majority of the photos to be taken in the daylight. I had heard about other brides and grooms in our situation taking their wedding party and family photos before the ceremony, but I was unsure if it was the right decision for us. When we met with Lindsey to discuss our wedding day schedule, she suggested we do exactly that, and Gerardo and I agreed. It turned out to be a fantastic decision, and it was one of the reasons our wedding day ran so smoothly.

Taking our photos before the ceremony allowed Lindsey plenty of time to get all the shots she wanted without anyone feeling rushed. It allowed Gerardo and I a private, quiet, and magical first look at each other – just us (and Lindsey, of course).  Seeing each other before the ceremony was so special; it calmed our nerves and allowed us to keep our emotions in check in front of our guests. Also, we had much more time to spend with our guests at the reception because they didn’t have to wait for us to take photos. This plan worked so well for our wedding, and we definitely suggest it for other brides and grooms willing to try something “non-traditional.”

Trey & Stefanie Spivey 8.29.09

Stefanie’s words:

When Trey tried to talk me into taking pictures and seeing each other before the wedding I was completely against it.  I am a traditional girl and always imagined seeing my husband for the first time when I walked down the aisle.  It’s what I pictured and what I thought should happen in a wedding and I was only willing to entertain Trey’s idea of doing a “first look” beforehand because our wedding was late at night. I knew that if we waited until after the ceremony was over we’d never get a chance to take pictures outside in the garden at our reception site.  We had a Catholic ceremony which we knew would take awhile, so we would only have had pictures of us from the church (which don’t get me wrong- it was a beautiful church) but not at the pretty reception site we choose mainly for its beautiful landscaping. 
 
                Not only the daylight affected our decision, but the timing of the wedding did as well.  We wanted to make sure we had plenty of time to enjoy the reception and all of our friends and family without having to take all our time up with pictures after the ceremony.  We also didn’t want our guests to be eating dinner any later than they already were by having to wait for us.
 
                So while I didn’t want to take away from the special moment I thought we would miss out on when I walked down the aisle, Trey convinced me it was a good idea so we decided to go for it … and I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions (besides choosing Lindsey as our photographer that we made for our wedding! 
 
                On the day of our wedding I was getting ready with my bridesmaids at the hotel where our reception was going to be held. I remember when the time came, my girlfriends were herding me toward the elevator for my ride down to the terrace where Trey was waiting for me.  In the rush to get ready I couldn’t grasp that I was about to see my soon to be husband.  I didn’t know how Lindsey would have him waiting for me and all I could think was, I can’t believe I’m about to see him.  I had butterflies the whole ride down.  Then, I was split up from my bridesmaids, who little did I realize were all looking at us with all of the groomsmen through the big glass windows of the Westin hotel that overlooked the back terrace where Trey was waiting for me.   
 

 I snuck up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.  I had a smile on my face the entire time (and so did he).  When he turned around it was the best moment!  There really are no words to describe it.  We just couldn’t stop looking at each other and the smiles on our faces said it all.  It was such a happy moment that I’m sure I’ll never forget, and we just couldn’t wait to get to the church to make it official. 
 
Seeing him before the wedding put all my nerves at ease and I even remember saying on the car ride over to the church how happy I was that we did our “first look” beforehand, because I was nothing but happy and my nerves had subsided  to the point that I was just ready to get the party started.  Little did I know, I’d still get slightly choked up as I walked down the aisle (and though Trey would never admit it, I think he felt the same).
 
Looking back on the decision process, I kept imagining I would cry when I saw Trey as I was walking down the aisle and I was so worried that all the buildup waiting for the big moment would get the best of me and I’d be a mess at my wedding.  But, thank God we did a first look because all my emotions were in check at that point.  And I managed to walk the aisle without a tear (though I did almost lose it at the end).  But that’s just the thing.  Seeing each other beforehand took NOTHING away from how special that moment was when I walked down the aisle with my proud dad toward my new husband. 
 
I still remember my heart racing and seeing Trey standing by the altar waiting for me.  The church was filled and I could only look at him.  It was still as if we were the only two people around and I couldn’t wait to get up there and stand by him to take our vows.  If anything, seeing him beforehand made me less nervous and even more excited to get close to him again.  It did not by any means take away ANYTHING from the moment he and I locked eyes as I walked down the aisle and it was like our “first look” all over again.   So at the end of the day, I had to give it to Trey for talking me into doing a “first look.”  It was a great idea and I would highly recommend to other couples getting married.  You won’t regret it.

Trey’s words:

Looking back on our wedding, Stefanie and I had so many important decisions leading up to the wedding day.  One big decision was whether to do the “first look” before the wedding.  At the end of the day, we decided to go for it (mostly due to my convincing). Looking back on it now, we were so glad that we made that decision.  Not only did it take some nerves out of the ceremony, it made the day that much more enjoyable.  We were able to take pictures beforehand and then after the ceremony, we were on our way to enjoy the night with all of our guests.
 
When waiting to see Stefanie for the first time, I had so many thoughts running through my mind.  I couldn’t wait to see my bride.  I had my back to her as she came walking out of the door and it seemed like an eternity for her to reach me. When she tapped me on the shoulder, I turned around and she looked so beautiful.  We could not stop smiling at each other.  It was such a wonderful moment. Rather than have the first look in the church in front of all of our friends and families, we decided to cherish the moment privately between the two of us and have it captured through Lindsey’s camera. 
 
With the months of anticipation building up to the wedding, it was a relief to get all the nerves out before the wedding ceremony, not only for her but for myself too.  When we got to the church for the ceremony, I could not wait to see her walk down the aisle.  When I saw her enter the church and start walking down the aisle, it was like seeing her for the first time all over again.  I felt lucky to have her as my bride and was excited to be in the moment with her.  Nothing from our first look could have ruined that moment for me.

Megan & Scot Davis 4.4.09

Scot and I used Lindsey for our wedding and absolutely loved her and her work!  We were so happy with how comfortable our entire wedding party was with Lindsey.  Scot and I were able to have a few minutes before the wedding party joined us and before the wedding for some pictures.  I am so glad we chose to do this as Lindsey was able to capture the “first looks” without all the chaos of the ceremony and guests.  It was much more intimate!  I was also able to do a boudoir session with Lindsey.  It was so fun!  I felt totally comfortable and at ease with her.  All of the picture we got back were so amazing!  Lindsey was great at knowing exactly what I wanted and directed us so that is exactly what I got!  We feel that we got more than we paid for because we felt like she was one of our friends, not just the photographer.  We would like to use her again and look forward to that!

I hope that by reading their words that you are able to gain a new perspective on something ‘non-traditional.’ I hope that this helps you make the decision that is best for you and your fiance. Good luck and Happy Planning!