Pros + Cons of the First Look
Have people already asked you this question? Are you going to do the first look or not? or perhaps people are calling it the first reveal? Couples choose to see each other before the ceremony all the time and at the same time, there is a lot of couples who do not want to see each other until they're going down the aisle. Both of these have pros and cons and the answer depends on what your goals are for the wedding day. So let's get started!
Pros of the first look
It is an intimate experience to see each other before you walk down the aisle.
You can hug, kiss, talk about the whole day so far and truly take it in before the ceremony time arrives
If you're doing a first look you will have a chance to be present during the cocktail hour
You'll have more time to enjoy your wedding since you won't be pressed for time between the ceremony and the reception
It might settle some nerves to see each other before you walk down the aisle
Cons of the first look
So the first look is for you two, but your bridal party will also have to be ready earlier which means they might get a little bored having nothing to do before the ceremony
You'll need to start your day earlier as well It can be awkward seeing each other before the
ceremony if it doesn't have any meaning to you
It might take away from the first look when you walked down the aisle
There are different feelings and emotions to seeing each other for the first time and touching hands when you reached the altar
Choosing to do the first look or not is a very personal choice. You can choose to do the first look because you want time for photos. So you start your day a little earlier, you do your first look, followed by your bridal party photos and then you go to the ceremony. This way you can enjoy cocktail hour and reception after family portraits are done unless of course, you do family portraits before the ceremony as well. A lot of people choose to do a first look because it allows their photographer to take more photos. This way your photographer can ensure that they have as many photos as a couple wants.
When you don't do the first look, you have to make sure that you plan for enough time for photos between the ceremony and reception. This also means that you have to also plan for any travel time, touch-ups, family portraits, and bridal party portraits in addition to your photos that need to happen between ceremony and reception. In conclusion: we think that a first look is a very personal choice, you can choose it because you want more time for photos or you can choose it because you want to be present at the cocktail hour and reception. You can also choose not to do a first look because the wedding is what's most important not the number of photos that you get back. In either case, ensure that your photographer is a quality photographer that will ensure that they can get the photos you want with the time needed in the timeline.
Happy Planning!
