What is a first look?
A “first look” is when a couple sees each other for the first time on the wedding day before their wedding ceremony. It is a private moment for the couple, away from the eyes of family and friends. First look has been around for a while now and its still trending in most of the weddings I go to. I wanted to create a pro and con list in order to help you decide if this is the right choice for you or not.
Con list
You lose having that special moment at the altar
You might be less excited to see each other at the altar since you have already experienced it before. You might like it better to have the traditional way when you see each other and see the bride walking down the aisle.
first look location
First look location may vary from one venue to another and sometimes you may not have a good location based on weather or set up
It’s not as private as you think
Although the first look is more private than the ceremony, it may not have at it as a private as you think. You will have the photographer, videographer, other vendors, someone helping you with your dress, and occasionally the bridal party all watching you.
Getting ready earlier
Having to do a first look will change your timeline to get ready and be done few hours before the ceremony and that means waking up early.
Your dress might get dirty before ceremony
Since you will take photos and are more likely go to different locations then your dress might get dirty before you walk down the aisle. This is something that you can’t avoid and especially if you have something planned outdoors. You might also run into the issue of being sweaty and tired and you will need additional time for freshening up
May not be the best for pictures
Depending on when you planned to have your ceremony, you need at least few hours before that to take photos and that might be in the afternoon which is not ideal for photos due to the sun harsh light.
Pro List
A first look could ease any nerves before the ceremony
Having the anticipation of seeing each other for the first time on your wedding day can be nerve wracking. Having a first look will help with that and it will make the ceremony less stressful
Timeline
Having to do the first look before the ceremony makes it where you can spend more time with their guests and more time at the wedding.
Chance of being creative and goofy
If you are looking to do a fun idea this would be the perfect time to do it since you will have more of a private time together to really show your true nature.
It can be highly emotional
If you are a person who is very emotional, and you are worried about crying during the ceremony then first look is for you. You wouldn’t have to worry about your mascara running down and not knowing how you look. You will have time to freshening up and fix any make up issue.
Some quiet time together before the ceremony
During and After first look you will have a moment where you can talk and be together. You will have some privacy and less distractions from each other.
Less time spent between ceremony and reception
You can have a very short break between the ceremony and reception or no break at all which is great for the guests as they don’t have to spend a lot of time waiting around. This will also give you more time to mingle.