Welcome back! Today we’re discussing one of the hottest topics in wedding planning – “Should I do a first look?“.
There’s a lot to consider when debating on doing a first look at your wedding.
Though they’re not the “old school” traditional way of starting off your wedding day, we’ve seen first-hand how every couple can benefit from having one.
Don’t just take our word for it, we’ve sat down with photographer and videographer, Joseph Schlabs from Cinderella Wedding Co. to get his opinion on first looks!
More About Cinderella Wedding Co.
Joey is the owner of Cinderella Wedding Co. in Chattanooga, TN.
His love for working weddings started off early, shooting his first wedding at age 15!
Can you believe that?
He later opened Cinderella Wedding Co. in 2008 with his wife, Melissa. Since then he has photographed around 500 weddings! Wow!
This reputable company has grown into a collective group of freelance creators that work together to capture all those special moments on wedding day.
We have personally worked with Joey and his team and have experienced the ease and profession that an experienced company brings to the table.
Brides Want to Know… What is a First Look?
Wedding planning comes with a lot of new terms to learn, so no worries if you have no clue what we’re talking about here.
A first look is when the bride and groom allot time before their ceremony to see each other.
How Does a First Look Work at a Wedding?
The bride is fully glammed up in her wedding dress and the groom is also ready to roll in his wedding day attire.
This typically takes place in a private location in order to create an intimate atmosphere for the bride and groom to share.
Commonly the photographer and videographer are present during this time but are far enough away to capture the special moment without stealing the moment from each other.
We’ve often seen a first look take place at the ceremony site as well; with the groom at the altar to create the same “walking down the aisle” feel as a traditional ceremony.
Talk with your vendor to figure out what location would make the most sense for your wedding day!
3 Reasons to Consider A First Look at Your Wedding
We have seen time and time again the benefits of doing a first look and it was so fun sitting down with Joey to explain the reasons why it can be a good thing to consider doing for your wedding day.
Overall, doing a first look can improve the flow of your wedding day, help with the nerves you will be experiencing can help you capture better photos and video.
Additionally, the intimacy all benefit from planning to do a first look at your wedding.
1. THE FLOW IS EVERYTHING
Weddings thrive on flow!
From the timeline to events and scheduling it’s all about good flow.
When you do a first look it opens up the beginning of the day for all the good pictures you want and need.
You can knock out the whole wedding party together, family, and our favorite – the romantic couple shots.
Thus opening up the freedom to enjoy your wedding after the ceremony is over.
You will be able to go straight into your reception, greeting and meeting guests, and partying with the people you love!
Also, the TIME!
Another thing to keep in mind is vendors and their contracted time allotment.
If you get ahead of all of the pictures and important details, you don’t have to worry about missing any pictures or special moments.
2. YOU MIGHT FORGET BECAUSE OF YOUR NERVES
Wedding day nerves are real and they’re strong!
Joey mentioned not doing a first look at his own wedding and how much it impacted him and his wife’s nerves on their big day.
Many couples even have trouble remembering their ceremony!
A first look allows you the time with your partner to be together and share a moment before diving into the ceremony. Your partner is your best friend, so connecting prior to the ceremony can help calm both of you down!
You can find peace with each other and have your person with you to help calm down before walking down the aisle.
3. BETTER PHOTOS / VIDEO
We were shocked when Joey said weddings with first looks have about 25% more photos to choose from than weddings that don’t do one.
It all makes sense though! The photographer and videographer aren’t rushed to get the bride and groom to the reception and can really dive into the important shots with time and ease.
If you happen to miss any photos or a beautiful sunset, you can step out and take a few extra photos without feeling like your guests are waiting on you or you’re missing your reception, because you’ll have so much more time there already!
We know you love your guests, but do you want to share that moment with all 250 people in attendance?
A first look is everything you want it to be when seeing your partner for the first time. But the best part? You get to experience it together as a couple alone.
What Do YOU Think About a First Look?
With all this in mind, if you’ve always dreamed of seeing your husband or wife at the end of aisle for the first time since you were little, then go with that! It’s your day!
Your vendors can adapt to any schedule you want, first look or none. There have been numerous successful weddings done both ways.
If this article caused you to consider doing a first look, please let us know what you decided!!
Team first look or team tradtion! If this sparked some good food for thought, but you still have questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!
W Events
(423) 405-7615
Happy planning!
