This is one of the hardest decisions that a bride will make about her wedding day because it will absolutely change how the rest of the day goes. In my humble opinion, I am all for First Looks for many reasons, and it may not be what you think.

 

A First Look is a Private Moment

 

You won’t get very many private moments at your wedding. It’s just the nature of weddings. Doing a first look allows you and your groom to have a private moment that you will never be able to forget or replicate. People always say that your wedding day goes by so fast, and it truly does! It’s a whirlwind of a day teeming with excitement and laughs. There is so much going on at a wedding, you feel like you don’t stop from the moment your feet hit the floor till you are peeling your dress off and kicking off those Kate Spade heels when you get home. It’s so calming and grounding to be able to just take a moment between you and your best friend to just be yourselves without anyone else watching.

 

A First Look is Emotional

 

Many people who favor the traditional style will try to convince you that having a first look will ruin your grand entrance as you walk down the aisle. I am here to tell you (as someone who watches people get married for living), girl it DOES NOT! AT ALL! If anything it adds more emotion because now your groom feels more relaxed and prepared! AND added bonus – he doesn’t have to feel 200 pairs of eyes staring at him as he takes you in. I have seen countless weddings where the groom is SO stressed out about seeing his bride for the first time that he actually shows NO EMOTION AT ALL! Which is such a shame!

First looks are actually my favorite part of a wedding day. Why? Because my #CDPBrides are head over heels for their #CDPGrooms and their love just can’t be contained to one moment. #CDPGrooms are enraptured with their bride and there are so many happy tears – and not just from the #CDPCouple but from my husband and I too! (Damion is a sucker for the moment when a groom sees his bride for the first time, which is one of the reasons I love him!)

 

A First Look is like a Pep Talk before the big game

 

When you do a first look, it bonds you and builds your emotional connection up to tackle the most stressful part of the day – the vows. Everyone gets SO nervous about saying their vows perfectly and not messing up their lines. Having a first look is kinda like having a pep talk before a big game. It allows you to let go of all that stress and just take in the moment for what it truly means. It allows you to reflect on WHY you are here in the first place, to marry your best friend – your forever love. All of those things can be forgotten or overlooked in the pandemonium of the day.

 

A First Look Gives You Time

 

This one needs a serious drumroll. A First Look gives you time! Without a first look you will spend most of your wedding day apart from your future hubby. In essence, most brides and grooms who choose to forgo the First Look end up spending just a few hours of their wedding day together. When you do a first look, you not only have time to spend with your future spouse, you will also be gaining several hours of valuable time to get other things done (like family photos)! That way, you have PLENTY of time to get those gorgeous golden hour portraits taken that you will cherish forever.

Want to hit multiple locations for your portraits? No problem! We would have time to go to that gorgeous lake front spot or the hidden gem down the road. We wouldn’t be stressing about squeezing your portraits in between family photos and cocktail hour, and in actuality you could even be spending that time with your guests AT cocktail hour. Getting a chance to see all those family members and friends who drove/flew so far to see your big day.

Your opinion matters most

At the end of the day, I am always supportive of my brides, no matter what decision they choose. Even if you do decide to forgo the First Look, we will make your day just as fabulous because honestly – this is your wedding day and you should get to spend it however you like! We are just blessed to witness the moment when you become husband and wife, and even more blessed that you chose us to document it!

 

 

Want more blog content like this?? Stay tuned because this is just the first part in our wedding blog series called Two Cents Tuesday! Next week, we will be discussing Veil – or No Veil! It will be really reVEILing – okay okay I know it was a bad pun. But I am too dang excited about it!

 

XO Chloé