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Thoughts on "first look" photos?

najera36najera36
10 Comments
in New Hampshire
My fiance and I met with our first photographer yesterday and she brought up a good point about our pictures.  Our ceremony is at 7pm at the end of September next year.  We picked Sept because we love the fall colors, but with our ceremony so late it will be dark by the time we take pictures.  She had suggested we do "first look" pictures before the ceremony.  At first I was really opposed to this cause I like the tradition of not seeing each other til the wedding, but it seems like it would be the only time that the two of us have together the whole day.  And we would also get to take pictures anywhere in the area during the day to see all the foliage.  Has anyone done or is thinking about doing these types of pics and what are your thoughts on it (good or bad)? Thanks!
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Re: Thoughts on "first look" photos?

  • daisy667daisy667
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    We are doing a first look. Our photographer sent us some blogs and articles to read about it. One of the more memorable things I read is that not seeing each other before the wedding was tradition that was started a long, long time ago when people were betrothed to each other, and they really didn't want the groom to see what the bride would look like, or vice versa, so neither of them would try to escape before the wedding if they didn't like what they saw.

    I went to a friends wedding last summer and they did a "first look" and it was the first time I heard about it. They said that it did not take away from "the moment" looking at each other walking down the aisle, and it made them less stressed out and nervous, AND they got to enjoy some of cocktail hour.

    I think that mostly we are doing it to make sure we get all the photos we want, and we don't feel rushed to do them during cocktail hour.

    My photographer says some of her best photos of the couple always come out of the "First look" because you can capture a truly private and sweet moment.

    In the end, I still think that it would be kind of nice to have my FI first see me walking down the aisle, but doing a first look is something I look forward to, and I'm not superstitions in anyway, so it will work for us. :)
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  • FireDancer04FireDancer04 member
    Fifth Anniversary 1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    It's completely up to the couple. For me personally, I wanted the first time for him to see me was walking down the asile. We had been together almost 8 years, living together for 6, so it was very important to me that we have the moment in the chapel of me walking down the asile to him.

    Talk it over with you FI and see if it suits you.
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  • msowenamsowena
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I really don't know what we will do. I love the idea of seeing him first so I'm more calm and have less anxiety walking down the aisle. Plus it'll give us more time for pictures. BUT I really would rather have him see me fore the first time at the end of the aisle. I think I change my mind on this subject every month as to what we should do. I'm a logical person, so that side of me wants to have a first look. But the traditional side of me wantshim to see me for the first time during the ceremony...regardless of the reasoning that the tradition was formed.
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  • scrpio421scrpio421
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I love the idea of the first look. My thought is that I want the first time he sees me to be spectacular of course. I want him to be able to pick me up and twirl me around if he wanted to, or talk to me and have our private moment together. If we wait till we are in front of everyone, his hands will be at his sides and he will barely be able to talk to me. I want his full reaction of how I look, not the subdued one because he's in front of a hundred people in a formal ceremony.
    As you can see, I'm all about the first look! Plus, we can actually go to our cocktail hour, if our family pics don't take long. We are only doing our pics and maybe bridal party with the first look. Not everyone is going to get to see us! :)
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  • DirtyWaterDirtyWater
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    edited December 2011
    Instead of the first look for time purposes we are going to take most of our pictures early before the ceremony. 

    Girls with the girls.
    Guys with the guys.

    Groom with his parents.
    Bride with her parents.

    After the ceremony will be a quick bride & groom and entire bridal party pics, so we can enjoy cocktail hour with our guests.
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  • najera36najera36
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    @msowena - that is EXACTLY how I feel about the idea.  I'm sure I'll go back and forth a million times from now til then.  There is something to be said for both that private moment with your husband, but it's also important to be able to share that with your friends and family... Still undecided, but leaning towards doing the first look pics.

    @scrpio421 - you make a good point too.  I like the idea of being able to express how happy we are to see each other at a first look rather than have to stand there and just stare at each other and be nervous :)
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  • DrPB2b13DrPB2b13 member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    For myself, I know that if the first time we see each other is in front of all of our guests, I will be struggling to keep a "socially appropriate" reaction.  Thus, I really want the photos and the reactions to be 100% real and genuine and captured, so we will be doing first look photos.  I love the idea of the intimacy, the few moments alone together, and the ability to just let it all out without worrying about the 100 some-odd people looking at us.

    We will also be doing as many of our formal shots before the ceremony as well, so we'll do the first look photos, then all of the group shots, then the ceremony.  We will be able to use the cocktail hour to pick up any other shots we didn't initially get, as well as socialize with our guests.  This is really important to me, because I don't like receiving lines, so it will make it SO much easier to get to all of our guests during our reception time and not have to worry about making sure I eat.  I've heard stories from brides who spent so much of their reception trying to get to see everyone that they didn't eat the meal or cake, and other brides who really regretted not getting to everyone.  So my cocktail hour will be for meet & greet, as well as enjoying the hors d'oeurves I've paid for!
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  • msowenamsowena
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-hampshire_thoughts-first-look-photos?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:101Discussion:28f7cd9d-d14d-4399-9eb8-52dd8888d002Post:d96ca00d-7dbf-47ef-8c32-8dec4811a9fe">Re: Thoughts on "first look" photos?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Instead of the first look for time purposes we are going to take most of our pictures early before the ceremony.  Girls with the girls. Guys with the guys. Groom with his parents. Bride with her parents. After the ceremony will be a quick bride & groom and entire bridal party pics, so we can enjoy cocktail hour with our guests.
    Posted by DirtyWater[/QUOTE]

    I'm considering this too. Since I know the girls will take longer to get ready, the  photographer could go do the guy's pictures first. & then us girls will be done getting ready and take our pictures. I don't think I would miss the "getting ready" photo shoot all that much. Plus my photographer is a family friend (owns a photography business though) who will probably be with me all day long so I can get "getting ready" pictures at the beginning of the day before the guy pics. & then after the pictures I will have to freshen up a bit and she can get photos of that too!
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