I DO: First Look Photos
We share why first look photos are a definite do in our new series: I Do/ I Don’t, where we split the pros and cons between the hottest wedding trends.
Wedding Photography is the most expensive photography package you’ll ever happily afford in your life. Capturing the moment you say “I Do” is just as important as capturing the look on your groom’s face as you enter the room. Chances are, you’ll see it differently from 50 feet down the aisle through joyously tearful eyes than the photographer will up close beforehand and you’ll cherish the memories for the duration of your happy nuptials.
I’m all for first look photography. Few moments in a regular man’s life paint the emotional picture than the look on his face when the woman he loves, the woman he’s ready to spend the rest of his life with is introduced to him for the first time in her amazing wedding gown. I realize that ancient myths say it’s bad luck to see the bride before the actual ceremony—but 51% of the people living by this myth in America get divorced, so by all means, take a walk on the wild side.
A first look photography session is an intimate, pre-wedding moment. It’s done away from the wedding party, and the photographer—who probably does two of these sessions a weekend—is barely there. Really. It’s a great moment to have alone with your partner. In fact, it is the last moment that you’ll have together before you’re united in marriage. Who WOULDN’T want to take that moment and really appreciate the man or woman they’re about to commit to for the rest of their lives.
The photography from these ‘first look’ encounters is generally pretty fabulous. The photographers are able to capture candid, raw emotion—something that, let’s face it, isn’t prevalent in portrait or posed wedding photography.
Many brides say that the first look photography session helped them get over the stress hurdles that a wedding can cause. It acts as a subtle reminder of why your stomach has been doing backflips for weeks. Other brides love the serenity of the moment that the two will be able to spend alone together in the church, or on the beach with no one around to rain on their love-parade.
And then, of course, there are vanity reasons for having a first look photography session….
How many times in your relationship, through the course of life do you have those raw emotional breakthroughs together? I’d say, in the 8 years I’ve been with my man, we’ve had three. One shouldn’t count because our best mutual friend thought it’d be fun to put that feel-good club drug in his drink one night and I wasn’t the only person he had an emotional moment with (I still haven’t let him live it down).
All in all, I think it will not only serve as a memorable wedding experience, but a great experience for you and your lifelong partner to cherish forever. The fact that you get some amazing, artistic photos out of the moment are truly just a bonus.
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