First Look.
So what exactly is the first look?
Simply put – it’s when you spend some time before the ceremony (yes, before) in a private moment where we get to capture the intimacy of you two seeing each other for the first time on the wedding day.
Typically, we’ll scout out a spot that is remote, romantic, and away from guests. From there, we’ll guide you two towards a secret rendezvous just for you. Not only does this make for some amazing memories, but you get to share in a private moment just between the two of you!
Pros:
1. You get to spend a lot more time with your soon-to-be husband/wife! Many past couples have mentioned that seeing each other prior to the ceremony helps calm nerves as well.
2. From the media side of things, you might have some more time. Depending on the timing and location, we may be able to do a lot of the couple’s portraits sooner so you can spend time with family and friends later.
3. The time between the ceremony and reception doesn’t have to drag out. Because most of the photographs are completed, the reception can start much quicker and taking photos earlier in the day gives you more time to rest!
Cons:
1. Days typically start earlier. Due to most of the photographs being before the ceremony, everyone has to get ready earlier in the day.
2. Quality of light may not be as good. First off, this can totally depend on the weather and the season of your wedding. Like we talked about earlier, shooting as close to sunset is the ideal situation.
3. Tradition. Many couples want to follow standard wedding traditions, and that’s ok! If a first look is always what you dreamed of, then do it! It’s your wedding day! You only get one!
What about a First Touch?
A first touch is when we have a couple that wants to honor the tradition of not seeing each other before the wedding ceremony but still wants to spend some time together before it starts. That’s where the First Touch comes in. It’s a time that you want to coordinate with your wedding planner, photo, and video team to capture this moment. What usually happens is we will set up a location and set the groom in place. We will invite the bride to join them around the corner of a hallway, a pillar, or a door and join hands. You will still be able to spend time together while keeping up with tradition!
Other Things to Consider
1. Getting Ready Close to One Another
We highly recommend for our couples to get ready as close as possible! We have had it happen in the past where the couples are getting ready in different locations on the other sides of the island. This may cause some troubles in the timeline as we may have to spend a lot of time driving instead of capturing moments!
2. Hotel vs. Home
There are some pros and cons to getting ready at a Hotel vs Home.
Let’s start with getting ready in a hotel. First off, there is going to be less clutter in a hotel room! When there’s less clutter, it’s easier to find good, clean light. It’s one thing for us to move a chair in a hotel vs. a chair, some decor, and 3 picture frames that would be in your home. Another big pro is that everyone is in one spot. This easily allows for us to go back and forth between the guys and girls capturing far more moments.
The biggest reason for getting ready at home is for storytelling. There’s just something about shooting at home and shooting around places that so much meaning that really brings out more emotion. If you want to get ready at home, that’s not a problem for us!
Deciding on whether or not to have a first look is a big decision. It’s definitely something to discuss with your other half. Planning a wedding and still looking for a photographer/videographer? Well, you can see more of our work, here!
