This is one of the most talked about questions when talking weddings with our amazing couples. We have a deep love for “first looks” here at ADP, mainly because they are awesome. But, let us explain. While we do have some traditional couples who prefer to see each other for the first time at the ceremony (which is absolutely fine!), a majority of couples say “Yes!” to the big reveal and it can be a fun and intimate encounter! And that saying “It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding”, that’s a bunch of bologna! While we know some brides love tradition, what most brides want is “reaction,” and there’s a stigma that the amazingly emotional and special moment of walking down the aisle won’t produce that same reaction with a first look.Well, we are here to say..that’s not true!

 

Kristy and Rhys

“We really enjoyed having a first look. It was a special moment that we got to share with just the two of us. My husband was able to tell me how beautiful I looked in private and didn’t have to wait until after the ceremony. This day only comes once in a lifetime so we wanted to spend as much time with our friends and family so being at the cocktail hour was one of the ways we could spend more time with them. Lastly, it took away all the nerves we were having. We were able to be together first without everybody watching us.”

---

 

We know a wedding day can be a bit (or a lot) stressful for a bride and groom.

“I have to have my make-up perfect.”

“What time is it?”

“When are my flowers arriving?”

“What is this flower thing and how do I put it on my jacket?”

As the day goes on, the tension grows and before the ceremony starts, the anxiety builds. As much as grooms can seem cool and collected on the big day, they get nervous too! Is walking down the aisle and having all your guests watch both of your facial expressions and actions private and intimate? Yes, it is powerful and amazing, but some couples don’t want that pressure weighing on them before the ceremony.

 

Kaitlyn and Pete

“Weddings can be a very nerve wrecking event in your life. Pete is the number one person to make me feel at ease and I knew seeing him before the aisle would take all the nerves away. I wanted to really be able to vividly remember the first time seeing him on our wedding day. I didn’t want any other distractions ( like hoping I didn’t trip walking down the aisle!).  I just wanted it to be me and him in that moment.”

---

 

So let’s throw a trendy curve ball in. What if the bride and groom went to a private place- no onlookers- no distractions- just the two of them. The bride slowly walks up to her groom, taps him on the shoulder, and he turns to see the most beautiful girl in the world and embrace her in that moment. She asks “Do you like my dress?”, he smiles and tells her how amazing she looks, and comfort hits. Sounds like a dream right?

 

Jael and Tim

“We chose to do a first look because it allowed us alone time together to enjoy that special moment just the two of us on our wedding day. Spending the wedding day with family and friends is great but at the end of it, it truly is about the two of you and throughout the night there isn’t a lot of time for that, believe it or not. We are glad we did the first look. Having a moment alone was what we needed, the pictures turned our great and it kept us from being a mess at the alter!”

---

 

Now, let me just say that our couples are not required to partake in a first look, that is absolutely up to the bride and groom. We have seen many benefits in taking the time to have a first look and we only want the best for our cherished brides and grooms so we wanted to share a couple of its benefits.

Let’s be honest, couples invest a lot of money in their wedding photography. With a first look, the bride and groom with get more portraits of the two of them, aka. more beautiful images documenting the big day! With the investment of photography, a first look can help make the most of your money!

What else? The couple gets to share some intimate time together! They can talk, and giggle, and hold each other…without having to wait until the ceremony is over. They each get the opportunity to tell one another how amazing they look and how excited they are to be marrying the love of their lives, and share their love with each other. This also eliminates a majority of nerves and also extends your wedding party time! This also gives the couple the opportunity to partake in cocktail hour if they would like to mix and mingle with guests.

 

Brittany and Mike

“When planning our wedding, the advice we often received was to find time slow down and enjoy the special moments of your wedding because the day that you spend a year planning goes by in the blink of an eye. We will always remember our first look where we met on the bridge to share a reflective moment with just the two of us before we said I do. Afterwards, we enjoyed taking photos with our parents and entire bridal party, so we could jump right into the reception fun with our all of our wedding guests after the ceremony.”

---