It’s an old tradition for a bride and groom NOT to see each other before the ceremony, but does it make sense? Looking at it from a professional photographer and wedding planner’s perspective, Joe and Tessa will share their advice and experience from weddings that do and don’t do a first look. 

Seeing each other before your ceremony feels wrong - we get it. But what if we tell you that you might not have time post-ceremony for all the photos you want? Maybe you won’t have time to hang out with your guests during cocktail hour, or *GASP* you won’t have time for sunset photos? Would any of those reasons change your wedding day plans? Listen in to learn all the reasons why you should (or shouldn’t) do a first look. BONUS: Find out who was the crier during the first look at their wedding - Joe or Tessa… Destination weddings, local weddings - this episode is for everyone!

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First Look Facts for Your Wedding Day

• We answer questions about a first look in this episode, including the obvious one: What is a first look?
• We also discuss why should you do a first look? 
• If you do a first look, get creative. We LOVE it when they’re emotional, funny, or crazy. 
• If you don’t do a first look, it’s OK! Our advice is to plan ahead to make sure you have time to do everything you want on your wedding day, post-ceremony.

Links and Miscellaneous Thoughts from this Episode:

• THE FIRST LOOK: A first look is a planned, organized period of time before the ceremony when the couple has a moment to see each other, alone.
• The superstition behind a first look is that if you see each other before the ceremony, your wedding will be cursed. This came from the old tradition of arranged marriages, and how couples didn’t meet/speak or see each other until the ceremony. YIKES!
• Why should you do a first look? It can calm your nerves, it helps get a lot of photos done before the ceremony which allows more time with your guests, it can make your day feel less rushed, and it helps with the logistics of the day.
• Why shouldn’t you do a first look? Doing photos beforehand can make your day feel longer, and might cost more for photo and video. It also requires your family to be onsite earlier (before the wedding) for photos. If you know your family is tardy all the time, this can be frustrating and a waste of precious time. If one or both of you feel very strongly against seeing each other before the ceremony - don’t do it!
• Creative ways to do the first look:
  • Emotional/romantic option: read your vows to each other privately, or turn around and look at each other together. 
  • Joe talks about a couple funny moments - Groomsman dressed in a wedding dress, and  when a bride grabs the groom’s butt.
  • Tessa talks about a couple who got married where Jurassic Park was filmed - the bride dressed up as a dinosaur!
  • Alternative options: Do a first look with others - your dad, your grandpa (LOVE THIS), your wedding party, YOUR DOG!!
• TRUTH #1: Tessa did a very low key first look.
• TRUTH #2: Joe is CLEARLY very extra. He got super emotional and started crying before his wife came down! (The key takeaway - he was just as emotional during the ceremony, the first look didn’t take anyt

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