First Look VS Traditional Wedding Day - Which Should You Choose???
Are you having a hard time deciding if you want to do a first look on your wedding day VS waiting to see each other until the ceremony???
Choosing between doing a first look vs not is sometimes a really hard decision for couples to make. Both have their sets of pros and cons, and it’s hard to know what to choose if you haven’t experienced it before!!!
With that said, I have written down the pros/cons of each choice based on what I experience/witness on a wedding day - how the day flows, how people feel, etc. I hope this can help you start to decide what you want to do on your OWN wedding day!!!
first look pros/cons
You’ll get a more simple timeline for the day that keeps everyone together in one location
You get a special moment in time between the two of you to CALM your nerves and enjoy the day without the chaos of everyone around you
You pretty much get everything done portrait-wise BEFORE the ceremony - which means you can just relax and enjoy everything that comes after!
You’ll need to plan for more time BEFORE the ceremony to get portraits done, which could mean having to get ready earlier in the day
Your makeup/hair will be FRESH for all of your portraits!
traditional: pros/cons
You get the ever classic “his first time seeing you reaction” in front of everyone as you walk down the aisle
You can still have some sweet moments - praying together around a door together, exchanging/reading letters to each other :) ALWAYS PRECIOUS
There is still plenty of time for portraits, so this timeline is NOT impossible
The gap between the ceremony and reception is TWICE as long in the traditional timeline than the first look - your guests will have to wait longer for you since most of your portraits will happen AFTER the ceremony
Bottom line is - IT IS TOTALLY UP TO YOU!!! And you can change your mind - even on your wedding day!!! I’m definitely in the “first look camp” in terms of convenience and also the RELIEF of nerves it provides, but this decision will NOT make or break your wedding. My own couples have been 50/50 between having first look vs traditional timelines, and we have NEVER run into any major issues either way!
Go with whatever you and your fiance agree is the best for your relationship and dreams for your wedding day, and it will go SMOOTHLY!!! Take the pressure off yourself and know that whatever decision you make, you are STILL GETTING MARRIED - WOOHOO!!!!!