As a wedding photographer and filmmaker in Málaga, I’ve seen many approaches to the wedding day timeline. The great variety of nationalities that choose to get married in Costa Del Sol gives me a great insight into worldwide wedding trends. And one trend that’s become increasingly popular in recent years is doing a “first look” before the ceremony. If you’re on the fence about whether or not to do a first look at your wedding, here are 4 reasons why I think you should do one!
WHAT IS A FIRST LOOK?
Before I start telling you about all the benefits it might be suited to explain what is a first look. Well Traditionally, the bride and groom don’t see each other until the ceremony. However, more and more couples have chosen to do break that tradition with a “First Look”. A first look is a private moment between the bride and groom, where they see each other for the first time on their wedding day. It’s typically set up by the photographer or videographer, and it can take place in a private room or a scenic location. The couple can have a few minutes alone to talk, take pictures, and just soak at the moment before the chaos of the wedding day begins. It’s a special, intimate moment that many couples cherish, and it can add a lot of emotion and meaning to your wedding day.
01 IT’S A SPECIAL MOMENT JUST FOR THE TWO OF YOU
Your wedding day is a whirlwind of activity and emotion, and it can be hard to find a quiet moment to just be together. By doing a first look, you’ll have a chance to see each other before the ceremony in a private, intimate setting. This is a chance to take a deep breath, hold hands, and connect with each other before the chaos of the day sets in. This can help calm nerves and create a more relaxed atmosphere for the rest of the day. When I am doing videos or photos at weddings, I’ve seen first-hand how this intimate moment can create some truly beautiful and emotional photos and videos and I see how this set the tone for the day.
02 MORE TIME FOR PHOTOS AND VIDEO
From a photo and video standpoint, a first look is a dream scenario. On a traditional timeline, there is normally not a lot of time for the couple to be with their guest and at the same time get all the photos and video they want. The first look solves that problem. We’ll have plenty of time to capture the moment when you see each other for the first time. After the first look, we now have the flexibility to prober photos and video of the couple before the ceremony without being rushed. This can be especially helpful if the couple wants to take pictures at multiple locations or just a location that is not the wedding venue. It also opens up the possibility to do amazing things with the bridal party before the ceremony, again leaving more time for later to enjoy.
In short by doing a first look, we can get all of the formal photos and video out of the way early on, so the couple can relax and enjoy the rest of their day without worrying about missing any important shots.
03 MORE TIME TO ENJOY THE RECEPTION
As a wedding photographer and filmmaker in Málaga, I’ve seen many approaches to the wedding day timeline. The great variety of nationalities that choose to get married in Costa Del Sol gives me a great insight into worldwide wedding trends. And one trend that’s become increasingly popular in recent years is doing a “first look” before the ceremony. If you’re on the fence about whether or not to do a first look at your wedding, here are 4 reasons why I think you should do one!
The problem with that is that it does not leave a lot of time after the ceremony before the dinner starts. So you can properly imagine that you will have limited time with your guests if you also need to do the formal portraits after the ceremony.
04 TRADITION VS. MODERN TRENDS
Some couples may be hesitant to do a first look because it goes against traditional wedding customs. However, more and more couples are opting for first looks, and it’s possible to incorporate some traditional elements into the first look experience. For example, the couple could still do an intimate moment together without actually seeing each other. Imagine how powerful of a moment it would be if you stand on each side of a corner wall, reaching down to hold hands while reading out your morning letters to each other. That could be another way of including an intimate moment together while adding amazing emotion to your photos and video.
But it won’t have the benefit of extra time.
CONCLUSION
In summary, there are several compelling reasons for couples to consider doing a first look on their wedding day. However, it’s important for couples to think about what will work best for them and their wedding day.
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