Love at first…look

I was recently introduced to the term “first look” wedding photos.  Being that I am blonde and very traditional in my ways, I knew that it could not mean what I thought it meant.  My mind was wandering and straying far away from the reality of this concept, and I came to the conclusion that it had to be photos of the bride once she was in her dress with her hair and make up freshly done.  A first look at the total package of the bride…kind of makes sense, right?

WRONG!  We all know that the traditional practice is for the groom to not set eyes on the bride before she walks down the aisle.  Well, times are a changin’.  First look photos are a booming new trend in the wedding world. 

I’m sure everyone who is reading this is slowly putting the pieces of the puzzle together on this foreign idea.  But, for those of you who are just as confused as I was, let me break it down for you.  First look wedding photos are a photo op for the bride and groom before the ceremony.  The way it typically works is the groom is standing in a picture perfect area with his back facing the bride.  The bride walks up to him (almost as if she is walking down the aisle), and once she reaches her man destination, she taps him on the back, he turns around, and BOOM – first look at each other as bride and groom and the camera snaps away.

While your grandmother and mother probably frown at this idea, I think it is fantastic.  When I attend weddings, I always try to remind myself to look at the grooms face once he takes the first glance at his bride.  This is very hard to do.  My eyes are always fixated on the bride, analyzing her dress, hair, make up…you know.  Then when I realize that I wanted to be looking at the groom I look like a crazy person with my head twisting back and forth.  With first look photos, it is all captured.  Another reason why I think this idea is great, is because you get to share the intimacy of just the two of you, not in front of anyone else, seeing each other for the first time.  Yes, the photographers are there but they are too busy doing their job snapping away, and I think that we can all agree it would be less awkward saying what you wanted to say in front of a photographer than it would be an officiant…            

Until next time,

Elise

                                   (photo by Platinum Touch Events)