And then the groom turns around, and is blown away by his beautiful bride (who is equally smitten by her spiffed-up groom):
For years, people have debated about whether or not to take these "first look" photos. They don't want to mess with tradition, which keeps the bride and groom separate until the church doors open and she walks down the aisle.
I'd like to make a case against tradition.
The reason brides were traditionally kept from their grooms until the beginning of the ceremony dates back to the time of arranged marriages. Typically, the bride was traded to a well-to-do groom for some land, or maybe some cattle. You know, romantic stuff. To force the groom to keep his word, he was not allowed to see the bride before the ceremony, and even then, the bride's face was covered with a veil until the vows were recited (so he couldn't run away if she was ugly...charming).
Luckily, such marriages in our culture have pretty much come to an end; these days, the groom asks the bride for her hand himself. He knows what she looks like. He loves her inside and out, and can't wait to spend his life with her.
Which brings us to my case for first look photos. We'll start with the sensible stuff and work our way through to the romance.
Today's weddings generally follow the same course: ceremony, cocktail hour, reception. Read: cocktail HOUR. In my experience, couples that have not seen each other before the ceremony and have to take all of their family photos between ceremony and reception generally take about two hours. That's two hours that your guests are milling around, hungry, waiting to be let into the reception hall. By getting all of your photos done before hand, you get more time with your photographer (you can start as early as you want) and more cohesive photographs (from getting ready to seeing each other to the ceremony, etc.). You also get to use that cocktail hour to have a quiet moment with your new spouse, and reflect on the day to that point. Not to mention it's a good time to freshen up before your big entrance at the reception.
Now, the romantic side of it all. Look at this groom:
He's blown away, and it's a beautiful, emotional moment. But it's not a moment you probably want to have up at the altar, standing in front of possibly hundreds of people, feeling like you have to keep your emotions in check. By having this moment before hand, the emotions of both parties can unfold organically, and the results are so touching.
First looks also help with nerves. By seeing each other before hand, you create a sort of bond together, like a shared secret. There are enough nerves on your wedding day: will everything run on time? What if I trip? Is that crazy relative going to get drunk and make things awkward? Seeing each other before brings a sense of calm that nothing else can, and gives you one less thing to be nervous about. You can relax (well, as relaxed as you can be stating your love for each other in front of all your family and friends) and enjoy the ceremony. Just look at these two:
That sweet, "I have a secret" grin on both of their faces says it all! They're relaxed and ready for the next step.
Finally, first looks provide some of the most beautiful, raw emotions captured on film. Shots like these are more romantic than any staged wedding photo:
kylehepp.com
I don't know about you, but I can't wait to get some shots like that on my wedding day!
So, do you agree or disagree with my take on old tradition? Feel free to sound off in the comments below! And if you want to see more first look pictures, check out Buzzfeed's awesome list: http://www.buzzfeed.com/mattbellassai/24-grooms-seeing-their-brides-for-the-first-time-6z51!
Thanks for reading! Have a great weekend.
Yours,
I completely agree with you. It should be a special moment with each other, being able to see each other before the wedding. Plus, taking all the pictures you want beforehand.
ReplyDeleteI've always been a purist about not having photos taken together before the wedding. The romantic in me loves the emotional moment when the groom sees the bride for the first time. I wonder now, how are the bride and groom getting cheated out of that pure moment having photos taken ahead of the ceremony? They're not. It's just more private. It's also very considerate not to make your guests wait for a long time before you arrive at the reception. Case well made!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I could convince you to see the other side, Polly! Thanks so much for reading!
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