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First Look Versus Traditional

Steph Shanks
Sep 21, 2016
2 min read

As a wedding photographer, I realize that I am at an advantage to help brides plan their big day! Something that seems to be coming up a lot lately is whether to have a 'reveal' before the ceremony. Here is my opinion, and why I love them.

Traditional is when the bride and groom make the decision to not see each other prior to the ceremony. The advantage of this is that you and sharing this special moment in front of your friends and family. Regardless of if you have a reveal or not, this is a very emotional moment. As a wedding photographer, its important for me to capture both the bride and the groom at this moment in time. I will tell you that most of the time, the brides look great, and the guys look .. well super nervous.

A first look happens prior to the ceremony. It's just as emotional as the traditional reveal, but its more intimate. Both you and your mate are so much more relaxed! Generally, the spot of the reveal is decided before hand, so the photographers and videographers are set up to capture this moment in great detail.

First off, I'm not here to tell you how you should have your wedding. I am just giving you some food for thought based on my experience. There are many more advantages to doing a reveal then disadvantages.

1. A reveal is another way to add a chapter to your wedding day story. It allows for more photographs of your day as well. It can take as little as 5 minutes, but to have those pictures is priceless. If you are reading this, I'm guessing that amazing memorable photos are important to you, that's good because it's important to me too :)

2. You will have more time to relax. Most of the brides that I work with that choose not to do a reveal are getting ready right up to ceremony time. This means that all the photos that need to be taken happen between the end of the ceremony and the grand march. Family photos, wedding party photos, candids, formals. By doing a reveal, there is more time to get some of these pictures done before hand. That means there is more time for you to relax and enjoy your guests.

3. Less stress. This is a day that you have been dreaming of your whole life. By doing a reveal, you can spend more of the day with your partner. You can share a few quiet moments together before the ceremony. This is hard to accomplish after the ceremony when there are so many people around.

The most common disadvantage of doing a reveal is that it is a breaking of tradition. There might be some disappointment from family members. There are also superstitions that may or may not come into play.

As a wedding photographer, it is my job to capture your day the best I can. A reveal is another way to capture your day and to give you the best images for you to cherish. Having more time to take pictures before hand is great, having a less stressed bride and groom is even better :)