Every month the blog will take a look at the value of optional parts of the wedding day. If you think of a topic you would like discussed, I would like to know: travis@travisflynnphotography.com
The "first look" trend has been growing in recent years. Instead of waiting for the ceremony for the bride and groom to see each other, many couples are deciding to see each other earlier in the day.
Drawbacks:
1) Some couples want the magical moment to be during the ceremony
2) The bride, groom, and often others have to get ready earlier in the morning for this to work.
Benefits:
1) It typically frees up time for the bride, groom, and others to enjoy cocktail hour.
2) More pictures can typically be taken of the bride and groom together before the ceremony than after. Or it results in more time between the ceremony and reception for just pictures of the bride and groom, since group portraits (including pictures with both the bride and groom) were taken earlier.
3) It can often result in better, and more intimate, pictures of the bride and groom seeing each other for the first time than during the ceremony, when angles of capturing both the bride and groom are limited.
There are certainly valid reasons for either take on this. Let us know what you think from your experience in the comment section below!