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Mr. D and I did not do a first look. Instead I wanted the suspense to build all day until I walked down the aisle. This caused a more hectic schedule than was necessary (not helped by my late arrival to the venue). We had to shoot the guys and the girls separately and we ran out of time to get the entire bridal party together. Mr. D and I missed cocktail hour to take portraits. I hid from whom I thought was Mr. D - which turned out to be the groomsmen doing a run through at the ceremony site.
Lamesauce.
I wish I had done a first look. In fact, it ranks relatively high on my “minor regrets about the wedding” list. Because really, I loved marrying Mr. D so much that very few things could have ruined the day, so I chalk them up to minor regrets and ignore them.
I think this video is the perfect highlight of why I would have loved to do a first look. It occurs around the 2:50-3:00 mark.
Meredith and Tommy from Monachetti on Vimeo. (More of this wedding can be seen @ KristenMarie)
Look how happy and sweet they are! Plus, despite the presence of the videographer and a photographer - it appears pretty intimate. They are so giddy and happy, they make me want to send them a box full of cotton candy and lollipops. They look relaxed and it seems like a great way to take a pause with the one you love before the day/night gets underway.
Are you doing a first look, or waiting ’til you say “I do” to see each other? Why or why not?
Haha, I love that picture!!!
We are doing a first look to ease the schedule. I’ve talked to dozens of brides about this, and everyone that did a first look was happy that they did and I’ve yet to find anyone that regrets having done one.
We totally opposed to a first look..until 2 weeks before, we changed the whole plan, did a first look and I could not be happier that we did!
Definitely doing it. Our wedding (ceremony + reception) is only just over 5 hours. I don’t want to take a single second away from it to do posed portraits. Since the wedding is in the evening, we have plenty of time to do photos earlier in the day.
Wow, this video is exactly why not having a first look is also on my minor regret list. Love the emotion you feel in the video and I love her dress, too!
That video totally makes me want to do one.. I dont think FI will budge though.
wow i really am upset that i dont have a video now but i know that we could not have been able to afford one. but you look beautiful. and that dress the girl is wearing is gorgeous!
Nope. My FI will absolutely not have it. He thinks it will make the day less special for him and I respect his wishes.
I have a plan though. Brides side/party/whatever at 2, Grooms side at 3, ceremony at 4:30, together pictures at 5:30-ish (maybe earlier) with pre-determined spots. We will miss our cocktail hour, but honestly I don’t care. I think taking the absence from the cocktail will make our grand entrance really pop. Plus we are doing the receiving line before the cocktail hour, so we will meet the guest and then can go enjoy some snacks.
We did one and it was AWESOME!! Almost didn’t, it was a hard sell to Mr. Moderndaisy. We have the best video and pix from this moment and it allowed us to get all the pix out of the way before the ceremony. Honestly, Mr. Moderndaisy can be a little aloof, so chances are very good he would have been bumbling around where he shouldn’t and we would have seen each other prematurely anyway.
we did a first look, but i think waiting until the ceremony is very special. our first look was kinda like, eh, how’s it going, don’t i look pretty. i guess we’re not super emotional.
I’ve debated back and forth on this and we decided to do the first look despite Mr. L’s protests. After I explained to him the photos / logistics, he seemed ok with it. But there is definitely something special about waiting until you walk down the aisle!
We did a first look and I’m so happy we did. We had tons of time for pictures before the ceremony and got to spend our cocktail hour well, first ALONE (only time all day!) and then with our guests. It was great.
Call me a romantic and a traditionalist, but I’d rather miss cocktail hour doing pictures after the ceremony, than give up the moment of the doors opening, and my FI seeing me for the first time at the end of the aisle. It just feels like it’ll be magical!
I think if we did the first look, it would be kind of anticlimactic… The first look itself would be like every other time we’re going somewhere fancy, and I come out of the bedroom all dolled up… And then I’d get to the ceremony and be like, “oh hey, there you are again… Nice to see you. Look, there’s grandma!”, lol! I’m big on the drama of the moment, I guess.
During the entire planning process, I was adamant about no first look and then literally two days before the wedding, I suddenly realized that I had worked too hard and waited too long for this wedding to miss a damn second of it, so we changed our minds (by we I mean me) and went for it…Walking down the aisle was still totally special didn’t ruin anything, it was just as meaningful as if we hadn’t done one…
We aren’t doing a first look, but we have a two hour gap between the ceremony and reception, so plenty of time for photos.
We did a first look, but I know what you mean about minor regrets! They’re not a big deal in the grand scheme of the day, but I wouldn’t have minded if a few things went differently. : )
We did one and our families were there as well. It was still an intimate moment even though I’m usually highly embarrassed by stuff like that.
I know right? How bomb diggity is the girl in the video’s dress? 
I think wedding timelines are stressful - no matter how you structure them!
this video is exactly why we’re doing a first look!! it wasn’t even a discussion really…”honey do you want to see each other before the wedding and take photos then?” “okay sounds good”.
It was a tough choice for us because I really wanted to have that POW moment when we see each other walking down the aisle, but all the points in favor of the other column swayed me. I care more about being relaxed and about fantastic photos than I do about that moment, and I’m convinced it will be amazingly special anyway. Also I think that spending time together before the ceremony will go about a million miles with FI as far as relaxing his nerves.
I am so doing a first look — I know there wll be a few pictures to take after the vows but I want the bulk of my pictures done before the ceremony. Also I want my FI to have the chance to see me for the first time in private with out everyone looking on.
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Mrs. D'orsay, Baltimore/Lancaster UK Age and Occupation: 24, nonprofit communications Fiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Web site developer and designer; co-owner of men's skincare shop Engagement Date: August 10, 2008 Wedding Date: August, 2009 Venue: Oakland Manor About Me: I'm a Maryland raised environmental policy wonk/activist/organizer and communications aficionado. In the past year I've lived in Baltimore, MD, Tucson, AZ, Miami, FL and Lancaster, England. In my not so spare time I enjoy planning trips with Mr. D' Orsay, visiting friends and family and crafting like a mo-fo. I also enjoy modern dance classes, rugby and soccer but have been banned by my mother, MOHs, and Mr. D' Orsay from playing till after the wedding. I have an unnatural addiction to cheese and shoes, but love Mr. D' Orsay more than either and can't wait to become Mrs. D' Orsay!
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