"First Look" - Yes or no?

This is a completely personal decision - there's no right or wrong here.


First, let me explain what a first look is if you don't know. Before the ceremony, once both the bride and groom are ready, they see each other for the first time just them two (and their photographer) and get a few pictures together.


I've decided on doing this for two reasons:


a) The only reason I really care what my dress looks like, my hair, my makeup, etc., is to see his expression. I don't care what anyone else thinks. I want to see exactly what he thinks and feels about me in that first expression when he sees me. I just won't be able to see all those details from down the aisle. And I want a picture of it. I want to be able to remember and see that expression for the rest of our lives.


b) I want to spend one more moment together in (semi)privacy before we get married in front of our friends and family. To be honest, I'd have been fine eloping because I think that getting married is a very personal thing and doesn't mean anywhere near as much to all the people that come to watch. This will be our only chance to see each other in private until we leave later that night.


There are also some other benefits that I've thought of since deciding on this:

It will split up picture times and lessen the amount of time we have to take pictures between the ceremony and reception. The wedding party will most likely be excitedly lurking while we do our first look, so once we get our time together we will do our wedding party photos before the ceremony as well. This will also make it so we don't have to keep as many people in one place for the post-ceremony pictures.


The photographer won't have to worry so much about getting the groom's face during the ceremony. I'll already have a picture of his expression, so she can focus more on capturing other moments.


I'm probably going to cry when I first see him, so I'll be able to fix my makeup before the ceremony and (hopefully) make it through the rest without it running everywhere or turning the whites of my eyes black. (It seriously happens when you wear contacts)


However, like I said, having this moment or not is not right or wrong, it's whatever you and your fiancé decide (but mostly you because he more than likely doesn't care either way. My fiancé had no clue what this even was).