Over the past couple years my wife Jen and I have been
photographing weddings in St. Louis and the surrounding area. We have
seen a lot of trends come and go but one that we really like is the
first look. We have noticed that it is such a great opportunity to get
candid photos of our couples and for them to a quick moment together.
The
tradition has been for the first time that the couple see each other is
when the bride is walking down the isle. I found myself needing to
coach our grooms to smile and look happy as often the nerves would take
over and we got a lot of deer in the headlights looks. I know our
couples were excited to see each other but the photos didn't always seem
to show it. We began shooting first looks and we got those beautiful
emotional shots of the couple seeing each other and having a moment to
reflect on the day.
The
way we do first looks may be a little different than most. Jen and I
look for a beautiful well lit spot and we clear every one out. We feel
its really important for the couple to have this moment just to
themselves. I stand with the groom while Jen gets our bride and then we
stand back and have our groom turn around and we capture everything that
happens from there. We have seen the stress of the day and nerves melt
away. I can't tell you how many times I've heard our couples say " okay,
now I'm ready."
The
benefits of the first look beyond eliminating some of that stress. The
first look can help with the flow of the day with photography. We find
that it frees up time before the ceremony to have couple and wedding
party photos or even the family formals. It can also eliminate the long
break between the ceremony and the reception. We know that most
photographers are by the hour and first looks help to get more of those
important photos of the bride and groom. If your looking for a great way
to get beautiful candid moments between the bride and groom a first
look may be the way to go.
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