[Wedding] First Look

Going into the planning process, I originally wanted to go the traditional route and wait to see Mark until I came down the aisle. However, after meeting with our photographer, who gave us the lowdown on all the benefits of a first look, we gave it some consideration. For starters, having a first look allows the couple to take most of their pictures before the ceremony, allowing a much smoother transition from ceremony to reception time. Various people told me that once you're married, all you want to do is party with your friends and family, so to have to spend so much time taking pictures afterward can be a major bummer. Secondly, testimonials of those that did first look swore that nothing was taken away from seeing each other before the ceremony. In fact, they said, it allowed the bride to appreciate and soak in the moment of walking down the aisle more. While all of this sounded great, I wasn't quite convinced.

For about two months, I went back and forth (I apologize to all those who had to hear me chatter nonsensically during this time, especially my MOH!). But then, I saw a photographer's post on the matter, where she displayed a series of first look photos that were really beautiful. She, too, made an argument for how the pros outweigh the cons, and now after doing it, I couldn't agree more.

As soon as I started getting ready, I became anxious. That nervousness and excitement only intensified as I got closer to our scheduled "first look." Right before I was supposed to go to the front porch to meet him, my hair comb and veil kept falling out, so my bridesmaids tried their best to keep it secure. But all I remember thinking while they were doing that was, "Hurry up! I wanna go see him!" I know that doesn't come across as the most pleasant, but that's because I was nervous! I can't imagine how that may have intensified if I had to wait until the ceremony to see him.

And really, the moment can't be put into words. The second I tapped his shoulder and he turned around, tears were flowing. No words were spoken, only the sound of the camera shutter going off. The depth of that day and the understanding that we were making a public covenant with God and each other hit us in that moment. So all we did was embrace each other and let that realization continue to soak in. It was truly one of my favorite parts of the day.

And you know what? It really didn't take away from the ceremony one bit. The moment I stepped out, Mark started tearing up again...and all I could do was lock eyes with the love of my life.