Post # 1

Member
129 posts
Blushing bee
I am meeting with my photographer today and have been thinking of ideas for photos. I kind of like the idea of first look photos and be able to get more pictures together and hopefully be able to enjoy more of cocktail hour! My ceremony and recption are at the same country club so there is not time gap between ceremony and cocktail hour. My biggest fear is my hair will get messed up or dress dirty before ceremony. any other brides do this or regret not doing this??
Post # 3

Member
2575 posts
Sugar bee
I did it- and it was fabulous.
Best pics EVER! The emotion was amazing, and it meant we could spend more time with our guests post ceremony. I always HATED when i attended weddings and had to wait 2 + hours for the bridal party to get done with their pics : )
It was winter in Aus when I got my pics taken, and 90% were outside, and my dress and hair were still perfect after. I say go for it!
Post # 4

Member
23589 posts
Honey Beekeeper
We totally did first look photos and it was worth it. My hair didn’t get messed up, but the train of my dress did get dirty. My bridesmaids kept chalk on hand and it worked MARVELOUSLY well. Just color in the dirty spots and nobody will notice. Or, if you’re really concerned, have your dress bustled for the first look!
Post # 5

Member
18628 posts
Honey Beekeeper
We did a first look and it was the best decision for me and I got the best pictures from it. It was pretty windy but my hair didn’t look bad at the ceremony at all.
Post # 6

Member
172 posts
Blushing bee
I definitely recommend it! We did and we’re so happy. The pictures turned out great and it was nice the first we were seeing eachother was just the two of us, and the photographers of course haha. Its just nice to share that with just your husband. We started my getting ready pictures at 3 and my ceremony started at 6:30, but we actually finished pictures around 5:15. My hair and dress didn’t get messed up one bit. We got all of the pictures done except the thank you ones and they took like 5 minutes so we got to enjoy almost our whole cocktail hour.

Post # 7

Member
164 posts
Blushing bee
We did them and I’m so happy we did! We were outside and it was just the two of us and the photographer. I LOVE the pictures, because I can remember all the emotion. I can look at the pictures and I know exactly what we were saying to each other. My favorite one is when I’m getting pretty close behind him, and he’s looking out of the side of his eyes to try to catch a sneak peek before I got there. Too cute. 🙂
Post # 8

Member
129 posts
Blushing bee
middleschoolsweethearts : Did you get married at scotland run? it looks like it and I was in my cousins wedding at end of June also there!! I met with one photographer I really liked, but want to meet with a couple more any suggestions of who you recommend?
Thanks girls I think I am really liking the idea of first looks and my family is all for it and thinks its a great idea also!
Post # 9

Member
4108 posts
Honey bee
I wanted to do these so bad, but Fiance shot me down. He doesn’t want to see me until the ceremony 🙂
Post # 10

Member
32 posts
Newbee
We did it & encourage all our brides to. It saved SO much time & kept me so calm. Took me a while to get my husband to agree but neither of us would have done it any other way!
Post # 12

Member
1826 posts
Buzzing bee
I would highly recommend doing a first look – it was the best decision we made in regards to the wedding! Like you, we had our ceremony and reception at the same country club so there was no gap in time; the first look pictures made everything run so smoothly.
Also, as you’re at a country club, I am assuming there are going to be a plethora of gorgeous places for your photos to be taken – you definitely don’t want to be rushed during that, so the more time you have, the better.
Finally, in answer to your question re: the dress or your hair/make-up getting messed up – the answer is no. I didn’t do any photos where I would potentially get super dirty until after the ceremony (sitting on the grass, standing on the edge of a waterfall etc). Our photographer asked us if we wanted to do that and we agreed to miss half of our cocktail hour to take those photos – it was worth it. Hair and make up were also fine – it was a hot, humid day for our wedding so we all were pretty warm and getting a bit sweaty, but we scheduled a 30 minute break between when the pictures ended and the ceremony started so we could rest and relax in the air conditioned clubhouse and refresh with some cool drinks. It all worked out perfectly.
Honestly, I don’t understand why anyone wouldn’t do a first look – it just makes so much sense and makes the day flow perfectly!
Post # 13

Member
172 posts
Blushing bee
@jcooper10: I did get married at Scotland Run and in the beginning of June haha I love it there, it was so beautiful. My photographers were Meyer Photography (husband and wife) out of Williamstown, the posed pictures turned out nice, but I kinda wish we had a more photo-journalistic (sp?) photographer, but its my fault, I wasn’t really thinking when we booked our photographer, oh well. Good luck with your wedding!!
Post # 14

Member
899 posts
Busy bee
I really want to, but my fiance flat out refuses to. For someone who is against paying attention to what other people think, and other societal norms, he is adamant about sticking to the tradition of not seeing me until I walk down the aisle.
Post # 15

Member
62 posts
Worker bee
My older sister did and it was cute although a bit corny because of what the photographer had them do. Like my older sister had to hold her hands over his eyes and then he had to be kneeling. It was a little awkward. =)
Post # 16

Member
10713 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
Were doing this! My Fiance and I are really looking forward to it after seeing all the beautiful pictures! He wants to be at the cocktail hour lol.