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Pictures at First Sight |
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January 11th, 2009 by BridalBuds
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Initially during our planning we had not meant to do a reveal. We had wanted to wait and have that special moment of seeing each other for the first time as I was walking down the aisle. Since we weren’t doing many traditional wedding things, Honeysuckle Dude was kind of looking forward to seeing me in my dress for the first time when I walked down the aisle. And to be honest, I was eager for that whole “Oh my gosh, this is it!” fairytale moment too. If you think about it, our culture has really romanticized the tradition of the bride and groom not seeing each other until the ceremony. I was a bit let down by having to schedule a reveal and doing pictures ahead of time. It just felt like staging that special moment and taking something away from the ceremony.
When developing our schedule for the day, however, we noticed that a lot of the time between the ceremony and reception would be taken up with doing photographs (group, family, and couple). We didn’t want to leave our guests waiting for us. We had already shortened our reception to 3 hours, so a cocktail hour would not have worked for us. In all honesty, we wanted to be with our family and friends- eating, dancing, and enjoying ourselves. It made sense then to do pictures before the ceremony.
In truth, I wouldn’t do it any differently. I was a ball of nerves right before going down to see Honeysuckle Dude. It was wonderful to be able to see him, touch him, and talk to him before the big performance (and believe me the ceremony does feel a bit like a performance no matter how laid back it is). If you and your betrothed are considering doing a first look prior to the ceremony, I would not try to sway you in either direction; honestly, it’s a personal choice. However, I would tell you that walking down the aisle was still a magical experience for us that wasn’t deflated because we had just seen each other. I still felt anxious, excited, elevated, loved, exuberant as I walked down the aisle. It was every bit as romantic as I had imagined it to be- only I was able to breathe, smile, relax, and be myself a bit easier than if I were still in that nervous/anxious stage.
Are you planning on seeing your partner before the ceremony? Or are you sticking with tradition?
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Categories: Archived, Wedding Photography, Wedding Planning |
5 Comments |
January 11th, 2009 at 11:28 am
Love your dress!!!
January 11th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Sunflower Dude and I made the decision long ago that we would prefer to see each other before the ceremony. For me, it is based on the ‘happy tears’ problem I have. I wanted to prevent walking down the aisle looking like a fountain, so decided the best way was to see each other beforehand, allow a few tears, retouch the makeup, and get on with the show! I expect that the first look moment will be the best of the day, and I look forward to experiencing it on our own. Also, I always agree with photos beforehand, so that guests don’t have to wait!
January 12th, 2009 at 2:37 am
Magnolia dude and I have decided to take pre-wedding photos so we can have a nice portrait at the wedding. However, we’re doing fun pictures that represent our personalities and hobbies… He loves soccer, that’s his favorite sport… so we’re throwing some pictures of us wearing soccer jerseys and a soccer ball at a field near our house. And since we both love movies and he’s a writer/actor/producer we have decided to also do some photos of us with the camera and the movie real
Other than that, we’ll take some formal pictures and I’m wearing a white dress, but not my wedding dress…. I do want that big surprise when i walk down the aisle
January 12th, 2009 at 2:38 am
My family also believes in the tradition that bride and groom should not see each other until the ceremony…and I embraced this tradition, too. On my wedding day, I was not able to see my groom until I marched the aisle…and that was a very romantic moment for me. Seeing my groom in his tuxedo and smiling at me whole-heartedly made me feel like I’m in a fairy-tale. It was a dream come true for me…my wedding dress, my entourage, my diamond wedding ring, the whole ceremony…they are all what I’ve been dreaming of for my wedding.
Anyway, you look good in your wedding dress. You and your groom look so happy together…congratulations!
Valerie Diamonds last blog post..How do Diamonds Become Jewelry?
January 12th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Hydrangea Dude and I decided on pre-ceremony photos as well. We want to take pictures in Boston’s Public Garden, and though it’s only a few blocks away from our location, it’s not realistic get everyone there and do it all in an hour after the ceremony.
So, we will do most of our pictures outside in the garden ahead of time. We will then do a few pictures in the hotel after the ceremony, but there will be far fewer pictures to take and we’ll have more time for a receiving line and mingling.