@ Yosemite National Park

This was something fun we did @ Yosemite National Park :)  

The First Look

The magical moment when the bride and groom see each other for the first time on their wedding day is a very special moment, and a challenging decision to make as of how you want it to take place.  Some couples want to save the special moment until the bride walks down the aisle for the traditional “Aisle Reveal”. Other couples choose to have “The First Look” and see each other before the ceremony. Regardless of how you choose to do it, as wedding photographers, we will completely support your decision. It is your day and it should unfold as you wish it to. However, if you are not so sure yet, we offer several reasons why you can benefit from “the First Look” and have pictures taken prior to the ceremony.

1.       It expands your options. Instead of making everything happen in a few hours starting with the ceremony, you can have a few more hours before the ceremony and have a longer photo session. Since your time will not be as tight, you can travel to a favorite or scenic location away from the ceremony. You can even invite some family and friends to get the formal photos done before the ceremony. These all translate to have more time between ceremony and reception so that you can mingle with your guests and enjoy the day. 

2.       You are at your freshest.  You can have photos taken just as soon as you are dressed and ready, at which point your hair and makeup will be at their best and no one will have had time to spill something on their wedding attire.

3.       You have more time and control. You can have “The First Look” at a private place, with only the two of you, the photographer, and videographer who you trust to film the event. Or you can have all the wedding party and parents to be there to share your long waited moment, and they will make noises, cry, and cheer with you. Either way, you will have much more time to enjoy and take in the emotion. 

4.       It allows you to let your emotion out. Especially for people who freezes in front of a large group of people. When it is done at a private setting, you can be yourself easier and be able to express feeling more freely. You also get the time to really soak in the moment, to hug and kiss, and say: “You look amazing!” or “OMG! We are getting married!”

5.       It gives the right mood to have an intimate bride and groom photo session. After that emotional time you two share, it will feel natural to do the bride and groom photo session right after. The love and joy after seeing each other for the first time on your wedding day will help you glow in front of the camera. Further, since you have more time, you can relax and have more fun photos taken.

Getting Ready Photos

When considering your wedding photography, one of the decisions you will need to make is if you would like to have a professional photographer capture your “getting ready” photos.   Our suggestion is a loud and solid “YES”.

Let us answer some of the concerns brides may have:

•        Is it worth it? Our photographer only covers 8 hours…

Usually getting ready photos is about 10% of an entire wedding day’s photos. It is not many, but is very special and most different from the rest. It documents how a wedding day starts and how the bride and groom transform.

Getting ready is a special and exciting part of the wedding day as a smaller group of people accompanying the bride anxiously preparing and anticipating all the events that have been carefully planned for months.  It can be the most relaxing and yet fun time of the day filled with hilarious giggles, kisses, and hugs. It can be a quiet and emotional time when the eyes of a mother linger on her beloved daughter’s face on the mirror while she puts on make-up, and the groom’s father proudly smoothen the tux on his son. It can also be elegant and mystery as the bride faces her wedding dress and finally gets the reality that she is getting married, and as all the people stop everything they are doing just to see how beautiful the bride is. It can also be a little chaotic and noisy as all the girls are running around, giggling, with oohs and aahs. 

Getting ready photos is like the introduction/beginning part of a writing assignment. It's important, and we encourage couples to make sure your photographer covers it. If your day starts early and ends late, try to get the full day coverage.

•        My getting-ready place isn’t as neat as I wish; there will only be a few people …

You don’t need to have a grand setting for your professional photographer to capture beautiful getting ready photos. We have been to all kinds of getting-ready settings. It can be in your room at your parent’s house, a hotel room/suite, a studio at the wedding venue, or a salon.  There is no rule on who you should have or where you should be during that time. You can invite all the girls, both mothers, flower girls, and more, or you can invite people who you are very close with and make you happy and clam.

•        I don’t look as good in photos before I have make-up on; I don’t feel comfortable…

As a bride on your wedding day, when all the attention goes to you, you may feel a little uncomfortable and cannot help noticing the photographer observing and capturing all your moves from different directions and angles. Since most of the people are not used to being taken pictures of this intensity, it is normal to feel uncomfortable.  The uncomfortable feeling will usually dismiss quickly as you begin to prepare for the day.

 A professional photographer is well trained to capture photos that are pleasing to the eye as his portfolio shows. He will use his rich experience and professional knowledge to decide when and where to press the shutter, and deliver the photos that are his style and that you liked so much.  In our practice, we usually do not take many photos of the bride before her makeup is almost done.  No one needs any before and after photos :)

Here are some of the classic photographs from getting ready:

•        The bride’s dress hanging on the wardrobe

•        An artistic photo of the bride’s shoes, sitting on a chair or a table, ready to be worn

•        The bride’s jewelry laid out on the makeup table

•        A close-up of the bride’s bouquet

•        A picture of the something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue

•        Close-up of the bride’s hairdo

•        The bride’s mother helping her with her veil

•        The bride’s reflection in a mirror

•        The bridesmaids attending to the train on the back of the bride’s dress

•        The bride in contemplation prior to the ceremony

•        Bridesmaids helping each other with the final details of their outfits

•        The groom’s best man helping him with his tie

•        The groom’s father whispering some last minute advice to his son

•        The groom instructing the ring bearer

•        A close-up of the wedding bands still in their boxes

The advantage of having a professional photographer handle your getting ready shots is the experience they bring to the table.  They will instinctively know when it is appropriate to give you privacy.  They are knowledgeable regarding what lighting and angle will show you in the most flattering manner.  Most importantly, they know the types of pictures people like to see after their wedding, and can be trusted to take photos that will help you recapture the important moments of your special day.