5 reasons to opt for a first look :: greensboro wedding photographer

For those who may not be familiar with the term, a First Look is when a bride and groom opt to see each other prior to the ceremony. DON'T LEAVE THE PAGE JUST YET! All too often, brides hear this term and immediately reject the idea, and while it's not for everyone, I believe all brides should be educated on the benefits of opting to see each other before the walk down the aisle.

Josh and I did not do a First Look, as I was insistent on him seeing me for the very first time as I walked down the aisle, and while that was wonderful, I've learned that it is just as, if not even more, special having your groom see you in an intimate moment without a huge audience. The really surprising thing about it is that even when a couple has a First Look, the groom still gets emotional seeing his bride walk down the aisle to him. The fact of the matter is, now that we are working in the wedding industry and have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly, we have wished many times that we had chosen to have those precious few moments alone before the wedding.

I, too, used to think that First Looks were only for couples who had no appreciation for tradition, but what I've found is that couples in all shapes and sizes opt to see one another prior to the festivities. We've had very traditional and conservative couples, as well as much more modern couples looking to shake things up a little, elect for a First Look. Let's get real - breaking tradition isn't going to bring 9 years of bad luck on your marriage, and while we agree that parents, who often hold tight to tradition, are a very important and special part of your day, it is, in fact, your day and if in the end, you're happy, they'll be happy, too.

Which brings me to this week's Friday Five... 5 Reasons to Consider a First Look.

1. A First Look allows the bride and groom to spend some quality time alone on the wedding day. Let me give you some insight as a past bride - without a First Look, you don't get even 5 minutes to speak to and spend time with your groom alone on the wedding day. In the hustle and bustle of the day's activities and being shuffled from one photo op to another, there is very little time left to enjoy the moment together without being surrounded by a group of people. We usually set aside at least 45 minutes for a First Look to allow the two of you plenty of time together.

"I decided to do a first look mainly because I thought it was a wonderful idea to take a second out from that important day and just connect with your honey and love on each other before the mayhem began! Adrian agreed and as usual after he reflected on it he loved it!" - Kamisha, married June 2012 at the Loft at Union Square, High Point, NC

2. A First Look allows you to go straight from ceremony to reception without keeping your guests waiting. Without a First Look, the typical time between the end of the ceremony and the couple arriving at the reception is around one hour, and can be even longer if the bride needs a makeup touch-up after the ceremony (face the fact that you might shed a tear or two during the wedding) or if your ceremony and reception are taking place at different venues. When our couples do a First Look, we create a timeline that allows us to photograph the bridal party, family, and bride and groom ALL before the ceremony even takes place. Then, we'll typically pull the bride and groom out of the reception for about 15 minutes at sunset to get those beautiful dusk photographs. That means no rushing through photos and no guests waiting for you to make your big entrance! A First Look is an especially great idea if your ceremony will be ending within an hour of sunset in order to allow plenty of time for outdoor portraits before it gets dark.

"I especially enjoyed the way they arranged our "first look"... it was so special!" - Ashley, married November 2011 at Briar Hill Baptist Church, Florence, MS

3. Couples who do a First Look typically have more photographs. This goes along with what I mentioned above, but when a bride and groom are taking photos before the ceremony, we are able to allocate more time for beautiful, magazine-worthy photos of the new Mr. and Mrs. We sometimes set aside as much as an hour for the First Look itself and portraits of the bride and groom. The typical amount of time for portraits for couples not doing a First Look is only 20 minutes. 

4. A First Look calms a nervous bride... or groom. It's normal to be a little nervious or anxious on your wedding day, and for most brides, the cure for that is seeing your handsome hunny. Seeing him a couple of hours before the ceremony means a couple of hours less stress for you. After a First Look, you can go through the day feeling confident, beautiful, and just as happy as you should be on your special day!

"I was so nervous about seeing Jason. If I had waited until everyone was watching, I probably would have exploded. As it was, I got to see him at noon, just me and him, with my daddy holding my dress, and our family watching from the windows. Very special and private." - Nancy, married December 2011 at the Rogers-Green House, Laurel, MS

5. Couples who do a First Look have more freedom of location and more control over the setting. Because a First Look makes the schedule a bit more flexible, a bride can choose to see her groom for the first time at a different location than the ceremony venue. Having a church wedding and a ballroom reception, but really want photos in a downtown setting or at the family's farm? We can usually arrange that, as long as it is within a 20-30 minute drive of your ceremony location. Also, YOU have control over the setting for your First Look. Some couples choose to be completely alone in the intimate moment when they see each other for the first time, while others choose to have the bridal party or family looking on. Recently, we had a bride's father escort her to her groom during the First Look. It's really all about what you want!

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Engaged? We'd love to get together to chat about your upcoming wedding and see if we might be the perfect fit for your day. Contact us here and we'll be in touch!

current obsessions :: greensboro photographer

In hopes that all you fabulous folks out there in cyberspace don't choose to label me as a loser forever, I have a confession. Today, I went to a movie. All by myself. But that's not the worst of it... I may have also eaten a large popcorn with extra butter. NO JUDGING, REMEMBER?

I haven't been to see a movie alone since college, and I must admit, it's pretty relaxing to be the only one there in the middle of the day with no long lines or trying to avoid having to sit next to someone else in a packed theatre.

And it all inspired me to do a post on my current obsessions. One that appeals to the senses... what I'm watching, reading, writing, eating, and listening to this week. So without further ado, here's this week's Friday Five.

1. Watch :: My solo movie adventure was all to see The Descendants. I'd been wanting to see it since it was released months ago, but never got around to it. Now that it's in the running for this weekend's Oscar for Best Picture, I decided there was no better excuse to go to the movies. It's horribly tragic and beautiful all at the same time. I'm not certain how it will fair at the Academy Awards with so many other great movies, but it's a winner in my book.

2. Read :: Yes. I do read Oprah magazine. I have to admit, my mom's the one that gifted the subscription to me, but I've grown to love it. The stories featured in each issue of women succeeding at what they love inspire my when I'm uninspired and lift me up when I'm down on myself. Plus, who can turn down advice from Oprah, Dr. Phil, and Dr. Oz all combined in one magazine?! Not this girl.

3. Taste :: Earlier this week, in an effort to try something new, I browsed my Pinterest board and discovered a gem of a recipe. Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta. Easy, vegetarian (if you're into that - personally, I'm an avid lover of bacon) and delish! Thank you Martha Stewart.

4. Write :: While I was in Chicago, my friend Miranda introduced me to this awesome little book called Wreck this Journal, full of crazy directions for filling and destroying it's pages. My favorite: tie a string around the journal and take it on a walk. It's definitely a great way to: A. make people believe you're clinically insane and/or B. release your inner child. Go. Buy it. Now.

5. Hear :: Young the Giant. I seriously had the song "Cough Syrup" stuck in my head for weeks after first hearing it on Alt Nation, and now, it's stuck there again after seeing it on the most recent episode of Glee. The rest of their self-titled debut album isn't to shabby either. Check it...

Now go out and enjoy the weekend!

5 reasons you should do an engagement session :: greensboro engagement photographer

I hear people say it all the time, "Why should I do an engagement session? I'm going to have photos taken on my wedding day." Most of my wedding collections do include engagement sessions, and while not a requirement to be married (duh), I do strongly encourage my couples to elect to have engagement photos. Why? Not just because I really like photographing engagement sessions (although I do LOVE taking photos of couples together in the carefree setting an engagement session offers), but because of these five reasons that I've decided make all the difference in creating your ultimate wedding experience:

1. An engagement session allows the two of you to reconnect. Let's be real... in the hustle and bustle of planning a wedding, sometimes it can seem more like a job than planning a celebration of your love. Your conversations revolve around cake tastings, bridesmaids who think they won't look good in that style of dress, floral arrangements, and making sure the caterer provides a vegetarian option for your one friend from college who doesn't eat meat. Romantic? I think not. An engagement session allows you to spend some carefree time together with no wedding worries and lots of hugging, kissing, and hand-holding which is sure to remind you of why you decided to get married in the first place.

2. It allows you to get comfortable in front of the camera. Maybe you're a complete natural in front of the camera or maybe you feel that you're not photogenic at all (which isn't true by the way), but either way, it always helps to work with your wedding photographer prior to the big day. You learn how your photographer directs or guides you and how to react to those directions. Much like dating, you get to know each other and the relationship between you, the camera, and the photographer only becomes more relaxed from here on.

3. It allows your photographer to get to know you as a couple. Some couples are more affectionate, while others are more reserved, and you and your fiance each have different personalities that help to define who you are. Maybe you laugh very easily or maybe you need a little coaxing to reveal a true smile. There's no right or wrong, but knowing these things beforehand in a more relaxed setting and open timeframe guarantees beautiful photos when it comes time for your wedding. Consider it insurance for the big day.

4. Who doesn't need more photos? Maybe the last time you had professional pictures made were senior portraits (that was me before Josh and I had our engagement photos made), and you've likely never had professional photos made as a couple. This is a chance to provide more decor for your home, photos to display at your wedding, great gifts for your family, and a photo for that newspaper announcement that your mom will insist on having in your hometown paper. Engagement photos are also great for save-the-dates, your personalized wedding website, and you can even have them made into a custom guestbook for your wedding day. Make your engagement session special by selecting a location that's special to you - where you first met, your first date, a favorite park - so that the photos will hold even more sentimental value and you'll be thrilled to show them off.

5. We have FUN! We try out different locations, photograph you in all your favorite outfits (an engagement sesh is also a great excuse for a shopping spree, btw), you (and Josh) laugh at my lame attempts at making you laugh, and we may even top it off with a coffee or dinner together afterwards. I promise it's a great time!

Ready to schedule your engagement session? Contact us and let's plan your perfect engagement photo experience.

See more of our engagement photos here.