Grace Layne Photography - More than DOUBLE your wedding portraits by using this trick!

The wedding day is a fast paced blur for most people. No matter how many hours you spend planning and scheduling how things will go, the day has a mind of its own and at some point you may be feeling rushed. As the photographer, sometimes we double as the time management system to help keep things on track and make sure we capture every precious moment you are hoping for. One of those things many of my couples want most is an abundance of wedding portraits. Just the bride and groom, loving on each other on one of the most memorable and happiest days of their lives. But did you know one little secret tip can give you DOUBLE the portraits?! Not only that, it can also create a special time for just the bride and groom to spend a moment out of all the craziness to just enjoy each other.

After the ceremony, there is a whole slew of activities that take up the time and energy of the bride and groom. When all of that is done, there is dancing, cake, and laughter with friends and family that you will want to enjoy! So where does that leave time for the wedding portraits that you are so excited for? Many times there is only pockets of time after the ceremony to sneak away and get some photos in. But there is a way to double that time frame for portraits and not spend any additional time away from your guests! This amazing little secret is to have a FIRST LOOK!

The traditional thought is to not let the groom see the bride before the wedding. However, many times, with the nerves from the day, the excitement to be married, and the rush to be on time, the actual moment of seeing each other down the aisle can be a blur in your memory. You can create an extra special memory of seeing each other all dolled up, and capture those emotions without the crowd of people watching by doing a first look.

What is a first look? A first look is when you plan a specific time BEFORE the ceremony to set aside for ONLY the bride and groom (and photographer) to see one another. The emotions are private and intimate, and not rushed! This is one way to get those emotional photos of the reactions to seeing one another. You can take 5 seconds or 5 minutes enjoying the company of your partner amidst the craziness. After the first look, the couple and the photographer can get in some portrait time. This time is scheduled into the day, so you are not being rushed by a million "to-do's" after the ceremony, or all the guests wanting to hug and congratulate you. You and the photographer can spend 20 minutes or so getting to photograph you both in all your excitement and happiness before the ceremony even begins.

Then AFTER the ceremony, you will not be stressed about if you will get enough time to get some portraits in. Whatever time you have after the ceremony will be perfect because you already got a great variety in your gallery before the wedding with the first look.

I know the norm is to "not see the bride before the wedding", but I really encourage you to think about a first look. I have NEVER heard of one single couple that regretted doing a first look. They actually say it was the best part of the day, because they got to spend it with their significant other without all of the craziness.

You want a great variety of wedding portraits in your gallery? Schedule in time for a first look. I promise, you will not regret it!