The 'first look' fad

"Are you going to do a first look?" A friend of mine emailed me.

I hadn't really given it much thought, but my instinctive reaction was "No, no, no..." 

A first look is when the bride and groom see each other before they're married. The groom usually has his back turned and the bride sneaks/walks up behind him, and when the groom turns around, the photographer snaps away, capturing the natural reaction of the groom seeing his bride for the first time.

BAD LUCK. BAD LUCK. BAD LUCK. 

Just kidding, I'm not that superstitious.

The question of a first look got me thinking, though, and while I'd love to see how a first look photo would come out for us, I'm not sure if I think every.single.moment needs its own specific photo. And, sometimes, I think first look photos come out looking cheesy and staged, like some engagement photos. And, you know how I feel about those.

Besides, I always imagined walking down the aisle and that being when Louis sees me for the very first time as his bride. To me, there is nothing more romantic than wedding guests getting to experience the groom seeing his bride for the first time. As she walks down the aisle, it's beautiful to see her eyes on him, as well, exchanging looks of love and admiration. It just feels like a very personal moment they're willing to share with everyone in attendance - since they are taking their vows of marriage in front of their guests, as well. 

Walking down the aisle after already seeing one another would feel more like an, "Oh...hey, again", I think.

Also, I feel like a 'first look' isn't traditional - at least not for some ceremonies. It seems to be more of a trendy thing. And, I'm not really a trendy person. I prefer classic clothing, classic shoes, classic designs of any kind. Timeless. Traditional, yet updated. 

While a first look isn't for me, I will say that I absolutely loooooove this photo of a Marine and his bride, saying a prayer together before their ceremony...without seeing one another.