What is a First Look? Well it is something like this….

He waits patiently at the bottom of a staircase, in a secret spot outside the chaos of the wedding day activities. He looks down, nervously shuffling his feet. He is waiting for the love of his life to appear.

She walks down the hall and realizes she is holding her breath. As she turns the corner, she exhales knowing she is about to see her one and only for the first time on their wedding day. She descends the stairs and smiles at the sight of the back of him in his handsome suit.

She taps him on the shoulder, he turns around and sees her. It is like he is seeing her for the first time. They embrace, shed a few tears and talk.

It is a perfect, private moment between a bride and groom. It is a moment, in a day full of moments, where they can be themselves and express their emotions honestly. They can share words of encouragement, calm nerves for each other and laugh.

It is a moment that is just for them.

That is what a First Look is all about. That moment when a bride and groom can share an intimate moment before the events of the day unfold.

Why do a First Look?

Time Alone! A first look gives you that special time alone with you spouse-to-be. Time to be yourselves and time to actually talk. In the traditional setting, the bride walks down the aisle, the ceremony begins and you don’t have a single moment to just talk to your significant other. With the first look, you get that opportunity to talk, to tell her how beautiful she looks, to tell him how handsome he looks and to tell each other how excited you are to be married.

Great Photos! With a First Look, you get photos that really show the once in a lifetime emotions of seeing each other for the first time on your wedding day. You get the tears, the laughs and the heartfelt embraces that are shared in an intimate setting.

More Time to have fun! A First Look allows you to get photos with your wedding party or family before the ceremony. This means you won’t have to run off after the ceremony to take these photos while your guests are at your reception. You can get to the party faster and have a blast with all your guests!

So consider a First Look for your wedding day! It will be a moment you will never forget!

Thank you for stopping by!!

~lisa & leslie

Today’s Wedding Wednesday post is brought to you by Leslie Kerrigan:

Wedding Wednesday

Weddings are often overwhelming to plan. There are so many choices, it is hard to figure out where to even start. I remember when I got married, I wanted everything. I wanted a Martha Stewart style wedding and it was very hard to limit myself in all the things I wanted to include on my big day.

That is why I often suggest starting with a theme. A theme allows you to have a focus, to narrow down your choices to make them fit your theme.

When I first got married, I lived in Indiana while my husband went to grad school at Purdue. I needed a job, and I found one where I could use my public relations degree and help plan events. I worked in the Events Department at Purdue University. While working for Purdue, I came in contact with many brides who wanted to get married at their Alma Marta. That was their theme. They wanted their reception to take place in the Purdue Ballroom, and that location dictated a certain style and theme.

Even though I am now on a different side of things in the wedding world, I still find myself wanting to help brides come up with their theme. Often photographers are more than just the photographer. They can also be the wedding planner if there isn’t one. That is where my skill set really comes in handy.

As spring approaches and wedding season is at it’s busiest, I thought I would share some tips on planning a theme for your wedding. There are many things that can help dictate your theme. Color can be a strong theme. Use your favorite color and find things in several shades of that color to use as decorations. Location can also dictate the theme of your big day. The beach is always a beautiful place to use as the theme for a wedding. A special activity that you and your fiancé do can determine a theme too! For a smaller affair, try a dinner and a movie theme. You can set up a family style dinner table outside with a romantic movie to watch afterward. If you love vintage things, have a vintage themed wedding! From the south, have your wedding in a peach orchard as illustrated in the peach shoot here. The theme possibilities are abundant!

Once you determine your special theme, be consistent. Carry out your theme in every aspect of your wedding. Pick your invitations, flowers, decorations and even food that match your theme.

For my wedding, I wanted a southern affair. My husband is from Indiana, so I wanted to treat the guests from his side to all things southern. I picked a southern plantation home for the reception, a caterer who specialized in southern food such as shrimp and grits and flowers that were grown locally. Guests from out of town were greeted with a welcome pack that included information on local, southern history and a salty and sweet treat of southern pecans.

Remember there are many things that can determine a theme for a wedding, and there are many wonderful blogs with lots of inspiration. If you ever get overwhelmed and need help, call me! Wedding planning and photography are both in my blood!!

Below is an inspiration board based on a color palette of coral, yellow and turquoise! One of my favorite color combinations! I think these colors would work great at a beach location! I call this theme Seaside Sun! Enjoy!!

Here is the list of credits…
1. weddingistas.com
2. keentobeseen.blogspot.com
3. weddingistas.com
4. Me and Matilda – Etsy Shop
5. Shopbop.com
6. Karenwise.com
7. Alysbeach.com
8. Jcrew.com
9. Google images
10. Darlingdexter.com
11. JennyYoo.com
12. Keentobeseen.blogspot.com
13. Southernliving.com

Thank you for stopping by!!