The Cons
-You Lose Having Your First Look at the Altar-
Many couples have said that walking down the aisle was still special even with a first look. But if you've been dreaming of that dramatic ceremony entrance, slowly walking down the aisle with your partner tearing up as they see you for the first time, this may not be for you.
-You Might Have to Wake Up Earlier-
A first look will mean that you’ll have to get ready a bit earlier, which will then mean that you’ll have to be up earlier. So that means planning to get ready an hour or two before you would have without a first look. Take into account that getting ready on your wedding day will take more time than just any other day, especially with a hair and makeup artist and your wedding party to get ready with. A lot of people are already so excited for their wedding day that getting up earlier may be no problem at all (maybe going to sleep in the first place will be your biggest struggle?) - but if getting up a bit earlier sounds too daunting, it's definitely something to consider.
-You May Have to Consider Some Touch Ups-
If your first look involves lots of pictures taken out in the sun and nature, makeup and outfits could start to show a little wear. It’s more than likely you’ll have a little bit of dirt show up on the bottom of dresses - maybe a bit of dust on pants. It will rarely show up in a noticeable way for your guests or in photographs - but it’s still something to consider. If your makeup is what you are worried about, many makeup artists give an option to stay for part of the day or the whole day for touch ups. If this is what's holding you back in this decision you'll want to talk to your makeup artist to see if that is something they could do for you. It's not a huge con, but just another thing to consider.
- In the end this is *your* wedding -
There are a few other variations of this first look idea that you can incorporate into your day in other ways. One example is a “first touch” where you meet at a corner where two walls meet - but you don’t see each other, only touch and talk. Another option is to exchange letters the morning of. That way you still get a message to your partner, while preserving any suspense you're looking for. At the end of the day it's always up to you! These are your plans - this is your wedding - this is your life. Don't let anyone pressure you into doing anything you're not 100% on board with. You only live this day once. What do you value most?