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Tristan
Beginner February 2019 Alberta

First Glance

Tristan, on April 22, 2018 at 23:53 Posted in Wedding ceremony 0 12
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Hi everyone- I've been bouncing around the idea of having a first glance. We're getting married in Canmore, AB at Camp Cheif Hector next February. We will be hosting the reception at the same location as the ceremony.

Because of the fact that it will be in the same location during winter, I'm thinking it will be easier to do pictures before the guest arrive so we can just go straight to the reception from the ceremony. This of course means that we would do a first glance.

The alternative would just mean that our guests would then leave to go explore canmore during our photos after the ceremony. Which isn't the end of the world either.

I'm looking for opinions and/or ideas to help keep the traditional aspect if we decide to go this route. We're thinking that we would have a later ceremony so that the reception still falls around dinner time.

12 Comments

Latest activity by JuneBride, on April 24, 2018 at 21:31
  • J
    Devoted June 2019 Ontario
    JuneBride ·
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    We aren't doing first glance. We want to keep that tradition. There will be a gap, but our families are use to gaps at wedding and they are aware of it.
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  • Candace
    VIP May 2019 Ontario
    Candace ·
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    My fiancé and I were considering doing a first look because he wants to stay and enjoy cocktail hour with the guests and have it so we can take family photos during this time and have the reception a little earlier.
    Im very mixed about the whole first look before the ceremony trend :/
    Since your wedding is in the winter though I think it would probably be easier to just go from ceremony to reception and not have your guests trying to find stuff to do when it's freezing out
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  • Clarissa
    Expert October 2018 Saskatchewan
    Clarissa ·
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    This is what I wanted to do. Have a first look and do most of the pictures before the ceremony. My fiancé quickly shot it down as he is more traditional when it comes to these things. We will do some pictures with my bridesmaids and parents maybe before around the venue and then we can do the rest after to cut down on the time between.
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  • Jennifer
    Super August 2018 Alberta
    Jennifer ·
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    I’ve been to a wedding in Jasper and didn’t mind the gap to go downtown and do some looking around. I think it’s really up to you two, is your groom up for a first look? I know mine isn’t into it he doesn’t want to see me until I walk down the isle and that settled that lol bc either way I was good with.
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  • Maegan
    Super July 2018 British Columbia
    Maegan ·
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    We will be doing all of our photos before the ceremony... It allows us much more time to spend with each other during the day and to spend more time with our guests during our cocktail hour Smiley smile

    And it meant that we could have lots of time for photos and not be rushed!

    And because we are getting married outside in july it means photos will happen before ceremony tears ( that i KNOW im gonna cry so hard haha) and makeup will be fresh!
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  • Brittany
    British Columbia
    Brittany ·
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    View quoted message

    I agree with Peggy. My fiance is not a fan of crowds/public speaking, etc... So having a first look will be a very private moment to let him see me, without 100 people staring at him.

    We are getting married in January.... so our problem was having day light for photos. Our ceremony and reception are in the same building, so I didn't want a cocktail hour, for both time and cost.

    We will do first look photos, family/group photos, then ceremony at 4.30pm, straight into the reception.

    We are still being traditional with sleeping separately the night before, not seeing the dress beforehand, dad giving me away, etc... but we needed to make adjustments for what worked best for us.

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  • Peggy
    Super May 2019 Alberta
    Peggy ·
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    We are having our photos before our ceremony, and are starting with a first look. My fiancé suffers from severe anxiety, so this will give him a chance to truly enjoy the moment and not feel anxious in front of the guests at the ceremony later.

    There will still be special moments at the ceremony - lifting the veil for the first kiss, looking at each other when I walk down the aisle...


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  • Jennifer
    Super July 2019 Ontario
    Jennifer ·
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    Talk with your photographer about a timeline. You could still do a later ceremony, have a cocktail hour then reception. that way guests don't have to leave the place. and you take photos during cocktail hour. You could do a lot of your posed photos with your girls (and groom with the guys) before the ceremony.
    I personally don't want a 1st look. A lot of people like it because you get such an intimate moment with your almost hubby.

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  • Sara
    Devoted October 2018 Ontario
    Sara ·
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    I too wanted to keep things as traditional as possible - even my FH agrees- to the point where I'm spending the night before the wedding at my parents and i'm not talking to him the entire day - if there's anything that needs to be coordinated I will speak through my bridesmaids.

    Also, I really want to have an aisle shot of his face when he first sees me along with all our guests.

    But you do what you and your FH are comfortable with, if your ceremony and reception aren't too far apart in time, then the time for photos your guests might appreciate. They can freshen up, check on things and families, find their seat, sign the guestbook, if you're doing cocktail hour then that's also a time filler. Or they can take photos of the beautiful area themselves. I think there is always the unwritten expectation as a guest that if you go to a wedding you will have to wait for the bride and groom for some time before you sit down for dinner.

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  • Alexis
    Devoted October 2018 Ontario
    Alexis ·
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    I want to do one as well! Our ceremony and reception are at the same location as well, and we have spots to get ready onsite, plus it takes less time away from family after the ceremony, if you do photos before. I've heard a lot of positive feedback from recent friends and family who got married, that it helps you feel less nervous during the ceremony as well.
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  • Amanda
    Super August 2018 Alberta
    Amanda ·
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    It is totally up to you and your fiancé! My FH said that there was no way he was seeing me in my dress before I was walking down the aisle, so this wasn’t ever even a thought for us. But I f you two want to stick to the traditional, then do it! Don’t worry about your guests too much. Like you said, they can go see the sights, cause oh my, is it ever beautiful out there! And cocktail hour usually eats a bit of time too, so there wouldn’t even have to be that much of a gap. Just my thoughts Smiley winking
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  • Erin
    Super September 2019 Ontario
    Erin ·
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    We will not be doing a first look - it's pretty much the one thing that I insisted stay traditional for our wedding. Our ceremony will be private so we have arranged our day so that our guests do not have to wait around while we're taking pictures. That said, I don't think anyone would complain about having a bit of time to explore Canmore!
    My cousin and his wife did pictures before the ceremony and there was still a break between the ceremony and reception where everyone was waiting around to get in, so it could actually go either way.
    There's really nothing wrong with doing a first look. The photographer can still capture this beautiful moment on camera, it just means that not everyone will get to witness it.
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