by Scott Johnson

Growing up, you may have always had it in your mind that on the day of the wedding, the bride and groom do not see each other until she walks into the ceremony accompanied by who is handing her off. But in recent years, this tradition has seen some changes--though not for all--in that many couples do their “First Look” prior to the ceremony itself so the two can share in that moment without all of the hubbub going on around them.

For many, this allows a private respite between the chaos of getting ready and also a significant moment just the two can share in, but for others, waiting until you see each other at the wedding itself is more impactful. Some of our wedding ceremony first looks even found their way into our “Biggest Wedding Cry Babies” blog from a few weeks ago. Either in private or in front of all of your family and friends, a good first look almost always ensures the tears are going to flow.

A recent article from Huffington Post discusses how one Arizona bride decided to make her “First Look” a little bit of a prank, deciding that a fake-out would be a fun way to tease her husband while also showcasing her own sense of humor. Typically, the bride and groom come completely adorned and made-up to the first look as if they were about to get married--which they are--but Erin donned a 17-year-old cat shirt along with some “raggedy sweatpants” to greet her husband-to-be.

The video shows her relentlessly giggling prior to the first look. She sincerely hoped that he would find it funny and understand where she was coming from, and he did--or at least that's what the photos show. The two did get married, and now they have a story to share.

You can probably tell where this is going; here are our own favorite wedding First Looks!

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Vega Halloween Wedding, 10/29/16, Huber’s Gasthaus

You may just recognize the Vega Wedding from our "Favorite Wedding Themes" blog, but if not you should know they had a seriously twisted and awesome wedding day filled with skulls, zombie babies and dismembered limbs. It’s really one of our most unforgettable weddings, but their first look is even more so, especially for the groom. Standing out in an open field is pretty prime location for a Halloween Wedding first look, so as Juan waits patiently for his bride, he’s like the least suspecting victim in a horror movie. As RaKayla shows up adorned in a black wedding gown, she also has a horrific skeleton mask that would scare the daylights out of anyone, especially someone who is as nervous as Juan is for his big day.

But couples like this are the ones that thrive--they can make the scary silly while being exactly the right person for each other.

Sturdivant Wedding, 07/24/16, Sodo Park

A massive guest list with a bunch of hecklers is exactly what you need for some hysterical moments, especially a public first look with everybody surrounding them in a gazebo.

While Michelle slowly approaches Alvin from behind, the hollering begins from the guest as they sling “ooo’s” and “aaahs” to fake the groom out who takes it all with a glistening smile. It’s an onslaught of funny one-liners as those around them share their happiness and support. The kiss he plants on her is so delicate that it’ll make your heart swell, but the playfulness they show afterward makes it infinitely better. He can’t help but check her out and smile because this is the woman he’s about to marry.

Fay Wedding, 04/08/17, Golden Gardens

There’s nothing that quite says “Seattle” like the waterfront with the city rising higher and higher along the skyline.

There’s also nothing that says “Seattle” quite like Starbucks, which is something the Fays have in common.

Arriving for their first look on the waterfront, bride Erin approaches groom Matt from behind holding a thermos and two pristine Starbucks cups. No, this wasn’t our funny idea of product placement (though we are open to sponsorships!) but rather the couple’s own way of making their first look special because their very first date was at a Starbucks. Instead of having it be a typical first look, this adds just the jolt needed for it to be all the more personal.

Bukowski Wedding, 08/20/16, Edmonds, Wa

A romantic, secluded first look in the woods feels superbly enchanting. But for the Bukowski’s and their sense of humor, they could’ve been anywhere and had a blast. As groom Augustus turns around, bride Laura playfully “slaps” him while he chuckles and acts sarcastic.

“You ready?” he asks, followed up with “I do have one question about vows...mine kinda just end. Is there supposed to be a conclusion or a summary, I don’t know. No I think they’re good, they made me cry.” Despite the lack of “seriousness,” it’s pretty easy to tell he is seriously in love with Laura as all of this was just a means to get her to laugh and smile. Not necessarily something you want to have right up at the altar in front of everyone you know, but then again, he seems to be quite the comedian.

Fotopoulos Wedding, 7/22/17, St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church

It’s easy to be a little nervous on your wedding day. In fact, if you weren’t, it’d be pretty surprising. But for groom Yanni, his nerves led him to turn a little sarcastic. Which we’re totally ok with, even if it’s at our own expense.

As he’s standing outside the church waiting for Chelsea to arrive, he starts joking around to fool us into thinking he’s perfectly fine. “Worst Made Videos, that should be your guys’ new name,” he quips, but the clenched hands and the shaky voice indicate just how nervous he is. But once Chelsea shows up, the smiles come out and so does the goofiness as he poses with his best man in some truly absurd positions.

We haven’t forgotten, Yanni, but we’re happy you had such a great day.

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Your first look should be a significant decision. Whether it’s a private affair featuring just the photographer, videographer, and the bride and groom, or one with the entire family, or sticking to the age-old tradition of waiting till the ceremony itself, your decision should be a special one. We just hope to be there to capture it for you. We hope you enjoyed the videos above; let us know what you did for your own first look below!