Should you do a "First Glance" on your Wedding Day?

Should you do a "First Glance" on your Wedding Day?  This is a trend that has grown in popularity in the recent years.  The First Glance is a time prior to the wedding where the photographer captures you and your fiance seeing each other for the first time, on your wedding day, before the ceremony.  It creates beautiful emotional pictures that you will remember for a lifetime.  Some Brides want to still wait till they walk down the aisle for their groom to see them.  It is really a personal decision each Bride and Groom need to make for themselves.  There are a couple of things to consider when making this decision for your wedding.

I think the most important is that it takes some of the anxiety away for couples.  I have never had a couple say they wish they didn't do it.  Most report that it made them feel less anxious about the ceremony in front of big crowd.  It gives the couple a few minutes to really share this moment, creating some of the best emotional expressions for the photographer to capture.  Here is one of the groom crying and the bride is wiping his tear away.

We wouldn't have gotten that shot at the alter.
Brides say they still feel the excitement when the groom sees them walk down the aisle holding their dad's arm.  Some of the other benefits are that most of the formal pictures can be done prior to the ceremony, so your guests don't have to wait so long for the bride and groom to join the party.  Also the flowers and your make up are also still fresh for the pictures.  I usually set it up somewhere when I am about done shooting Groom portraits and I have the bride come up from behind him and tap him on the shoulder and he then turns to see his bride for the first time.  So fun!

Some brides choose to do a first glance with a parent instead.  Here is one of a bride and her mom. 

It also really helps to have 2 photographers to capture both parties.  Here is one taken by my second shooter, Cynthia.

But ultimately it is a personal decision for each couple and I respect their wishes, if a first glance is not for you, that is perfectly fine too.  There is no right or wrong, but a personal decision.

Sacramento Engagement Session

This cute couple wanted something unique for their engagement session and decided on Coffee for their theme.  I love engagement pictures because it shows how in love couples are and especially when we can incorporate their personalities too.  Here we have both.  Meet Nikki and Danny.  Nikki chose The Old Soul Coffee Company in Sacramento as our location.  I hadn't been there before, so wasn't sure what to expect.  It was quite cute and quaint located in a back alley.  I love the urban feel to it.  Here are a few pictures from their session.  We started at the cafe and walked around a bit too.

Planning a Wedding? Come and visit Ponce's Portraits and the rest of the preferred vendors at the DoubleTree by Hilton Sacramento on 

Sunday, September 28, 2014
11am

 Client Appreciation & Bridal Open House
for more information and to R.S.V.P. for Free Tickets, Click here:
 https://www.facebook.com/events/1493664750871189/

Natalie and Brett got Hitched in Reno, NV

A really cute couple Natalie and Brett are my cousins and they got married in Reno.  They chose to get married in the new chapel in Grand Sierra Resort also known as GSR.  Since they are family, I offered my services as a gift to them.  They informed me that GSR includes a photographer in their wedding package and would charge them extra to use their own photographer.  I have run into this before with a Tahoe Wedding that did this too and all their pictures were way too under exposed, causing all their pictures to be very dark.  I ended up having to fix them just so the bride could get some prints made. Besides the fact that they only cover a small amount of before and after the ceremony, missing out on several photo opportunities. As a bride, you have no control over the quality of your photographer, their experience, etc. when you accept an included photographer, and it can't be done again.  I, as a photographer and knowing about the disaster the last wedding with "included photographer", asked a bunch of questions to Natalie.  I wanted to respect their decision to use this venue, but wanted to be sure they got some images they loved too.  She told me if she wanted to hire or use her own photographer the venue would charge her $200 extra.  Who has ever heard of this?? They should give her a discount not charge her more.  She told me they were really strict but family would be allowed to take pictures during the ceremony, only if they stayed in their seat.  Ok, I can work with that, No problem, I thought.  I also offered to do some after at a separate location for them.  They found a very nice park nearby we were able to use.  I am so glad we did this as Natalie reported to me that their "included photographer's" pictures came out horrible and out of the 100+ images they took there was only one good one.  If you are a bride considering a venue that forces you to use their "included photographer", I highly recommend you either look elsewhere, or refuse to use that service and hire your own photographer.  Yes it will cost more but cheaper isn't always the best practice, especially for your once in a lifetime events. Here are a few of my favorite photos that I took, they wouldn't have, if they just used the "included photographer".

Cameron and Soko's Beautiful Wedding at Vizcaya in Sacramento, CA

I had such a pleasure photographing Cameron and Soko's Wedding at the beautiful Vizcaya Wedding Venue in Sacramento, CA in July (sorry a bit behind in my blogging).  Cameron is has such a free spirit and loving heart and you can truly feel his love for Soko.  Soko is a beautiful, brave girl and super sweet.  She left everything in Mongolia to be here with Cameron.  I look forward to being their official family photographer, as their family grows in the future.  Thank you to Vizcaya's Team for this beautiful wedding venue, JukeBox Music DJ for always putting on a great party, Elite Beauty Concepts for Wedding Hair and Make Up, and Beautiful by Nature Florist for such great flowers.