One of the top questions I get every year from all of my couples is whether or not they should do a first look.

Let me start out by saying, this is totally a personal preference and you have to do what’s right for the two of you. If you love the sounds of a very private, intimate time with your fiancé on the wedding day, then I definitely recommend it. If you’d rather the heart-pumping traditional walk down the aisle, I’d recommend sticking with that!

Having said that, if you are at all undecided, I wanted to give you a list of things to consider when making your final decision about how you’ll see each other for the first time on your big day.

The Pros

-Intimate, uninterrupted time together
-Just the two of you
-You actually get to talk to each other…hug, kiss…all that good stuff
-No more ceremony jitters
-It doesn’t take away from the ‘walking down the aisle excitement’
-Happens before the ceremony, so you’ll have more time together on the wedding day
-A scheduling dream! No rushing between the end of the ceremony and the beginning of the reception to capture a huge photo list
-More time with your guests during cocktail hour

The Cons

-Your day may have to start a little earlier to fit it in
-Scouting out pre-ceremony locations
-You know you really want the big ceremony reveal
-You may have to schedule something for your family/wedding party/guests ‘to do’ during this time
-Less traditional

And there you have it! Either way, your day is sure to be magical. Just remember it’s your day, so do it your way!