No matter if you’re just getting started with planning your wedding day or if the special day is right around the corner, wedding planning is a journey that you’ll likely never forget! Touring local venues, sampling delicious catering options, meeting with photographers, trying on wedding gowns, the list goes on. And at the core of each of these various activities, what you’re essentially doing is crafting every single detail of your dream wedding celebration. On today’s blog, we’ll be discussing one of these specific details that happens to have a few different possibilities to pick from.
If this is your first time stopping by our blog, welcome! Our wedding venue, Madera Estates, is located in Conroe, TX and specializes in all-inclusive wedding packages. In terms of our blog, we always have enjoyed providing content that truly helps couples throughout their wedding planning experience. As you can likely imagine, there is certainly no shortage of topics to discuss either. From knowing what to look for in a florist to crafting the most amazing send-off, if it’s wedding-related, you can probably find it somewhere on our blog! That all being said, this week, we will be discussing a decision all couples typically make at some point in the months leading up to their big day. That decision happens to be choosing between a first look, a first touch and the traditional approach of first seeing each other on the walk down the aisle. All of them are widely common in weddings nowadays and we’ll attempt to break down some of the advantages each of them offers.
Photo on the thumbnail courtesy of Ivan Garcia Studio.
Walk Down the Aisle
Throughout this blog, we’ll walk you through each of the three possibilities mentioned above. To kick it off, we will start with the traditional approach and that is when the couple first sees each other (on their wedding day) at the walk down the aisle. This is certainly one of the older traditions in the wedding industry and one that many couples still place an emphasis on during their wedding planning. So…if following traditional practices is important to you and your spouse-to-be, you very well may lean towards an aisle reveal. To add to it, if you’re wanting to save the majority of the emotion for the ceremony itself, then the aisle reveal is perfect for that as well.
The one caveat worth keeping in mind with this traditional approach is that you’re still going to need to find time for all of the wedding portraits and various other photo opps. However, in the majority of situations, this is no problem. Right after the ceremony concludes, you can knock out the pictures while your guests enjoy a cocktail hour before the reception gets underway. Keep in mind that you won’t have an endless amount of time for photos (with your guests getting started on the cocktail hour), but we’ve also seen plenty of couples work it seamlessly into their wedding day timeline. Long story short, tradition is still alive and well in many aspects of wedding celebrations, and the aisle reveal continues to be widely popular!
First Look
With the traditional practice outlined above, your first of two modern alternatives will be the first look. Over the years, first looks have gradually become more and more popular. After all, just take a peek at a few of our prior “Real Wedding” blogs and you’ll come across more than a few first look moments. For those unfamiliar with the terminology, a first look is a special moment between the couple prior to the ceremony. It obviously will require some planning on your day-of timeline, but there’s no doubt that it’s always a memorable experience for the soon-to-be newlyweds.
Along with truly serving as a special, intimate moment for the couple, first looks also result in the most precious wedding photos. Not to mention, since you won’t have to wait until the ceremony to see your partner, you can also capitalize on this time before the ceremony to capture all of your wedding photos. Wedding party pics, family portraits, you name it. Keep in mind that you’ll also still have a little bit of time in-between the ceremony and reception to snap a few more photos, but there will definitely be no rush, as you would’ve gotten the bulk of them knocked out earlier.
First Touch
Last on our list is the option that really offers advantages associated with each of the two possibilities mentioned above. It allows you to hold your partner’s hand and possibly exchange a gift or letter before the ceremony (without actually seeing each other). There’s usually an object, such as a door in most cases, that prevents you from physically seeing your soon-to-be spouse. From a venue’s perspective, we have to admit these create the most precious photo opportunities and are always adorable to see in-person. As I noted at the start of this section, a first touch truly provides for the best of both worlds. You’re still following the traditional practices of saving the reveal for the walk down the aisle, but you also get to enjoy this romantic moment before the day’s festivities get underway. It can be the perfect time to have a short chat with each other. It can help calm any pre-ceremony nerves and truly get you excited for the fun that’s about to come. And I know we already mentioned it once, but the photos that come out of a first touch are always awesome!
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What do you think? Would you prefer the traditional approach of first seeing your partner on the walk down the aisle or do you like one of the two modern alternatives? Having witnessed each of them on numerous occasions, we think it’s safe to say that you can’t go wrong with whichever option you select. They will all add to the magic of your wedding day and the only advice we can give to couples is to choose the one you truly want. If you’re worried about not having enough time after the ceremony to fit in all of the pictures, then go with a first look. If you want the emotional aspect of a first look, but still stick with tradition, then go with a first touch to get the best of both worlds. And lastly, if you’ve always envisioned seeing your partner first on that special walk down the aisle, then go with the traditional approach. Simply put, they all are amazing!
Are you engaged and planning on holding your wedding somewhere near the Houston area? If so, we would love to show you around Madera Estates. As mentioned in the opening paragraphs, our venue is located in Conroe, TX, which is just north of Houston and The Woodlands. Since opening up, we’ve been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to work with hundreds of engaged couples. Throughout this time, we’ve taken pride in truly making sure every single detail of our client’s dream wedding day is just right! If you’re interested in booking a free tour of our venue and meeting with a member of our team, click HERE to check out our online booking calendar. At the tour, you’ll have the opportunity to see the venue in-person and ask any questions you may have! We look forward to learning more about your dream wedding!