When I am asked what is the most emotional part of the wedding day, without thinking about the answer - the first meeting of the couple. You can find it in various Internet resources under the hashtag #firstlook. When starting the planning of the wedding day , I very often confuse couples by suggesting that they meet and see each other long before the marriage ceremony.

MintDeco / Iluta Piternika

If at first there is astonishment, then when I explain the special intimacy and magic of this moment, I receive unequivocal consent to plan the first meeting in complete solitude in the wedding day plan. Of course, the photographer , the video artist and the wedding planner are also there, because it's their job. However, very often first look takes place even without the presence of presenters.

Why do I so highly recommend the couple's first meeting before the marriage ceremony ? It is a very emotionally powerful moment and you have to honestly ask yourself - do you want all your fifty or a hundred guests to watch it? The new couple is already very worried on the wedding day. If this meeting takes place in double solitude, then both the bride and the groom can enjoy it one hundred percent. This means that they can also indulge in all their strong emotions because no one is watching.

This moment belongs to the two of them alone. I usually encourage couples to take their time and enjoy the moment. I have experienced several times that the groom hugs his beautiful bride and does not let go for a long time. Tears of happiness and emotion fall and time stops for them. And that's the magic - they enjoy the moment because they don't hold anything back like they would during a marriage ceremony. Couples usually thank me for this suggestion, because they never imagined that they could break the usual wedding traditions.

If the couple has planned a first look before the marriage ceremony, then it should definitely be planned several hours before the afternoon ceremony begins. this first meeting should be planned in a visually beautiful place so that it looks effective and romantic in the wedding photos and film as well. Usually, this moment turns into photo and video sessions, so the choice of place is especially important. Wedding photo sessions require a lot of strength from the couple.

If the couple has planned it before the ceremony, then they can do it leisurely and full of energy. The bride's make-up and hairstyle are still fresh and the first signs of fatigue are not visible on the face. If all the photo sessions have been carried out before the ceremony, then after the ceremony the couple does not have to go anywhere and can start spending time with the guests. I usually recommend planning the first meeting at 13.00 and the marriage ceremony at 17.00

First look we have realized with couples in different places, depending on the wedding season, the region of the event and the nature of the couple. these first encounters have taken place both at the giant oak and at impressive cliffs, as well as in the forest and meadows. Parks of castles and manors are often chosen for this purpose. If the wedding is off-season, then you can choose places with impressive interiors - museums, theaters, hotel lobbies, non-standard structures or buildings with an effective facade and the like.

The task of the photographer, video artist and wedding organizer is to coordinate the meeting moment so that the couple does not accidentally see each other before that. It is also usually a matter of logistics how each of them gets to the chosen first look location. Usually the wedding car brings the bride, but the groom gets there with the help of friends or taxis. Further, they move to the next locations together with the wedding car .

At weddings we so often focus on the guests, but in reality this is a celebration of love in honor of the new couple.

It is important that on their special day there is also enough time for double solitude and leisurely time together. Therefore, as a wedding organizer, I recommend that you set aside three to four hours for this during the day, so that this time is full of pleasure and gives the day an accent on each other. On the other hand, the benefit for the guests is that they only have to come to the wedding late in the afternoon and do not have to wait for the wedding party during the day, as would be the case if the ceremony took place already, for example at 13.00 or 14.00.

The worst thing we can do to a bride and groom is to rush them and rush them into their wedding. A thoughtful wedding day plan is the most important tool for them to experience every minute of their wedding day.

Good luck!

Author of the article: Iluta Piternika / MintDeco Wedding organizer/decorator

Photo: Elisa Rinaldi, Zoe Morley, Cambria Shelley Photography