Should We or Shouldn't We?

That is the question.  Should the bride and groom see each other before the ceremony? Or should they not?

Many have a superstitious take on this matter.  The route of this tradition is believed to come from arranged marriages.  Since the bride and groom didn’t know each other, it was better for the bride to "hide" from the groom.  The bride would even wear her veil over her face until the very second they were married….maybe so the groom couldn’t see what he was getting into!! Just kidding!


This trend went on for so long, (the only difference is now we can choose who we marry), and that is why the tradition has continued in ceremonies today.

I’m torn over this issue as well.  Therefore, I’m listing the pros and cons of each scenario!

Seeing each other before the ceremony:

Pros:

·           
      Better photos

-Your makeup and hair is fresh!

-All natural photos, nothing will be posed as the photographer captures 
  the big reveal!

·            
      One-on-one time with your other half

-Seeing each other before will allow you to spend time alone with your fiancé-
  time that you probably wouldn’t get otherwise on wedding day
 -You can see your groom’s expression in a private, intimate setting
  -It may be a much more emotional experience if the reveal is done in private
 -Private time with your fiancé can diminish stress for the both of you
 -Entering the ceremony area may be a sensory overload for you when revealing
   your look/dress/expression for the first time in front of everyone!

·      No rushing!

- You may feel rushed after the ceremony to get pictures taken with family, the
   bridal party, and your groom

-Doing these pictures earlier in the day may relieve some stress!

·      Get to the reception faster!

-You know you’ll want to party and celebrate at your reception!  Who will want
  to miss an hour of that??

Picture found on www.aphroditiesweddingblog.com

Picture found on www.dawnearls.com-reveal

Picture found on www.stefansisters.blogspot.com

·      Cons:


   Guests won’t get to see surprised expression from you and your groom

-Many wonder if their guests will be offended if they find out that you didn’t
   share that moment with them.  Do what YOU and your fiancé feel is best for
    your circumstance! Don’t worry about anyone else…this is your day!!

·      Breaking “tradition”

-Tradition has influenced many couples to follow the straight and narrow path

-The questions you have to ask yourself are “does this tradition even exist
  anymore and how important is it to me??”
-If you are superstitious, it might feel like "bad luck" to see your groom before
  the ceremony...

·      
   Not officially married in these photos

-You will just have to decide if this matters to you or not!  

Side note:   There are no statistics showing that if you do see each other before the wedding that you will be doomed for all of eternity! 

Not seeing each other before the ceremony:

Pros:

·   Your reactions will be shared with wedding guests!
                         -If guests are experiencing the reveal with you too, they may feel more 
                          enchanted and overcome with emotion.  

·     Keeps with tradition
                         -If tradition means a lot to you, this is the way to go!

     Good luck for always??

  -Many say that not seeing each other before the ceremony will
    guarantee you lifelong happiness with your husband/wife. 

·     

     Officially married in these photos
                          -You will just have to determine if this would or wouldn't bother you in the 
                            future! If you're always going to think "oh my gosh, we hadn't even signed the  
                            papers yet!!" Then maybe you should wait until after the ceremony...

Cons:

·      Not get as much time alone with your groom
                          -Your day might be a little more hectic if the best pictures (you and your groom) 
                            are saved for last! You will probably only have a short amount of time to spend 
                            with him before cocktail hour or the reception, and you'll hardly get any time 
                            to talk!

·      You won’t get to capture a unique, intimate moment from you or the groom
                          -Even if you wait until after the ceremony to get your pictures taken, you will 
                            still get amazing photos!!  But you probably won't be able to capture the initial 
                            expression that the big reveal could create!

·      The eyes of all guests on you may take away some of the romance for you
                         -Maybe you don't like having all the attention on you and everyone's gaze in your 
                          direction may ruin the connection between you and your groom.

·      Photos after the ceremony will keep guests waiting

 -Less time to mingle with your guests and less time to celebrate might not be
   your ideal wedding day...

Overall, you just have to weigh the good and bad for yourself and do what is best for you and your honey!  This will be a special moment no matter which way you choose!


Boldly Yours,
Christine