Wedding Decision: To See or Not to See?

Should He See Me Before the Wedding?

As I have mentioned in some of my posts in the past, I have heard a LOT of questions from brides to be over the years. In this blog post, I’ll address another of those questions that I have heard often: “Is it ok for my groom to see me before the wedding?”

The first thing I want to say is that there is no one answer that is right for every couple. There are a number of reasons that some couples have decided to allow the groom to see the bride in her gown before she walks down the aisle. These reasons include taking pictures before the wedding or even having the groom help to select the gown.

Still, some couples keep the tradition of not allowing the groom to see the bride before that special moment. That tradition was born during a time when most marriages were arranged. Not only was the groom not to see the bride in her gown before the wedding, but the couples often had never seen each other at all until they met during the wedding ceremony!

While that reason for a groom not seeing his bride before the wedding is not applicable to the majority of couples today, there is still a good reason for the bride to keep her gown and her special wedding day look a secret from her groom until she walks toward him during the wedding, and that is the element of surprise. Your groom has likely tried to imagine what you will look like in your gown, and you have probably imagined the look on his face when he sees you for the first time. This is sure to be a very special moment, and one that you will want to remember for the rest of your life. It is also one that you will be sharing with 200 or so wedding guests,

But there is another way.

I call it the Big Reveal. This is a moment BEFORE the wedding that the couple has set aside to spend a few moments together before the ceremony. It is at this time that the groom will see you for the first time, and you will be able to see the look on his face when he sees how beautiful that you look in your gown.

I can tell you that I have witnessed many such Big Reveals, and they have been some of the most special moments that I have had the pleasure to capture on film. This is a special moment between just you and your groom, and I promise you that it is VERY romantic.

There are also practical reasons why a Big Reveal is a good idea. The big one is that it allows you to get a fair number of the pictures out of the way before the wedding when your makeup and hair are still fresh. You will be able to get to your guests more quickly after the ceremony, and you will find that the day will flow much better.

So should your groom see you before you walk down the aisle? It is really a personal choice, but don’t let tradition rule. If you like the idea of a Big Reveal before the wedding, then you should go for it! It’s your special day, so do what will work best for you.

Thanks for reading.

Karen