Right up the road from the Cheyenne Cañon Inn lies the Cheyenne Mountain Park, full of stunning views and trails. Our First Look happened on a snowy mountain in front of a water fall. It was freezing outside, so the water was not falling, but that did not take away from the beauty or wonder of the moment (but it did make us a tad chilly). Our photographer, Lindsay from Redwood + Sage, had recommended the spot. It was beautiful and unique.
Why do the First Look instead of the more traditional moment where the groom sees the bride before the walk down the aisle? The answer depends on the couple.
Practically speaking, on a day that is so photograph heavy, doing a First Look can streamline the schedule so you can start doing photographs before the wedding, instead of during it. We had always wanted a shorter celebration (only 3 or 4 hours, compared to some weddings that can go for 6 or even 12 hours). So doing the First Look early in the morning, followed immediately by family photos before the ceremony, made sense for us. It is all a matter of preference, but it did make the day run much smoother for us.
On a more sentimental note, it allows for a more intimate moment between the groom and bride. I wasn’t across the room when Adam saw me. I was right there next to him and got to see the look in his eye and talk to him and twirl for him. There is also something sweet about seeing the reaction of the groom during the ceremony, so I am not at all saying one way is better than the other. It just depends on the couple’s preference! For us, we liked sharing this moment just the two of us (plus, our photographer).
The only anxious part of the entire day for me was the lead-up to seeing each other at the First Look. I couldn’t wait to get to him so we could start sharing the day together! Once we were there, we knew the day was going to be amazing no matter what happened. The First Look was such a quiet, serene moment and an absolutely perfect way to start the day.
Next, we drove up the mountain a little more. The sun was just starting to rise over the mountains. This is where we took the bulk of our portraits and the view was… well, it can speak for itself… you know, with pictures.
Everything had looked and felt exactly as we imagined. Even the snow was welcome. The theme for the wedding was “Spring in Winter.” That is exactly what we felt like standing out in our own little wonderland.
UPDATE: Two years later, on our 2nd Anniversary, we drove up to the same spot and took a picture. It was still just as beautiful. I hope we do it again on future anniversaries, especially if we are lucky enough to get to a thirtieth anniversary… or fiftieth anniversary! I love the idea of eighty-year-olds recreating their wedding photos.
