First Look - How to avoid guests seeing you?

Go somewhere else to take first look photos? Like a museum, park, or a botanical garden?

Why does it matter if guests see you or not?

Have the hotel block off some private space so you can have a quiet first look just the two of you, and then just let it go.

Guests aren't paparazzi. You don't need to hide from them until your wedding.

Edited: I mean, anybody could see you walking across the parking lot...

If the hotel can block off areas, I think that's probably sufficient. A few of our guests saw us before the ceremony -- including a few who were running late and saw us all lined up ready to walk down the aisle -- and honestly, it was fine. It's not the end of the world.

Good points. I guess it doesn't matter if a couple of guests see us, lol.

We couldn't help a few guests seeing us during our first look and it was not a big deal.

We are doing our pictures at 130-2. Ceremony starts at 4p

We scheduled our first look, WP shoot, and family shoot to be done before 5:30pm (started with first look at 3:30) and the ceremony was supposed to start at 6pm. We actually finished pictures early at 5pm, but because a lot of guests were staying at the hotel that night, many arrived super early. A couple were hanging out downstairs in the hotel already waiting to enter the courtyard to get good seats for the ceremony and I definitely crossed paths when we exited the courtyard to go hide until the ceremony. I just smiled and quickly greeted them.

So yeah, I did not succeed at this. But, it didn't bother me very much because our entire extended families had just seen us during family pictures and I was so darn excited that I just didn't care.

@BlueHenBride makes a good point--probably you will be too excited to even care.

Case in point: We were actually surrounded by our entire bridal party + some others when we had our first look, and I didn't even notice, really, until after we got our photos back and my MOH's boyfriend is standing in the background!

Ok, thanks everyone! I guess my mom is acting way more old school and is just against a first look but it's my choice and I think we will get better pictures if we do it!

Also, we got married in the courtyard at the hotel. Half of the rooms had windows that opened up to the courtyard. It just wasn't going to be possible to ensure no one got a peek.

How would your guests know you were doing a first look? Don't tell anyone what your plan is and then they won't have any reason to be looking out the windows at you.

I did a first look and had not even considered how to deal with guests arriving early. Suffice to say, it was really difficult to get guests to buzz off when we were doing our pictures before the ceremony (including WP and family photos). They'll probably see you, which is fine, but think ahead about how you want to let them know that you need to finish up with the photographer before you can meet and greet.

My guests saw me, I gave no fucks. When we came back to the venue from pictures I walked in and there were tons of guests standing around and I stopped to chat with them before going back to my little room to wait for the ceremony to start.

We went to a nearby park for our first look and just headed back to our venue. The only people who saw us were our family and BP.

I wouldnt worry if a few guests see you. Chances are they will be too busy getting ready themselves to even notice.

Have the venue block off a few areas and do the pictures there. Or if you have time in your schedule, go to a nearby park, museum, some other picturesque location and get some shots there.

Im sure it will work out just fine

I went to a wedding recently and saw the couple taking pictures before the ceremony ..it wasn't a big deal

I hadn't really considered this either. My venue is pretty open concept, so if anyone arrives early they'll definitely be able to see us. My photographer arrives around 230-3pm and my ceremony starts at 5pm, so I'll probably be pretty much ready and have her take some getting ready shots as soon as she gets there and then do the first look an hour or so before the ceremony. If people come that early, then oh well.

I went to a wedding 2 weekends ago and the bride kind of ran across in front of some people. Most people just pretended not to notice lol

It's not a big deal really.

I was thinking about the same thing. I was considering getting ready at another nearby hotel ..... but I guess if it's not a big deal. I've never seen a bride before the ceremony

We're doing our first look an hour to two hours before guests are schedule to arrive at the venue in our ceremony space.

If you're worried maybe ask your coordinator what is a good pathway to get to the area you're meeting? Or if you're room can be on a different floor from your guess so there is less crossover. I don't think one or two people should worry you that much though.