First reveal ideas?

Uhm - how else are you going to get him to turn around if you don't tap him on the shoulder?

Honestly Unless you do the thing where you dress up in the T-Rex costume like that one video floating around, I'm not really sure how you can do this differently?

There was one picture I saw yesterday where (I assume) it's the MOH covering the bride's eyes and the Best Man covering the groom's eyes, and then I guess they let go at the same time. But then my friend said she wouldn't want anyone near her face after getting her makeup done which made sense. But other than that, maybe say something like "you can turn around now"? Not sure what else you can do.

T-Rex costume? https://www.boredpanda.com/bride-t-rex-first-look-wedding-prank-beth-tom-gardner/

There's also ones where you're around a corner (i.e. a beautiful old barn so you have a nice backdrop) and then you both step forward at the same time, or he walks around to see you. Those are nice too.

That looked like fun!!!

I agree, I don't like the tapping on the shoulder. It looks weird and staged. I'll probably just tell him to turn around when I get close enough.

Come down some stairs, hide behind a door, have friends cover your eyes.

These are all images taken from google.

I like the door idea @txn shared. We made rustic barn doors for the entrance to our ceremony, so we'll probably incorporate them, into our first look. Either than, or we're shooting on top of a mountain that has a stone castle, so maybe we'll both a turn a corner at the same time. Ah you just reminded me to think this through!

A swift kick in the nuts?

I like balloons. Won't be letting them go completely since all those materials going up into our atmosphere would nooooot be cool lol. Afterwards we can just hand them over to someone.

Thanks for the recommendations! Rappel from the ceiling, lol. T-Rex costume? Absolutely not lol. The doors and round corner are cute and so is the maid of honor and best man covering their eyes! I'll figure something out thanks!!

^ huh? how do balloons relate to this post?

My photographers arranged our first look. One stood behind me, and the other was on an elevated section of the park to my right. The photographer to my right told my husband when to turn around, which was about 10 seconds after this picture was taken. I don't have the pic on my phone with the look on my husband's face when he turned around. But it was priceless. I never wear makeup or get dressed up, so he was floored by how I looked. I had already seen him in his suit earlier that day so it was not a first look for me.