Week of Love Part III: First Look

Welcome back for more of the “What I LOVE” Week of Love here at the little “I Love Your Love the Most!” 

All week long (well for the past 2 nights) I have been thinking about what I LOVE. My wedding seems to always come to mind. I loved every single decision that we I made about the wedding. Plus, since my blog was born a year AFTER my wedding, I never have taken the time to sit and blog our wedding journey on here. With February being the month of “love” I thought I would share some of my absolute favorite things. My husband is my favorite person on Earth. With this being said, I am just going to gush about our wedding since that was the exact moment that I got to officially call him mine forever.

Before Coach and I were even the least bit serious I knew who I wanted to take my wedding pictures. It is really a funny story: Coach and I were at the very first “Lucky Night Out” that we attended together (a big fundraiser that Jefferson does. It is really “prom” for Coach and me) when I first officially met Scott. Coach introduced us since they were friends. I will never forget saying, “Oh, you’re Scoot Greene that takes pictures! You’re going to take my wedding pictures!” Fate… probably! I had seen some of Scott’s work on FB and here and there. I knew I wanted him to take our wedding pictures. From that moment, every single time we hung with Scott he would make it is mission to try and convince me to take a “First Look” picture BEFORE the wedding, and just me and Coach. NO WAY! For YEARS… I mean YEARS folks I would tell Scott that I wanted everything done traditionally. I wanted the first time Coach saw me to be in the church. I wanted that “LOOK” caught, and I wanted it in front of everyone. Seriously, I have dreamed about my wedding since I was a little girl. I wanted everything to be picture perfect. 

After Coach and I got engaged, we started thinking about what was important to us as the Bride and Groom. We both decided that the most important thing about the wedding was the reception. We were spending the majority of our $$$$ on the reception, and we wanted to enjoy the party with our friends as much as we could. I am not saying that this should be every couple’s priority… it was just #1 to us. Well…. Really #1 & 1/2. My pictures were really #1.

After many MANY MANY debates, we decided to do a “First Look” moment in Athens at the Arch. This just has so much meaning to us. We also decided that since we were going to take the pictures before the wedding, to eliminate hurting anyone’s feelings we would just have us, and the photographers. I rode with Scott and Neal. Coach had his cousin drop him off. It was really just US. I would not trade these pictures or the time for anything in the world.

I still got that “Groom’s First Look” picture. It is actually my favorite picture in my house. His grin is just priceless. It is also so meaningful that we have the pictures at our favorite spot in the city. It was such an intimate moment…. Even though we weren’t in the church… it was still so meaningful.

After pictures we were just hanging out, and even got Scott to go through the Mickey D’s drive thru. I know right?! In a tux and wedding gown… downing some sweet tea! 

The choice we made to do a “First Look” before the wedding also allowed us to take all family pictures BEFORE the wedding. Ummm…. Another great idea! We had time to take as many as we wanted with ZERO pressure to make it back to the reception because guests are waiting. Coach and I were also able to be calm, cool, and relaxed. We were able to pray together, smile, and enjoy even MORE time together on OUR day. 

I LOVED LOVED LOVED the decision we made to take all pictures before the wedding. I had friends and family tell me that I was crazy. They said it wouldn’t be the same. They were right. It wasn’t the same at all… it was SO much better!

LOVE LOVE,

C^2

absolute favorite picture ever.

i really think i was terrified to touch him!