Jasmine Star Photography Blog

Karla That first photo of Robert just made me cry. I love how you were able to capture the emotion of the moment. 10.21.11 - 1:22am

Joy I would LOVE to do this for my wedding, but my fiancé doesn't want to. I'll get him to read this article and see if it changes his mind at all. I definitely see this as a plus and will certainly make the nerves more calm. I'll keep this article on "speed dial" for my future clients as well! 08.27.10 - 1:10pm

Allison Walton I reference this post, and it's original "Why a First Look?" with all of my potential clients. A lot of them don't even realize that doing a First Look is an option! With the 6 couples I have shown this to, 5 of them have chosen to have a First Look--and the last one is caving! Thanks, J*. 04.18.10 - 7:30am

Hanh Nguyen I love this post. My fiance didn't get the whole concept about "the first look" and these priceless pictures definitely help him see why I want to do it. Thanks and I absolutely love your work. It inspires me! 01.30.10 - 2:14am

bridget I can't agree with you more! I wish more and more that my brides and grooms would consider to do the same. The results are spectacular when they agree. :) 01.20.10 - 3:18am

Angie Kay What a priceless picture they added of yours to the article! I think I would like for the surprise before the ceremony. I think it is something personal to share for memories to last. And great photo ops. I love the pictures. thanks for sharing. 01.13.10 - 1:57pm

Aaron V That's so cool seeing your pics on magazines..congrats. I never believe to hide the dress was an excited thing but we are all different...I think I was at wedding at Ebell..nice. 01.11.10 - 4:52pm

Heather Swanner You know I never thought to *ask* the couple if they would be open to seeing each other before the ceremony. What a great idea! (and these shots are amazing) 01.04.10 - 2:13pm

Craig Kasper Photography your work is so easy to fall in love with jasmine ! i have become addicted to checking your blog on a daily basis. thank you for sharing so much of who you are and what you do. Craig Kasper Photography 12.16.09 - 8:53pm

Life with Kaishon Wow. This post is so great. It made me cry a few times. What beautiful descriptions of the first look : ) 12.10.09 - 10:10am

Heather THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! This is so brilliant and I am going to send it out for my clients to read. The grooms explain it and say it better than I ever could, what an AWESOME IDEA! 12.09.09 - 2:48pm

gladys jem aw. i love this. i can't wait to see Chris' face when we do our first look. but i also can't wait to see the photos you and JD take from them :) 12.08.09 - 9:19pm

Christina Gressianu I love this post! I love reading the grooms' perspectives since that rarely happens. What wonderful clients! And wonderful men! 12.08.09 - 4:21pm

ashley rodgers i. cried. ... even before reading what was written. the last image... where you can see steven fingers pushing into stephanie's skin as he holds her tight... love. (sigh) 12.08.09 - 11:39am

Sarah Smith YEah :) Nice to know that I am in such good company with you on the Glamour Blog. I have some photos featured there too :) Congrats! 12.08.09 - 10:43am

rachel darley oh if only you had posted this about a year and a half ago! I tried to get my husband to do a first look but I had everyone against me =( oh well! Great post though! Thanks to the guys for sharing! I was brought to tears, their letters were expressed so beautifully. 12.08.09 - 7:04am

Sam@Shuttersnap Great idea for a blog post :) I really love the idea of First Looks. It's great to hear from the grooms how special and meaningful the experience was for them. 12.08.09 - 6:21am

Cathy Crawley Wow, what an honour indeed! And what amazing grooms you have photographed, I absolutely loved Steven's answer, so romantic and beautiful :) 12.08.09 - 5:14am

Isadora Hello Jasmine, My name is Isadora, I'm a beginner photographer in Brazil, made a blog now to start releasing my work, that does not even come to your feet (rs) do not photograph weddings yet .. but I'm starting with some little parties and such and I hope one day to take pictures as wonderful as you, who can bring into the picture all the emotion of the moment. good, not as I had not come to say that I love your work. You are an inspiration to me! (And sorry for the English that is not the best .. rs) A big kiss, Isadora 12.08.09 - 2:36am

Corinna Hoffman Love this post!! Yay, now I have a new link to provide to my clients when I try to educate them about doing the first-look :) Here's another helpful link from a wedding planner: http://planningforever.com/blog/fave-posts ..It's under the "seeing each other before the wedding" series :) Blessings, Jasmine! 12.07.09 - 10:39pm

Lauren Bauer This is the ONE thing I totally regretted not doing at our wedding... love hearing the grooms perspective. Its so sweet! 12.07.09 - 8:41pm

Erin Elizabeth Wow, I really enjoyed this post. It is true that so often we assume that grooms don't want to be a part of the wedding planning process, always saying "whatever you want honey!" but that is obviously not true! It's great to read a little behind the scenes feelings from some of your grooms! Thanks! 12.07.09 - 7:34pm

MJ Great post. I really loved reading the groom's thoughts and persceptive of that special first glance. Adore Jelani's expression!! Made me cry. 12.07.09 - 6:24pm

Ala @ The Modern Type i just fell MORE in love with my husband! he just earned himself some homemade dinner - a rarity in the cortez household. ;) thanks for including him jasmine! we love you! xo 12.07.09 - 6:07pm

Christine Pobke LOVE this post... totally agree that it's important for the first look! I wish I had done that at my own wedding as well.... :) I'm so easily swayed by you! :) 12.07.09 - 5:40pm

Marissa Rodriguez Awesome, awesome post! You're making me totally jealous that my husband and I didn't do a first look when we got married 3 years ago! Too bad I wasn't a photographer back then, otherwise we would have for sure done that! SUCH a great post thank you! By the way, so great to finally meet you at the Shootsac Grand Opening! :) 12.07.09 - 3:45pm

Leyla Great post! It's amazing to read the grooms perspective.. I am sure this will help a lot of future couples in making the right decision about their "First Look" 12.07.09 - 3:05pm

Wendy Congratulations Jasmine! But also... what a fabulous post! I love the look on the grooms' faces as they have their "First Look." We only hope that our husband can continue to look at us like that forever. How sweet! 12.07.09 - 2:49pm

Brian Khang Being engaged myself and planning our wedding now, I'm happy there's a post for the grooms perspective. These testimonials not only solidify how it works out logistically for photography, but the emotions of seeing your bride for the first time carries on still to the ceremony. This is a great post and it's something I'm always telling my clients as well. 12.07.09 - 2:09pm

Jonathan I really appreciate this post. My wife and I chose to have a First Look, and we didn't regret it for a second. In a day that seems to go by so quickly, it is nice to have that one moment where time seems to stand still. 12.07.09 - 1:43pm

Courtney Dellafiora Jasmine!! Awesome post!!! You're a genius! Ahhh you rock. I heart you! Tell JD I said HEY!!! xoxo 12.07.09 - 1:40pm

michelle cunningham awwww!!!! i love that quiet moment before the storm. it's so intense and so peaceful at the same time. 12.07.09 - 1:36pm

Deyla Huss Photography So fun! I love this post Jasmine! It really lets people in on the other side of things. Congrats on the article on Glamour.com! 12.07.09 - 1:36pm

Lydia Guys, thanks so much for sharing! This was an awesome idea, Jasmine! I'll be passing this post on to my brides! 12.07.09 - 1:13pm

cassandra m WOW...each groom's reply was an emotional read. You do have the most awesome clients, reading these heartfelt words just prove it. It was very nice to hear what the groom's perspectives were. :) 12.07.09 - 12:54pm

Candace Prokopets J*, thanks so much for sharing this post. It will be a wonderful resource to share with our grooms to allow them to hear the voice of other men and their experiences. 12.07.09 - 12:30pm

Stephanie Stewart LOVE how you asked for the grooms' perspectives! Their words are so sweet, I'm sure their wives will love reading this, as if they didn't already know how they felt, but so sweet that they shared it with so many people here on your blog. Awesome!!! 12.07.09 - 12:22pm

Khristen it seems like southern brides want to stick to more traditional lines and rarely do first looks. Sometimes I feel like they don't hear the definition of a first look because they're already against it. I love to see your first look pictures though. they are amazing! 12.07.09 - 11:55am

tish Congratulations, Jasmine, on having your photo chosen by Glamour! I was so happy to see they chose Jelani's photo because that is one the the very best (and emotional) wedding photos I have ever seen! 12.07.09 - 11:50am

ohana photographers YAY!!! first looks are always so emotional and special for the couple :) i also suggest not push . great post jas! 12.07.09 - 11:41am

Connie Sithi I did a first look for my wedding, too, and I LOVED it! It really calmed me down because we had that moment to realize it's just us. We had so many things go wrong with the planning, but this first look set a mood for the rest of the day that everything would be okay. congrats on Glamour! That is SO SICK! 12.07.09 - 11:18am

Jeni I love this post!! I let my husband come dress shopping with me. I had just moved to D.C. and my wedding was in Memphis, so I didn't really have any girlfriends or family to shop with me. My husband was totally up for the task. We're coming up on 8 years, so no bad luck there. But I decided to keep the "first look" for when I walked down the aisle. Though, now, I wished I hadn't done that. Watching my husband's reaction is a picture I will never forget but I wish I could've been able to talk to him in that moment rather than waiting. And I know he would've been able to help calm me down like only he can...I was a nervous wreck. 12.07.09 - 11:17am

Tiffany wow congrats on having your photo on the Glamour site! So exciting!! I love the photo you chose...the groom looks so genuinely happy to see his bride for the first time. If I could hop in my time machine...I would totally have done the first look! 12.07.09 - 11:16am

Lacey Reimann WOW! Awesome! Thanks Jasmine & thanks to all these great guys for sharing their beautiful stories! It looks like a lot of newlywed men just earned some major brownie points! 12.07.09 - 11:15am

Brooke You definately have the greatest clients...I am a blubbering idiot right now reading through the tender and heartfelt words of these guys. 12.07.09 - 11:02am

Kelli Taylor In retrospect I wish I would've done a first look at my wedding. It's a small way to take a moment out for just the two of you! 12.07.09 - 10:54am

Michelle sidles I love hearing the grooms perspective (and I'm not even a wedding photographer). ;) haha!! I just love how men can be so traditional. How seeing the bride before the ceremony seems to be something they might not ever have considered. Men are so awesome! :) 12.07.09 - 10:37am

Suzanne & Mike Taylor Thank you Jasmine for sharing these personal letters from your grooms. I can't tell you how often I have felt so rushed during my photo shoots to get pictures of the happy couple and all their family members between the ceremony and the reception. I then always end up disappointed that I didn't get all the planned shots I wanted (the couple is happy but not me). With your permission, I would love to share these letters with my future couples to convince them that the "First Look" shoot is truly invaluable. Thanks again, Suzanne Taylor 12.07.09 - 10:35am

Diandra Ahhhh! This makes me so excited to do my own first look one day ;) Thanks for the grooms perspective... it is often left out! 12.07.09 - 10:29am