What is a First Look and Should You Do One?

Being in the wedding video industry, the term “first look” is a term that is used often so it is easy to think that term is common knowledge. However, for plenty of couples, planning their wedding, they may not have ever even heard of it! So I wanted to quickly address the question of “what is a first look?”

What Is a First Look?

The short answer is, when the groom first sees his bride, prior to the ceremony. This is usually done with the groom’s back turned, while the bride approaches. As she taps him on the shoulder, he turns and voilà, he seems her, in all her beauty for the first time!

You may wonder why some couples choose to do a first look. There are a couple main reasons. One of which, is that they prefer to experience that first reveal privately and intimately, without a whole church of people joining it. Having it privately gives you the opportunity to take as long or as little as you would like to enjoy that moment which whomever you do or don’t want to be there. Another reason is for scheduling. By doing your first look, which happens earlier in the day, gives you more time to take photos at different locations without being on a tight schedule.

Should You Do a First Look?

If you are on the private side and want to experience that moment intimately, a first look would be a great choice. However, if you prefer for the more traditional and natural experience of the groom seeing his bride for the first time walking down the aisle, then go for it!

If your ceremony and reception (cocktail hour) are back-to-back, I would also suggest a first look. This way, you can schedule your bridal portraits, f bridal party photos to all be taken prior to the ceremony so you don’t have to worry about squeezing them into cocktail hour. This will also give you the time to enjoy what just happened (YOU GOT MARRIED) without having to take dozens of photos.

All the feelings of that first look! 🙊💖 #idovideobyleo #firstlook #wedding #reveal #bride #groom #weddingvideo #blissfullyboehmer

51 Likes, 4 Comments - I Do Video by Leo (@idovideobyleo) on Instagram: "All the feelings of that first look! 🙊💖 #idovideobyleo #firstlook #wedding #reveal #bride #groom..."

First Look Wedding Video Coverage

Either way, whether you do a first look or not, your wedding videographer will be there to capture the groom’s first sight of his lovely bride-to-be! Have additional questions? Feel free to inquire about video coverage or get a quote for your wedding video!

Award Winning Wedding Videographer

As the owner of I Do Video, I take my brand seriously. The work that I do has a lasting impact on those that receive it which makes the feedback from those that I have worked very important. That is why the acknowledgments received by WeddingWire and The Knot always are so special to me. These awards start with customer satisfaction and represent the effort that we put in annually to make sure they are achieved.

WeddingWire Couples Choice Award

The WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards® recognize local wedding professionals who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness, and professionalism. Winners are determined by the reviews from more than one million WeddingWire couples.

Since it’s inception, I Do Video has been recognized annually by WeddingWire to be in the top 5% of wedding videographers in Chicago. Year after year, we have proven to provide quality services that our customers recognize.

The Knot Best Of Award

he Knot Best of Weddings is an annual award that recognizes the top wedding vendors across the country. This prestigious honor distinguishes vendors who are trusted, dependable, and fun to work with. They have dazzled and delighted their couples, and it definitely shows.

For back-to-back years, I Do Video has received this award and is proud to be apart the best Chicago wedding videographers out there. I regret not submitting my profile previously to have be considered in previous years but will always stride to achieve this annually moving forward.

Award-Winning Wedding Videos

We will always continue to push boundaries, with innovative equipment, creative thinking and most importantly the opportunities to capture such a special day. We thank you for the feedback that has given us the opportunity to continue to capture more wedding to come!

Benefits of Raw Footage from Wedding Video

If you’ve been to a wedding, you know that a lot is going on! From the bride and groom to the decorations, so much is happening! That is why people choose to add a wedding videographer in order to capture this! Our wedding videographers in Chicago do this to perfection! But all wedding videos have their limit, which is why we always suggest to take advantage of the raw footage we offer.

Raw footage from your wedding video are basically the uncut, unedited video clips that are captured throughout the day. So even though your uncle breaking it down on the dance floor may not always make your wedding video, all those infamous moments is included within the raw footage. These hours of footage can be enjoyed for years to come!

So when you are ready to book a wedding videographer, make sure to ask about raw footage!

Wedding Video Expectations

When you hire a wedding videographer, it is because you want to capture that special day in all it’s beauty and that is exactly what our videography team will do! Except we take it even further by producing you wedding videos that you can re-live forever!

Wedding Video Coverage

During your wedding video coverage, our team will capture your day, without being apart of it. We are sure to keep our distance during the intimate moments but still blend into the background wso we can capture that memory for you to re-live.

What Will Your Wedding Video Look Like?

Since your wedding day will last longer than the video, our team is sure to still capture all those important moments but highlight them so you can re-live them in just a few minutes. So on your wedding video, you can expect to see a little of everything, without all the fluff in-between. But don’t worry! We also make the raw footage available to you so you can se every second of footage captured!

Highlight vs Full Wedding Video

In order to provide the best viewing experience, we are sure to offer your wedding videos at multiple lengths. The highlight video is for you to watch, share and enjoy in just a few minutes. While the full video is a more of an experience. Listening to the vows, watching the first dances and laughing at the speeches are all sure to be included in this version.

About I Do Video

Since 2014, I Do Video has being creating memorable wedding videos in Chicago. We have earned multiple awards from WeddingWire and The Knot and are proud to be apart of all the weddings we have covered. So when it’s time to choose your wedding videographer, be sure to see what we can offer!

How Much Does a Wedding Videographer Cost in Chicago?

That may be the first questions for some couples planning their wedding and the answer to that questions will generally determine the decision they make. The truth is, just like any service, prices can vary. It is very likely that with a Google search you can find wedding videography pricing from $500 up to $5000! So how do you know what to choose?!?

What Determines the Price of Your Wedding Video?

• Experience: Shooters who have been doing this for years generally come at a higher price but also provide peace of mind that your videographer will be well-prepared for your wedding.

• Equipment: Cameras, lighting, audio equipment costs money and the value of that equipment can range from $1000-$10,000+ including multiple cameras, professional lenses, drones and more.

• Availability: Some videographers like to cover weddings weekly, others monthly. The less availability will drive costs up but also assure that your videographer will have plenty of time allotted to your project.

• Hours of Coverage: This is obvious. Most packages are around 10 hours but if more or less time is needed, price will change.

• Inclusions: Covering your day is only a small portion of your wedding video price. The brunt of the work will come on the editing side. So the amount of final cut versions will play a role on the cost of your wedding video.

At I Do Video, we do our best of offer competitive wedding video prices, while maintaining a quality product. Leo, who offers more of a premium package which exclusive inclusions like teaser videos, social media packages, drone coverage, etc come at a higher price, starting at $2000. However, not all couples need those inclusions and are just looking for a beautiful wedding video. So for those options, Leo has hand-picked a variety of Chicago wedding videographers that he is more than happy to set you up with. Their prices can vary from $1000-$1750 and that will depend on the actual videographer and the amount of coverage needed.

Whether a package with Leo or one of his other shooters fit your needs, it is our goal to offer wedding video pricing that is worth every penny so we are always willing to customize the perfect package to give you everything you want at a price you are happy with.