How To Actually Spend Time With Your Partner On Your Wedding Day
Unfortunately, it is super common that you don't actually get to spend a lot of one-on-one time with your partner on your wedding day. It makes sense in theory - there is so much happening all day long, your photo/video team is pulling you for portraits, not to mention all your loved ones who want to wish you a personal congratulations. BUT your wedding day is about you, after all, and scheduling time together ahead of time is the best way to actually have those private moments of connection. Here are a few suggestions to get in that special time.
1) Get Ready Together
While it's non-traditional, if you're not into traditions, getting ready together is one of the best ways to share some intimate moments before the chaos of the day. You get to wake up together, have breakfast together, and have your person by your side to ease the nerves. If you have a wedding party, you can choose to get ready with all of them present, or have your VIPs help you get dressed and let the rest know where to meet you later on. This puts a lot less pressure on everyone.
2) First Look / First Touch
If you don't know by now, a first look is essentially a planned time for you and your partner to see each other for the first time on your wedding day. (If you're getting ready together, this is still possible by separating to get dressed so you still get to reveal your outfits to each other!) First looks are common these days for a lot of reasons, the first being that you get a dedicated moment with your partner to take a deep breath and look ahead at what's to come. There are no rules - you're allowed to hug, kiss, talk, whatever it is you feel! You're also looking your freshest, and a first look will allow your timeline to breathe. We can knock out couple portraits, wedding party portraits, and immediate family photos ahead of the ceremony so you can enjoy your cocktail hour! Everyone I've talked to says that a first look absolutely does not take away from that magical eyes-meeting-from-down-the-aisle moment. (Pro tip: If you're wearing a veil or another special accessory, consider leaving it behind for the first look and wearing it for your ceremony so your partner has something new to admire!)
3) Retreat
Schedule 5-10 minutes after your ceremony for you and your partner to be alone. This could (and should, in my opinion) include hydration and snacks! Allow yourselves this time to laugh at any hiccups, reflect on the vows spoken during the ceremony, and prepare to party. It typically takes a few minutes to get your guests to cocktail hour and wrangle all the extended family for photos anyway, so you're really not losing any time!
4) Private First or Last Dance
Consider having a private dance during the reception. This can look like a private first dance, where you get to see the reception room untouched and dance with each other before the guests enter, or a private last dance, where the guests are called to clear the room (often getting ready for a special send-off) and you're able to dance with each other alone before saying goodnight to everybody. A first dance can also provide an intimate moment, but oftentimes couples don't love the idea at having that intimate moment while their guests look on.
5) Welcome Party or Morning Brunch
Celebrate all weekend long! If you're planning on having a welcome party, rehearsal dinner, morning-after-wedding brunch, or the like, this is a perfect time to catch up with your loved ones so they aren't hunting you down during the wedding. Allowing more time for conversation and congratulations during the weekend means you don't necessarily have to spend extra time visiting tables during your reception, leaving you more time to focus on each other.
