Should You Have a First Look at Your Wedding?

As a wedding photographer, my most commonly asked question is whether or not a couple should have a first look. Some couples are indecisive while others are strongly against the idea of having a first look. Most couples that are against a first look worry that it will make coming down the aisle less emotional. I can tell you first hand that this just isn’t true! A first look and walking down the aisle are two completely different moments. Walking down the aisle is a one of a kind moment that truly nothing can compare to.

Here are the top reasons to consider a first look on your wedding day:

More Time Together

Even though your wedding day is about you and your partner, there won’t be a lot of moments you get to share privately with just the two of you. 

Without doing a first look, the first time you see each other will be during your ceremony in front of all of your family and friends. After the ceremony you’ll jump straight into all of the photos you have to take before cocktail hour is over. This includes all of your family photos, your wedding party photos, and your bride and groom portraits. Then it will be time to start the reception. Depending on how you create the timeline to flow, most couples will be announced, have their first dance along with their parent dances followed by toasts and speeches. After these events, it will be time to eat and dance the night away with all of your guests! 

While all of these moments will be spent together, they’ll also be spent alongside all of your guests.

For some, sharing every special moment with all of their guests might sound like the perfect day. For others, it might be important to incorporate moments they can share privately with just their partner. Planning to have a first look is one amazing way to do this.

Calmed Nerves

It’s not uncommon to be full of jitters on your wedding day. After all of the time and planning that has gone into making this day perfect it’s completely normal to be anxious waiting for the rest of the day to come. I think when most couples picture the moment they walk down the aisle, they are picturing just the two of them. But it’s important to remember that all of your family and friends will be watching too! Now, for some this might not be a big deal at all. But, for others the pressure of seeing each other for the first time in front of a crowd of watching eyes might be a little overwhelming. Having a first look allows you to see each other for the first time in a more private moment and help take away some of that pressure.

Avoid Being Overwhelmed in Front of the Camera

One thing I’ve experienced firsthand is how overwhelmed couples can get when they have a lot of photos to take in a short amount of time. After your ceremony will be the time you take the bulk of your photos. Without a first look this will include all of your family photos, all of your bridal party photos, and all of your bride and groom photos. This might not sound overwhelming, but I often see couples get so tired of taking photos by the time we get to portraits of the two of them that they aren’t able to enjoy taking photos together. Your attitude is a huge part of how your photos will turn out and your emotions will show!

By doing a first look, you’ll be able to do a big portion of your photos before the ceremony so you don’t have as many to do after. You can take your bridal party photos as well as some bride and groom photos beforehand so after the ceremony you will only have to take family photos and then you can choose to take more portraits together or join your cocktail hour!

Intimacy

Like mentioned above, a first look is a completely private moment in the midst of a bustling wedding day. Without all your family and friends watching, it’s an opportunity for you both to be truly yourselves. You’re able to express your emotions freely, and soak in each other’s presence without any distractions. This moment is just for you. It creates a sense of intimacy that can be hard to achieve during the ceremony itself. It’s a chance to exchange a few words, maybe a few tears, and a lot of love in a setting that’s entirely your own.

While a first look might not be for everyone, it’s an amazing way to incorporate more private moments together along with distribute the weight of photos throughout the day. If you’re not sure about having a first look, I help walk all of my couples through the pros and cons and create a custom timeline so they are able to best experience their day whether they choose to have a first look or not.

If you’re planning a wedding and looking for more helpful content, check out my blog on why every couple should invest in a wedding album!

Or check out this recent wedding I’ve photographed!