Why a First Look Is The Best Thing You Can Add To Your Wedding Day
What is a first look? You may or may not have heard of this somewhat new trend in wedding days, but we’re huge fans of it, to the point where we recommend it whenever possible to all of our couples.
A first look is when you see your partner before the ceremony, before you first walk down the aisle. How we usually lay it out is that we do the first look reveal, then it naturally flows into doing some couple portraits, then add in the parents/siblings and bridal party, and get a big section of photos done quickly and seamlessly.
Now, if that ceremony reveal is an important moment you want on your day, by all means don’t do a first look! But there are so many benefits of doing it that we have to share our reasons we’ve seen play out to great outcomes at every wedding we’ve done them at.
consider first looks for those you love most
Sure, we can easily set up a first look for you and your partner, but we also love to do it with your bridal party, parents, and kids - it’s just an incredible, emotional moment and by setting it up, it guarantees we’ll have it on camera.
frees up so much time
Do you want to make family photos post-ceremony go super fast and smooth? Want to actually attend your cocktail hour, rather than take all of your portraits between the ceremony and reception? Want to let your bridal party free to do as they please after the ceremony?
By doing a first look pre-ceremony, that leaves lots of time to get (nearly) all of your portraits, bridal party photos, and some close family photos before any guests arrive. That checks off most of our lists of photos to do before the day’s even begun, leaving more time for you to enjoy your guests and party.
de-stresses + gets nerves out
Doing all of the photos beforehand can also be SO de-stressing. It means we can be less rushed throughout the day, which can also mean we could do more relaxed portraits later at sunset.
But beyond the logistics, we get a lot of couples who are NERVOUS on their big day - or are scared that they’re going to bawl their eyes out when they see each other in front of everyone at the ceremony. A first look can take a lot of unnecessary jitters, especially for shy couples, out of the actual “getting married” part of the day.
Some couples even read their private vows at the first look, rather than in front of everyone, which can be another way to reduce the stress of being the center of attention.
You might think, “But doesn’t that take away from that emotional walking-down-the-aisle moment?” but at every single wedding we’ve shot where they’ve done a first look, they still get emotional (and sometimes cry!) when walking down the aisle. It turns out, that moment will always be special, whether you’re super anxious about it or not.
allows you to enjoy the rest of the day when everyone is there
If you’re paying for a cocktail hour, why not enjoy it? Think about it - would you rather take portraits when the space is empty, or when every person you love is there waiting for you?
Usually, without a first look, doing all of the family, bridal party, and couple portraits take about 45-60 minutes - with a first look, we can do extended family photos post-ceremony in 10-15 minutes, leaving you more time to mingle with guests, get a drink/snack, whatever you want to do.
And by doing all of your bridal party photos before the ceremony, it unites both sides of the party, which means you can have more fun with ALL of your friends - and it’s always more hyped up.
more intimate
Your wedding day will go by in a FLASH. It’s one of the things we hear most from couples post-wedding day: it was a blur, and all that’s left to show for it is photos (and video!). When we make sure there are specific moments in the day that are private/just the two of you, and make it so you’re not feeling rushed, it feels like a better experience overall. A first look can help with both of those aims, which is why we love it so much.
more portrait opportunities
We much prefer a few shorter opportunities for couple portraits than one long, draining session, both for us and the couple. By heading away from the crowd for a first look, post-ceremony break, and sunset shots 10-15 minutes at a time, it gives you more varied, less tiring portraits for you to look back on for the rest of your life.
everyone is fresher
Your hair and makeup will be just-done, and your friends and family won’t have had any alcohol yet - which makes the process way less stressful and ends with better photos!
So what do you think, will you add a first look to your wedding timeline? We’d highly recommend it!
