Should you have a wedding“first look”?

First things first, if you are not stalking wedding blogs (hi, we’re glad you’re here!) and pinning every wedding image you see, you may be asking, “what, exactly, is a wedding first look?” A first look is a moment planned for the bride and groom to see each other before the ceremony. This is one of the most talked about decisions between a couple and we want to help prepare and educate you on the subject. 

The most obvious reason NOT to have a first look is tradition. Don’t get us wrong, we love traditional elements on a wedding day. We think it’s great that you want to wait to see each other until you’re at opposite ends of the aisle, but just in case you are on the fence with this decision, here are a few things to consider about having one. 

1. Alone time. It’s a little odd to think about your wedding day this way, but for most of the day, the two of you will not be alone together. You will not have many special moments to really enjoy one another’s company. You wake up with your best guy and girl friends by your side, head to the ceremony and see each other but in the company of your family and friends and then you are swept away by the schedule of events for the rest of the night. If you have a first look before the ceremony, you are given a private moment to really take it all in. You can have a meaningful moment and really react to each other without one hundred sets of eyes on you. We really love this time because it is one of the rawest moments throughout the day. We like to stand back and give you space to enjoy each other. 

2. Less hiding. This is a funny one, but true! Having a first look ensures that we won’t have to shove either of you into a coat closet to avoid seeing each other. We won’t have to perfectly time elevator trips to get one of you to hide behind a wall while the other gets off the elevator. Your wedding party won’t have to create a human barricade as you run through them avoiding looking in any direction except straight. We have actually done all of these things in an attempt to keep the suspense of that aisle moment. Your wedding day will be one of the fastest days of your life, why spend half of it avoiding each other? If you have a first look, you can spend more precious moments together! 

3. Timing. The timeline of the day can feel exhausting. The last thing we want is to time your every minute from 12:00-10:00. We are here to help ease the pressure of the day, if you allow it! Having a first look helps us get most of your portrait time done before you even think about your signature drink and adorable tiny foods. We can fit wedding party photos, bride and groom portraits and most of your family photos into the day before the ceremony even begins. Another timing concern that is usually not thought about until it’s too late, sunset! IF you are having a colder weather or late wedding, there may not be enough time to get all your photos done before the sun goes down. We are natural light photographers, and while we are capable of shooting photos indoors, with not a lot of light, you hired us for beautiful light and airy portraits and daylight helps with that. 

4. Cocktail Hour! This reason may be the number one reason to have a first look. You spend countless hours narrowing down what adorable, delicious tiny foods will you serve and what catchy signature drinks will you pick to go with them, so why not enjoy it? On top of getting to enjoy some of the best food of the night, you can also spend quality time with your guests, greeting and thanking them. This helps you spend less time going table to table to table during your reception. 

We don’t want you to feel like there is a right or wrong way to plan your wedding day, but we wanted to be sure that we gave you our professional opinion to help you make the best choice for you! We have many jobs on your wedding day and one of them is helping you to really enjoy your wedding day and have plenty of time to take it all in and celebrate.