Top 5 Reasons You Should Do a First Look On Your Wedding Day

Let me preface this by saying that I am a wedding photographer (obviously). And that this may be a tad biased towards prioritizing photography on your wedding day.

But, I have photographed many weddings in the last five years, and weddings that have a first look tend to go a lot smoother.

 

Now, what the heck is a first look?!

If you’re newly engaged and not a vendor in the wedding community, you probably have no idea what a first look is.

Alright, let me break it down for you.

You and your honey are so excited about your wedding day, right? You spend months and months planning this spectacular day to celebrate your love. But, you don’t even get to see each other until 4 p.m. after your ceremony. Then, all the time after this is spent rushing out to do family photos, group shots with your besties, and dancing the night away in a beautifully decorated venue. WHAT!

So, this is where a first look comes in.
Instead of waiting until you’re walking down the aisle to see each other for the first time, you set up a special moment between the two of you to exchange the first look. It is becoming more popular to schedule your wedding day timeline around a first look.

 

1. Calms your wedding nerves during a first look

This photo session gives you a chance to exchange sweet words with your love. Get out all the jitters before you’re standing in front of your family and friends. It will help you feel relaxed and comfortable for the rest of the photos!

2. Your special feelings don’t go away

Doing a first look is not going to make your walk down the aisle any less special. If anything, it will make it even more memorable because you are not as tense!

 

3. More opportunities for photos!

Scheduling the first look gives you the chance to have all your photos done before the ceremony. We can schedule it properly to fit in family photos and wedding party photos so you can go straight to the party after you’re married!

When you get time to spend with your guests during the cocktail hour and at dinner, you won’t feel as bad leaving for sunset photos in the evening before your photographer leaves!

4. More time to spend with your guests

See above! If you spend the morning getting all the photos out of the way, you get to enjoy the wedding you planned!

5. You get alone time on your wedding day!

Oddly enough, this can be one of the only alone times you’ll have during your wedding day timeline until you leave at the end of the night. You are not entirely alone, especially if you want your photographer and videographer present, but we will leave you alone and focus on capturing the moment.

Most of the day will be filled with family and friends, so this is a great opportunity to enjoy each other.

Bonus Tip: You’ll look your best | Fresh Clothing and Faces!

You will have freshly done hair and makeup first thing. Your attire isn’t dirtied yet. And even if you cry, you’ll have a bit of time to fix it before the ceremony!

If you’re having trouble getting started on a wedding day timeline, check out my blog post here.

Wedding Photography Timeline: Reception and Ceremony @ the Same Venue

Well, that’s about all I’ve got for you today! If you’re interested in seeing more wedding planning tips, follow me on Instagram where I share behind the scenes at real weddings and more!