If you have been researching wedding day timelines, speaking to wedding photographers, or just hanging out in the wedding photography world, you may have heard the term “First Look”.  And then again, you may not have.  (Don’t worry if you are in this boat, you’re not alone.  Many of my clients don’t know what a first look is until I ask!)  I absolutely LOVE first looks.  And I educate all of my clients on how first looks work and benefits so they can make an informed decision.  And now, I am educating you on why I love first looks so much!  So, let’s jump right into it.

What is a First Look?

A first look is a special time on a wedding day, before the ceremony, when the bride and groom see each other for the first time.  There are many ways to do this (and if you do a google search you are sure to find all manner of cute ideas involving balloons, blindfolds, and even siblings).  But, my favorite way to do a first look is to mimic walking down the aisle.

I will have the groom face the other direction as the bride comes out of hiding.  She will then start walking to him and gently call out his name when she is ready indicating it is time for him to turn around and see her.  They will take as much time as they want together while my second photographer and I hang back and capture the moment from a distance.  Then when they give us the signal, while they are still oogling at each other, we will transition right into their portrait session.

(For my LGBT and/or non-traditional couples (walking down the aisle together perhaps?), you have the option of rock-paper-scissors in the pre-wedding meeting to determine who gets to do the walking.)

After a First Look, you will take your bridal portraits, bridal party photographs, and possibly your family photos.  After the photos are done, I always give my couples 20 – 30 minutes to hang out with their bridal parties and allow the anticipation to rise before walking down the aisle.

So, that is a first look, now let’s get into some of the top benefits of doing a first look.

You Get Quality Alone Time

If you have never been married, you may not realize that you get to spend very little time with your spouse along on the wedding day.  Sure, you have the moments during dinner in-between talking to guests that come up to your table and stuffing your face (because you didn’t eat all day).  But the truth is, you don’t spend a lot of time alone together until you jump in the “just married” car at the end of the night.  During the First Look, your photographer will hang back and allow you to enjoy some quality time together before the day rushes on and turns into a blur of greeting guests and jumping from cake cutting to garter toss.

You Don’t Have To Worry About Distractions or Interruptions

Yeah, you asked everyone to turn off their cell phones and cameras for your ceremony.  But Uncle Bob has a iPad, not a cell phone or camera.  And he wants to get that shot of the bride walking down the aisle and totally gets in the way of you seeing each other for the first time.  (Luckily this hasn’t happened at any of my weddings, but it does happen.  Google it.)  With your First Look, no one else will be there.  So, you don’t have to worry about anyone jumping in front of your special moment.

 

You Feel Comfortable Showing Emotions

One of the biggest concerns couples have with a First Look is the reaction.  They think taking away the aisle will lessen the emotion.  I have found that first looks actually increase the emotions!  Think about it, during the ceremony there are 50 – 250 people watching.  During a First Look, it is just the two of you.  You will feel more comfortable showing your true emotions to each other in this intimate setting.

More Time For Stress-Free Pictures

Trying to cram family photos, bridal party photos, and your bridal photos all in a one-hour cocktail hour can be a little stressful.  Plus, there is a good chance that people will be hanging around trying to watch your photos be taken.  This can be a distraction during larger grouping that result in people looking if different directions.  For your bridal portraits, you may not feel comfortable holding a long kiss if you know your mom is watching.

With a first look you can have most or all of the pictures done before the ceremony.  You have more time to take the pictures (which means less stressing and more beautiful images) and more control over who is around.  I set my couples up to do the First Look and Bridal Portraits back to back, so it is just the photographer and couple.  Then we do the bridal party photos.  Then we will do the family photos either before or just after the ceremony.  That way, there are never too many people distracting from the photos.

You Can Touch Each Other!

Ok, this one may seem a little silly.  But picture this.  You see the love of your life for the first time on your wedding day.  And you get to stare at each other until you are asked to hold hands.  And then you have to wait 20 – 30 minutes to share one kiss!  If you have a First Look, you can gush over each other as much as you want.  You can embrace, kiss, snuggle.  You can do a little twirl to show off your entire outfit, not just the front.  And then embrace again and tell each other how amazing you look.

 

You Get The Nerves Out

Yes, getting ready to walk down the aisle is always going to make you nervous.  But, so will seeing each other for the first time.  The difference a First Look makes is that you will get some of those butterflies out before hand.  You will feel more confident and excited for the ceremony rather than nervous.

Be sure to check in next Tuesday morning for another post of 5 Times a First Look is the Right Choice!

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