To first look or not to first look. THAT is the question. 

A “first look” at a wedding is when the bride and groom decide to see one another right before their wedding ceremony, rather than waiting to see them at the altar. A lot of couples are unsure if they’d like to have a first look. Of course, the decision is a personal one that the two of you should make together! I try my best to ensure that my clients are educated on their options and always ask if they have decided NOT to see each other until the ceremony. If you’re one who’s heart is set on waiting till you walk down the aisle, let me give you some background information on the tradition:

The tradition of waiting to see one another until the ceremony originated from arranged marriages. At the weddings, the bride and groom had to wait until the ceremony to see each other because it would be nearly impossible to back out after seeing the other person. Definitely not romantic in my book. Although couples today marry for love, some of them still love the tradition. Only some of the weddings I photograph have couples that decide to wait until their ceremony, but more couples prefer to spend more time together. I personally enjoy having a “first look” and support it for a number of reasons, such as these:

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1. You have the chance to enjoy one another before the chaos begins

Without seeing your fiancé before the ceremony, you could be swept away in the chaos of the day not being able to talk with the most important person to you. Of course, you’ll see each other at the ceremony, but your family and friends will flood your presence and before you know it, it’s all over. If you have a first look BEFORE the ceremony, it gives you time to share a personal connection with your partner�”to be completely alone and enjoy each other’s presence before the hustle begins. This alone time allows you to be more open than you would be on the altar, more personable and romantic. Being a photographer allows me to capture these special moments, the expression and emotion between you and your partner. On top of that, I can take portraits of you two while we explore the venue. Here are some of my best emotional “first looks.”:

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2. You’re comforted before the ceremony. 

I’ve seen what feels like a million couples on their special day, and almost ALL of them have had anxiety as they’ve gotten ready. All of the hard work and preparation leads you to the most important day. Couples who have a first look certainly have anxiety like the others, but when they see their soulmate�”hug them and talk with them�”all of the anxiety disappears in that moment. From then on, they can be themselves, be relaxed and ready to take on the most wonderful day. I’ve seen this happen with my own eyes, and hope that all of my couples get to enjoy this freedom.

3. Your portraits will be easier and as relaxed as possible.  

Having your first look will give you the opportunity to get your formal pictures out of the way before the hustle and bustle of the ceremony. That would mean that after the ceremony, you have the freedom to be with your guests and celebrate at cocktail hour and the reception! Here are two options:

Portrait schedule if you see each other before your ceremony: 

2.5 hours before ceremony: First look and Bride & Groom portraits alone together 
1.5 hours before ceremony: Portraits with bridal party 
1 hour before ceremony: Portraits with families 
1/2 hour before ceremony: Completely done with portraits as your guests begin to arrive — giving you time to go inside & freshen up. 

Portrait schedule if you don’t see each other before your ceremony: 

1.5 hours before ceremony: Portraits of Bride with bridesmaids 
1 hour before ceremony: Portraits of Groom with groomsmen 
1/2 hour before ceremony: Temporarily done with portraits as your guests begin to arrive — giving you time to go inside & freshen up. 
Immediately after ceremony: Portraits of Bride & Groom alone 
30 min. after ceremony: Portraits with families 
1 hour after ceremony: Portraits of bridal party 
1.5 hours after ceremony: Completely done with portraits 

If you look above, you see that portraits before the ceremony can be taken in 2 hours versus the 2.5 hours if you take them after the ceremony. On top of the time being extended, the stress is much more when the portraits are after the ceremony. Gathering the wedding party before the ceremony is much easier than it is after the ceremony when additional guests are wandering around. After your ceremony, your guests want to congratulate, love you, and make a bee line to the bar. All of these distractions make it harder to gather family for pictures and create a lot more chaos. Tons of time is lost trying to get all of your wedding party together along with family and friends, and the photographer has trouble keeping everyone’s attention. This is all chaotic and stressful, so notice the first look timeline and the amount of time the couple actually get to enjoy cocktail hour WITH their guests.

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4. You can plan your wedding near sunset.  

Many couples want a sunset wedding, but natural light is NECESSARY to take the best quality photos. If you take all of your photos before the ceremony, you have the ability to plan the wedding closer to sunset time without losing quality of photos. If you want to wait traditionally, you’ll need to plan the wedding with at least 2 hours of daylight post-ceremony for your pictures.

All of the reasons above explain how the decision of having a “first look,” can affect the quality of your photos along with the quality of your wedding day and the emotions you feel. When discussing the options with my couples, it’s always my top priority to make sure all of their needs are met. If you’re planning your wedding, I hope I’ve given you some great info and helped you in deciding if having a first look is best for you!