January 2, 2023
Photography
How doing a “first look” can help your wedding day! (a photographer’s perspective)
On the fence about doing a “first look” on your wedding day? As a wedding photographer of eight years, I’ve seen my fair share of timelines and would love to provide insight on how this private moment has been a game changer.
Please keep in mind that this post is not meant to pressure couples into adding a “first look” to their wedding day if that’s not their preference.
Ultimately, you should do what makes sense and feels right to you for your special day!
PROS
More time for portraits
Couples who schedule for pre-wedding photos on average have at least 30 minutes to 60 minutes more of portrait time. Getting it out the way before the rush of the ceremony and celebration often makes a huge difference in the final gallery. You’ll often end up with more photos and poses as a couple and/or with your bridal party.
The first look is also helpful in the event that your wedding timeline is delayed at some point (which happens more than you would think on wedding days). This typically leads to less time to shoot between the ceremony and reception.
Travel is an option
More time for portraits means more time to travel. Unless you’ve left a significant gap in your timeline between the wedding and reception, leaving either location for portraits can be tricky unless your photo location is only a few miles away.
Time Alone
It’s rare that couples are able to have a private moment alone on the wedding day to take it all in. A first look is the perfect time to have a more intimate moment on your special day.
This is also a great opportunity for moments you may not want an audience for like exchanging personal gifts or reading letters to each other. Once again, I have to mention that this gives your photographer so many more time to get one on one photos of you and your person.
Sometimes you need a breather
Taking photos can be exhausting, even if you’re not camera shy. On top of that, some couples get so burnt out from the ceremony, family portraits, group photos and general emotions of the wedding day that they’re totally “over it” by the time it’s their moment to shine.
It’s all totally understandable. A first look could help in a number of ways if you feel like you’ll need to take a breather at some point.
More time to eat, drink and party!
After saying I do, I promise you’re going to be eager to celebrate with your loved ones. If you think you’ll be in a rush to eat, mingle and get on the dance floor, doing a first look is a must for you!
Less issues with Lighting
With the popularity of natural light photography for weddings, being mindful of the time of day major photo moments are happening is very important. Saving all of the photos for after the ceremony can feel like an intense race against the sun depending on the time of year and weather conditions.
If you’re worried about missing out on beautiful sunset photos, schedule the first look and couples shoot earlier in the day then sneak away for 15 minutes during the reception for your final photo moment together. That way you’ll get the best of both worlds!
CONS
No Surprises
It’s not always the case, but saving the first look for the trip down the aisle tends to lead to a great reaction shot. A first look definitely takes away from the element of surprise.
It's Not Traditional
If you’re big on staying true to wedding day traditions, you’ll definitely be going against the grain with a first look.
It's Not a Guaranteed Solution
I’m not going to lie…
Anytime a couple opts for a first look I cry silent tears of joy because I know how much it can add and help on the wedding day. That said, a first look isn’t a solution to all of the problems that can occur on your wedding day and probably shouldn’t be looked at as one.
There’s still a chance the day will run behind, the weather could be less than ideal for photos, and maybe the first look won’t even be as “magical” as you’re imagining it.
No matter which route you take, the best advice I can give is to make sure your photographer is involved in planning the timeline for the day. An experienced photographer should be able to have honest conversations about what’s ideal for photo coverage, while providing valuable insight on how your shot list and desires for your day can be accomplished.
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