“Should we do a first look?” “Will it make the walk down the aisle less special?” “Should we just do what’s traditional instead?”

These are some of the questions that I hear regularly from my couples when we are talking about the timeline of their wedding day. I highly encourage every couple to consider doing a first look before their ceremony! In my experience, choosing to do a first look almost always creates a more enjoyable, relaxed day for my couples. Let me break down a few reasons why:

More couples portraits

This is one of the most common reasons that couples choose to do a first look on their wedding days! Couples who choose to invest in luxury wedding photography do so because they want to walk away from their wedding day with a full collection of images that they can pass down for generations to come. The best way to ensure a full collection is to leave as much time for couples portraits as possible! Doing a first look ensures that you will get plenty of photos of just the two of you both before and after the ceremony, rather than trying to squeeze them in during the later part of your day!

Just the two of you

Lots of couples choose to do a first look simply for the sake of privacy! Instead of seeing each other for the first time during your ceremony with all of your wedding guests watching, you will be able to take your first look as slow as you want and create an incredibly special moment between the two of you. It’s no secret that all eyes are on the couple for almost the entire wedding day, so having a moment for the two of you to connect without anyone watching sets a great tone for the rest of the day.

Less pre-ceremony nerves

Let’s be honest- wedding days can be nerve-wracking! When I ask my brides how they’re feeling as they get ready for their big day, I often hear something along the lines of, “I’m a little nervous, but once I see him it will all be fine.” While the anticipation can certainly be exciting, there is also something to be said for the calming presence that only your future spouse can bring to you. I find that couples who choose to do a first look are able to get the nerves out of the way earlier in the day, which allows them to enter their ceremony with confidence and excitement.

Photos that capture your interaction

In a “traditional” wedding gallery, you’ll notice that there is always a picture of the bride walking down the aisle and then a photo of the groom’s reaction to seeing her as he stands at the other end of the aisle. Something I love about first looks is that instead of having these two seperate images where you can see that there is quite a lot of physical distance between the bride and groom, you get one photo with both of you seeing each other for the first time! Both options are special in their own way, but I love how interactive and emotional the first look photos are when the couple can hug, kiss, and talk to one another!

More time at your reception

Trust me when I say that by the time your ceremony is over, you will be ready to unwind and spend time with your wedding guests! You likely won’t want to spend a large portion of your reception taking couples portraits that you could have taken earlier in the day. By doing a first look, you are choosing to get to spend your entire reception (minus a few minutes that I may steal you away for sunset portraits 😉 ) with your friends and family!

If you are still on the fence after hearing the reasons that I think you would benefit from a first look, I recommend asking other married couples who have done a first look what their thoughts are. I would be willing to bet that not a single one of them will say they regret doing one!

Ultimately, deciding whether or not to do a first look is completely up to you because it’s your wedding day! However, I do hope that these tips have given you a few points to consider as you make the decision!