A wedding photographer’s perspective on the ever-important question: should we do a first look? Discussing the benefits of doing a first look and how it changes your wedding day experience beyond pictures.

First and foremost, the decision to do a first look or not is an incredibly personal choice and not one that should be solely dictated by your wedding photographer!

When I got married in 2018, my husband felt strongly about very few things when it came to the actual day itself. But one of those things was not to have a first look! I was already an established wedding photographer at the time, so I really saw the benefit in having a first look but he was set. I do not recommend starting your marriage by immediately vetoing something your future spouse feels strongly about!! We did not share a first look and got all of the portraits we needed on our wedding day!

So if you or your future spouse is very much so team “no first look” then that should be the end of the discussion, and this post isn’t for you! However, if you are first look curious and could go either way, I invite you to stick around and read this photographer’s perspective on how a first look changes your experience on your wedding day!

And stick around for my hot take at the end!!

1. More Time with Your Partner on Your Wedding Day

It sounds obvious, and in a way it is, but when you wait until the ceremony to actually see your fiance, you’ve already spent so much of the day away from them!

Truth be told: you don’t spend a ton of time with your partner on your wedding day! And when they’re your favorite person, your best friend, and your comfort place, it can be so nice to be close to them through the hustle & bustle (pardon the pun!) of your wedding day!

And a lot of people feel so much more relaxed once they see each other and knock out those pre-ceremony portraits together! The photo & video team are more relaxed too because we’re not having to also manage the bride & groom’s locations to ensure you don’t accidentally see each other before the ceremony!

Some couples also share private vows, exchange gifts or letters during the first look as well! And if you want all of that to be completely private and not photographed/videoed, that’s 100% okay!! After that, we typically take you both for a few portraits together before bringing your wedding party out for their portrait time! Which leads us to our second point!

2. More Portraits Completed Pre-Ceremony

By sharing a first look, we can knock out a ton of portraits beforehand so we don’t have to worry about those during cocktail hour!

We are able to photograph the whole wedding party together, and then photograph both groups separately but simultaneously! Your friends will LOVE you for this!!! This way, they’re not having to wait through family formals to do the whole wedding party before joining cocktail hour! Because trust me, I’m going to prioritize the need to get your grandparents to a comfortable place and done with portraits over the needs of your bridesmaids wanting to chit chat with their friends at cocktail hour!! But with a first look, they can straight there!!

If your immediate family can be at the venue 90 min prior to the ceremony, then we can also do immediate family formals beforehand as well! This time feels infinitely more relaxed than post-ceremony family formals which can sometimes feel more than a little chaotic! By doing immediate family before the ceremony, then we can do extended family formals after ceremony if that’s something that’s a priority to you! Or you could…

3. You Get to Enjoy Cocktail Hour!

What a novel concept!!! So many couples don’t get to join and enjoy the cocktail portion of their wedding day because they’re stuck with me getting all of the pictures we need to get before the sun sets!!

But by splitting up the portrait time between pre & post-ceremony, you can actually go and join your guests at cocktail hour!

OR my personal favorite option…you and your new spouse can share in a private dinner together before making your intros into the reception!

Again, you don’t typically get a ton of time together on the wedding day. But having a first look gives you the luxury of choosing what that cocktail hour looks like for you both.

4. Extra Portrait Time

Again, this feels obvious but bear with me.

My ideal scenario is to have at least two separate times for bride & groom portraits. We can split that up with 15 min done before the ceremony, 10-15 min of newlywed portraits right after the ceremony, and then a quick 5-10 min during golden hour for some sunset portraits!

Each of those have a distinct and vastly different feeling to them.

After the first look, you are looking your absolute best, feeling giddy to be with your best friend and to get this party started!!

Newlywed portraits: you are on cloud-9 because you just got married (!!!!!) and I get to allow you both space away from everyone to breathe and enjoy that feeling together! I am very intentional about the vibe I create during this time, especially if we do family formals before these.

Sunset portraits are much more relaxed because you’ve been introduced, your veil is out, your dress is bustled, you’ve eaten and probably done your special dances already. We have more freedom of movement with these poses and can add more variety from what we’d gotten previously! And then I get a final shot of y’all walking into your reception to party the night away with your favorite people, knowing that I took so many amazing portraits of you two that you get to admire for years to come!

Hot take: a first look will NOT ruin the magic of you walking down the aisle!

Like I said from the beginning, the decision to do a first look is a very personal choice! However if your only basis for that choice is because you don’t want to ruin the magic that is you walking down the aisle to the person you’re going to marry? I beg to differ.

I’ve been a wedding photographer for over 10 years and seen many grooms still tear up when they see their bride even after seeing them in their dress an hour before. Why? It’s not about the dress!

The groom doesn’t tear up because you’re in a beautiful gown? Listen, we love the gown but that’s not the reason! There are so many aspects to “that moment” that make it feel so magical! The anticipation, the music, the guests, his mom watching with tears in her own eyes. And then there you are, arm-in-arm with your dad, and the “OMG this it it!!!” is just so real! And no first look can take away the magic that is THAT moment!

So that’s my perspective for you on the benefits to doing a first look! It’s up to you to decide whether or not it’s what makes sense for your day, but at least you have the whole picture — pun intended!

Planning your own wedding day and looking for a photographer who will help you create an experience that feels like you? I’d love to hear what you’re dreaming up.