Should you have a Wedding Day First Look?

This might come as a surprise, but one of the most common questions we get is whether or not you should have a first look!

There are pros and cons to whether or not you choose to have a first look. This blogs aims to give you both perspectives!

What is a first look?

A first look is the first time the couple sees each other on the wedding day before the ceremony. Traditionally, the first look would be down the aisle, but modern day weddings often choose to do this before the ceremony.

The positives of having a first look?

The first look allows the couple to see each other for the first time on their wedding day. While this can still be done down the aisle, setting time for a dedicated first look makes it more private and intimate. It gives you and your partner an emotional moment to connect with each other, and makes for some great pictures.

How long should we allocate for first look?

Usually we leave around 30 minutes for the first look. We normally do some natural light portraits together after!

The negatives of a first look?

A dedicated first look is less traditional than when it is done walking down aisle. You would also have to get ready earlier, which may be a problem if you are tight on photography coverage time and wish to allocate more time to the rest of the wedding. In addition, if you have gaps of time between the ceremony and reception, you will have plenty of time to get natural light portrait shots, and will not necessarily need a first look. Don’t skimp out on the first look simply because of photography coverage though! We always recommend maximizing coverage on your wedding day because in the years to come, these photos will be an everlasting documentation of your special day.

We hope this helps you make decisions on whether or not a first look should be added to your wedding timeline.

It is our job as wedding photographers, to help you plan the most relaxed and stress free timeline, while prioritizing structuring the timeline so that you get the maximum amount of beautiful photos.

Want to see some more photos? Check out the rest of our full wedding day galleries!

Want more wedding guides? Check out the rest of our blogs!