Updated March 2024
What are you most looking forward to on your wedding day? Surely, it is marrying your soul mate and vowing to spend the rest of your lives creating your adventure, together. But, there is more to it than reciting your vows and kissing your new spouse. Every single detail of your ceremony will work together to form your nuptial experience.
On your big day, one of the most heartfelt moments will be seeing your spouse-to-be for the first time as a bride or groom. They will spend hours getting all dolled up to present the perfect wedding style with their lovely makeup, elegant hair, and flawless attire. Your spouse is excited to create an incredible wedding look and is even more excited to share their beautiful appearance with you.
What is a First Look?
A first look is a modern wedding tradition where the couple has a private moment to see each other before the actual wedding ceremony. Typically, the bride and groom will do a photo shoot with their wedding photographer at this time, catching their initial reactions to seeing one another on their wedding day. This intimate “first look” provides an opportunity for the couple to share an emotional moment alone, free from the watchful eyes of all their guests. It also allows them to capture meaningful portraits together before the chaos of the full wedding day schedule begins. Many couples opt for a first look so they can maximize their time with loved ones at the cocktail hour and reception after the ceremony. Whether the couple chooses to have a first look or not is a personal decision based on their preferences and wedding day timeline.
So Why Have a First Look?
As a seasoned wedding photographer with years of experience, I sometimes advocate for couples to do a “first look” before their ceremony for several reasons. Firstly, I find that a first look allows some of the inevitable wedding day nerves and jitters to dissipate, leaving the couple more relaxed and ready to fully enjoy their special day after that initial private moment together. Secondly, for late fall and winter weddings when daylight hours are limited, having the first look and formal photographs completed beforehand ensures there is still ample light for me to capture beautiful portraits. Lastly, I note that if the couple gets formal photos out of the way pre-ceremony, they can proceed directly to the cocktail hour for mingling with guests after becoming newlyweds, rather than being pulled away for an extended portrait session. Keep in mind it is your preference. I always default to a couple’s wishes on having a first look.
How does a photographer set up a first look?
Let me tell you what I do for my first looks with couples. I take great care in setting up the perfect “first look” moment for couples before their ceremony. First, I scout out a beautiful, intimate location away from the hustle and bustle of guests and wedding party members. This could be a secluded garden nook, a quiet corner of the venue with nice natural light, or any other scenic spot that feels romantic and allows the couple’s connection to take center stage.
Once I’ve found the ideal setting, I work with the couple to choreograph their first look in a way that tells a meaningful story but is natural and not staged. Maybe we’ll plan for the groom to be awaiting the bride’s arrival along a wooded path, or have the two meet for the first time that day atop a grand staircase for a dramatic, cinematic reveal. Perhaps we’ll stage the groom getting his first glimpse of his bride through trees or architecture for added visual interest. The possibilities are endless for creatively capturing those initial emotions and reactions.
No matter the specific concept, my aim is to construct an intimate, intentional first-look setup that highlights the couple’s love and allows authentic moments to unfold organically. With a secluded locale and a loose narrative in place, I’m able to naturally document those beautiful, raw feelings as they see each other as spouses-to-be for the first time on their wedding day.
Inspiration for your first look.
- A Truly Intimate Moment. Your wedding day will be filled with loved ones. They have traveled from near and far to watch you and your true love tie the knot. You will spend your day hosting your wedding celebration and entertaining your guests. It can be extremely difficult to enjoy your nuptials with your partner on a more intimate level with so many festivities taking place. Taking a few moments to spend with only your partner will be a difficult task. But, when you choose to do a pre-ceremony first-look with your partner, you get a moment to enjoy each other’s company. It will be a truly intimate moment for your both, one that will certainly be cherished.
- Enjoy Your First-Look at A Relaxed Pace. When your first-look takes place before your wedding ceremony, you can give yourself as much time as needed to really enjoy the moment. Creating an itinerary will allow you, your partner, and your photographer plenty of time to pencil in a relaxed first-look that moves at a comfortable pace for all of you. After all, if you feel rushed, it will show within your photos. And, it can take away from the special feeling of your first-look. Your wedding day is all about the love you share, and no part of it should be rushed. Allow yourself a chance to relax before your grand debut and soak up the image of your spouse to-be in their flawless wedding attire.
- More Bang for Your Buck. The more photos you are able to capture, the bigger the selection you will have for your wedding album. If you are rushed, your photographer will have very little time to capture as many stunning photos as possible. When you capture photos of your first-look before you start your walk down the aisle, you can ensure that you have plenty of time to capture as many photos as possible. With optimal time, your photographer can explore many different angles and light sources to produce incredibly unique photos of your special moment. No photos will be the same, and you will have a wider variety of images. Basically, you will get more bang for your buck.
- The Best View in The House. Could you imagine how excited you will be to see your spouse make their grand entrance? If you don’t do a first-look before your wedding ceremony, you will have to get your first view of your spouse and their wedding look as they make their way down the aisle. Think of all the different ways in which your view could be blocked. Whether your guests are in your view, or your partner is busy smiling at your guests, you could miss out on seeing them entirely. Not only will you miss out, but your partner will miss the heartfelt reaction you will have as you see them for the first time. You don’t have to miss out on these crucial details when you make time for your first-look before your wedding ceremony.
- Ease Pre-Wedding Jitters. It’s completely normal to have pre-wedding jitters. Having a cocktail with your bridesmaids or groomsmen before your grand entrance is a wonderful way to ease them. But, there is a better way to calm your nerves, and that is by spending a little time with your partner. All of your doubts and nerves will melt away as you see that face and the love that fills those eyes as you and your partner experience your first-look together before your wedding ceremony. The smiles, gasps, happy tears, and embraces will be more than enough to remind you just how wonderful you both are together. You can proceed with the rest of your wedding day knowing that your partner is just as in love with you, as you are with them.
