I will always and forever be a super fan of first looks. As your big day approaches, you’re probably wondering whether you want first-look wedding photos—or whether you want to wait until you walk down the aisle for your big reveal.
Here are my top 5 reasons why you should do a first look on your wedding day.
1. It calms the nerves. If you’re the type of person who gets nervous in front of crowds, or doesn’t like to be the center of attention, then this is a great option for you. Time and time again I see the stress fly away just after the bride and groom see each other for the first time. It’s almost like a weight is lifted off their shoulders and the rest of their wedding day is a breeze.
2. More opportunities for photos.
This one is probably our favorite because, let’s face it, we want you to have more opportunities for great pictures. You spent all year long at work on Pinterest, pinning those nice, bright, naturally lit wedding pictures. But you have a 5 p.m. ceremony time and the sun is setting at 6:30 p.m. sharp, which means you still have about 15 minutes of available light before things start getting too dark for natural light. It sounds like enough time but what happens if the ceremony doesn’t actually start until 5:30 p.m. (which is pretty common). That leaves you with 30 minutes for the ceremony and 30 minutes for family portraits, bridal party portraits and bride/groom portraits – Talk about a rush!
3. Be present on your wedding day.
“Your wedding day will go by so fast!” This isn’t an overstatement. There is so much activity and things to accomplish on your wedding day that sometimes taking it all in just isn’t possible. Even more reason to have a photographer capturing those unseen moments right before you. A first look gives you the flexibility to get all your portraits totally out of the way so you can be present with the people you love the most.
4. Worried about crying?
If you do cry, you’ll be able to fix your makeup before the ceremony!
5. A first look could ease any pre-ceremony nerves.
I’ve met a few couples who know they’re going to be a ball of nerves and thus would prefer to see their spouse-to-be before it’s time to focus on details like vows and rings and not tripping over their own two feet. If you reserve a separate moment for the excitement and joy of just being together for the first time on your wedding day, then the actual ceremony might be a little less stressful and a lot more memorable.
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