October 26, 2021
Have you considered a first look for your wedding? If so, here’s my two-cents on why I love first looks to help you decide if it’s a good fit for you on your big day! First look photos are shots captured during a private moment when the bride and groom see each other for the first time on their wedding day. It is a modern tradition that some couples just can’t get behind – and the most important thing to know is that the choice is TOTALLY yours. There is no right or wrong answer on whether or not to have a first look! Whatever you decide on, a first look or traditional walk down the aisle reveal, I’m here to capture the magic of each moment regardless of how it unfolds!
With that said, there are a number of reasons that I love first looks, here’s a few…
A first look allows you to spend more of your wedding day with your soon to be husband/wife. You’ve spent months, if not years, planning this day and I want you to be able to soak in every second of joy. When my couples opt for a first look, it inevitably gives them more time together, since they see each other earlier in the day prior to the ceremony. It also offers them a chance to have some private alone time during one of the most romantic moments of their life. We opted to use that time to wash each other’s feet as a symbol of being humble and willing to serve one another as Jesus did for his disciples.
Which leads me to my next point of, first looks can really help to calm the wedding day jitters. I know I, personally, was so nervous the morning of our wedding and the moment I got to see Joey and hug him, all of those worries just melted away. It really helped the rest of the day to feel so much more relaxed and enjoyable!
Thirdly, first looks allow you to enjoy more time with your guests after your reception! It can feel impossible to make it to every table and thank everyone who came to support you and adding a first look to the timeline can help open up your post-ceremony time to visit with your guests. Plus, it cuts your costs on feeding them during a cocktail hour.
Lastly, as I eluded to above, it opens up your timeline for the day. I’ve found that my brides (and myself) who planned a first look felt so much more relaxed during the day because they already had a majority of their photos captured before they ever stepped foot onto the aisle.
As you can tell by now, I’m sure, I’m a huugeeee fan of first looks! From a wedding day timeline and photographer ease stance, first looks are absolutely the way to go. However, there is no right/wrong answer here, it is purely a personal preference and I will support my brides 1000% either way!
So far, I’ve been exclusively speaking to bride/groom first looks but there are TONS of options for first looks. Here are a few of my favorite “other” first looks:
1. Bride & Dad / Brother / Grandfather
2. Bride & Bridesmaids
3. Bride & Groomsmen
Truly, the options are endless…so, have I made you a first look believer yet?
[…] Claire and Connor had their ceremony and reception at The Barn at Monterey Valley in Allegan, Michigan. The venue has a number of locations for unique shots, and since Claire and Connor opted for a first look, we had plenty of time to capture some dreamy portraits of them prior to the ceremony (shameless plug that I’m a HUGE fan of first looks – if you want to read why I love them so much, you can head to my blog post devoted to first looks here). […]
[…] or pray together before the ceremony without seeing each other. I’m a big fan of first looks (click here to read my recent post about why I love them so much), but if a first look isn’t for you, a first touch could be the perfect […]