When I first meet with my couples, so many of them are not sure about doing a first look. I would never want anyone to feel pressured into going with this option, but I do want to make sure you know all of the advantages of having a first look!

Here are the top five reasons couples decide to do a first look on their wedding day:

1 – EVEN MORE PORTRAITS

You’re investing a lot into your wedding photography. With a first look, you’ll receive dozens if not hundreds more portraits of the two of you, and those are the images you will decorate your first home with!

2 – ENJOY THE SURPRISE FREELY

Most brides don’t realize that when you walk down the aisle and completely SHOCK him with your stunning beauty, he can’t even tell you how amazing you look. He can’t touch you, embrace you or even speak to you. You have to wait until after the ceremony is over for him to react and tell you how amazing you look! And after those initial 30 minutes, the reaction is just not the same as the original first glance!

3 – EXTEND YOUR DAY BY THREE HOURS

Normally, a wedding day would start when you come down the aisle, then the ceremony would end and you would rush through portraits so that you’re not late for the introductions and reception. With a first look, your wedding day is extended by almost 3 hours! Instead of being rushed for you bridal party portraits, you actually get to enjoy them and have fun hanging with your BEST friends on your day. The whole first half of my client’s wedding albums who opt for a first look are filled with images just from before the ceremony.

4 – YOUR ONLY TIME

As crazy as it seems, but first looks actually allow you to be together and alone on your wedding day. It’s your only time during the entire day to cry and laugh and cry some more, and then it puts you in the perfect mood for your romantic portraits. Normally portraits are a little rushed after the family formals, and it can be hard to really get back into that “lovey dovey” mode with family around! When you have just shared your first look, you’re READY to love on each other, and I always capture super sweet images during these moments.

5 – DIMINISHES NERVES

Out of all of my wedding clients who opt for a first look, about half of the grooms are not fans of it at first. However, because they have never experienced their day before, they didn’t know how nervous it can be. So many grooms who were initially not a fan of the first look afterwards admit to being SO much more relaxed and ready for the ceremony!

ALTERNATIVES TO THE FIRST LOOK

Do you want to take advantage of all the benefits associated with a first look, but you really have your heart set on not seeing each other until the ceremony? Introducing, the “not-a-first-look” alternative!

A “first touch” allows you to still have moments together before the ceremony that will be photographed without the surprise of seeing each other. 

This option allows for the two of you to talk or interact however you want to. You can exchange  or read letters to each other, share a prayer with one another, or simply just enhance the excitement of the day for one another.