The most debated question in the wedding industry – should we do a First Look?

Just so we are all on the same page, a First Look at your wedding is where you plan to see your fiancé before your wedding ceremony. The more traditional couples often opt not to do a First Look, and prefer to have a “walk down the aisle” moment.

But…

I have photographed over 200 weddings an I can say without a doubt, that 90% of my couples choose a First Look and they LOVE it!!!

My husband and I also decided to do a First Look during our wedding, and it was my favorite part of our day.

Why?

The biggest part for me, was that, before seeing each other, I was having a stressful day! From about 7:30am to around 4pm (when our First Look occurred) we were in separate places, doing separate activities, and hardly able to find time to talk if we had to make decisions together. We were getting married, but over half the day, we were separate and let me be the first to tell you, that is not entirely fun. PLUS counting down the hours until you see each other can feel so slow, especially if you are choosing to see each other at the ceremony, which generally does not occur until later in the day.

As the hours mounted, I started getting more nervous than excited! So when it came time for the First Look to occur, I was soooooo ready to see him. Cory (my husband) has a way of calming me down and making me laugh. So when he turned around and saw me for the first time, all of my nervousness and stress went whoosh! It simply left me, because now we were finally together! I felt stronger and more at ease, and was even less nervous to walk down the aisle, now that we were together! BEST DECISION EVER!

The biggest question after I tell this story however, is “do you feel like a First Look takes away from your walk down the aisle?” And I wholeheartedly would say no. I was so occupied trying not to trip over my dress, walk slow (and not canter down the aisle) and remember to smile at everyone, that I felt like adding the stress of not seeing each other, would have been too much! I would have missed it, because I would have been too stressed out just trying not to cry! But this way, I was having fun, truly enjoying our ceremony, and felt confident and at ease during the entire process.

AND as an added bonus, choosing to do a First Look with me for your wedding, will result in about 40% more wedding portraits in your gallery!

Since your First Look is completely private, we aren’t disturbed by other people calling your name, or demanding your attention. It is a time to be quiet, peaceful, and to truly take a few minutes to enjoy the fact that you are getting married! This “alone” time” allows us to really capture you as a genuine couple, and to be creative with our images! If you opt not to do a First Look, all of these portraits have to be done after the ceremony (keeping in mind that we also have to get through all family portraits, wedding party pictures, and squeeze in cocktail hour) and that’s a lot of smiling and standing. Choosing a First Look shortens that timeframe, and makes your entire day more joyful, less stressful, and gives you more pictures to enjoy for many years!

What’s not to love??!!

Still have questions or doubts? No problem! Shoot we an email or reach out via instagram and ask me anything you want! I am happy to help solve any questions you might have.

If you are loving the way a First Look sounds, drop me an email and let’s chat about how exactly you envision the way you want your wedding to be!