Want to know the number one regret I hear most from my couples after their weddings?
Not doing a First Look.
Read on to find out why.
1. Without a First Look, you’ll spend much of the day apart.
Time and time again I hear from couples that they wish they had just seen each other earlier, because as soon as they got together all the nerves and anxiety melted away. Not to mention it’s a day all about celebrating the two of you, so it seems counterintuitive to spend so many hours NOT together!
2. Without a First Look, there will be more pressure “to perform” when seeing your partner walk down the aisle.
I promise when you stand up there, you will feel the weight of all eyes on you, and you will feel the pressure of everyone waiting for your reaction. This can be really unsettling for some people, and more often than not I find it results in looking nervous or even unhappy in photos. In contrast, my couples who opt for a First Look beforehand, appear more relaxed and happy in their photos, and are able to really soak in the moment.
3. Without a First Look, all your photos will need to happen after the Ceremony is over.
This is a big one that not many couples consider until it’s too late. It’s easy to say, “Yeah that will be fine” when you are planning everything, but I can almost guarantee you won’t feel that way on your actual wedding day. By the time you’ve waited all day to see each other, once the Ceremony is over you will desperately want to have a break from photos and be able to go enjoy Cocktail Hour with your friends and family. Unfortunately that won’t be possible without a First Look! All Family Portraits, Wedding Party Portraits, and Couple Portraits will have to happen in a very short window of time, so you’ll be tied up until it’s time for your Reception entrance. So many of my couples tell me afterwards that they wish the formal portraits could have happened before the Ceremony to free them up afterwards. So if you are planning your wedding, take this into consideration!
4. Without a First Look, it is very rare to get a minute to yourselves that is truly just the two of you.
Doing a First Look gives you the perfect excuse for a private moment. Almost all of my couples use this time to read letters to each other, exchange gifts or letters, say a prayer together, or even exchange private vows. It’s a beautiful moment that I promise does not take away from the equally special experience of your Ceremony. And without it, I often hear couples say they regret not having any time to be together, just the two of them.
5. Without a First Look, you’ll have less photos overall in your final gallery.
It really is as simple as that. When we are able to schedule a First Look earlier in the day, we will have more flexibility to take all the formal portraits earlier, which frees up time later for not only more photos, but often more creative photos or even simply photos in a second location, since we won’t be as tight on time. So if having lots of photos together in different poses and multiple spots around your venue is important to you, then you should definitely consider doing a First Look!
I want to be clear and say there is no right way to do it! I can successfully capture your wedding day with or without a First Look. HOWEVER in my experience I have never had a single couple regret doing a First Look; but I have had many couples regret that they DIDN’T do one because of all the drawbacks mentioned above.
SAVE THIS BLOG POST for later if you are planning your wedding! And reach out to keep the conversation going. I’m always here to help answer questions or educate my couples about things just like this, that you may not even know to think of.
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