Here is the question…Are you having a first look or keeping it traditional? This question is in my questionnaire if you have decided to book with me. This reminds me if you need a wedding photographer click here to contact me. (shameless plug haha)

This blog is not to convince you or change your current plans to have a first look. It just covers my personal experience and why I like the idea of first looks. 

Timing. 

If you have talked with your photographer they will let you know how most first looks pan out. It is a major when it comes to timing and can make for some amazingly intimate images.

Calm your nerves.

So you know the stress of a wedding day? Not yet? You will. To help ease some of these nerves a first look might be just the trick. Standing there with your partner while waiting to move on your ceremony give you a moment to just reset. 

It is more intimate

A first look is an amazing intimate moment, it is time with JUST the bride and groom. You might need the bridesmaid there just to help with the dress. You can focus on each other close up you don’t have to wait to walk down the aisle to see your partner’s face. Now if you have great vision and none of your guest’s flash on their phones is going off then that might not matter, but you will still be in front of your entire family which might sway your emotions for us more masculine types. 

Guarantee NO missed Moments

I know what you think thinking missed moments better not I am paying a pro photographer. Things can happen that are out of our control. If the best man is trying to console the groom and his arm might get in the way, someone in the audience might stand up just as your photographer is shooting or have their phones up ready to capture a phone photo. So there are things that can and have happened. 

More images

Hey, everyone likes more, you will get more images because this is a time before everything happens it happens to be my favorite time. The couple has not been asked about a ton of things (when does dinner start) and congratulated by however many people that are there. At that time I personally as a wedding photographer do not like pulling my couples away from their guest unless they want those golden hour photos. 😉

Spend more time with your guest

This brings me to spending time with the guest, as I mentioned before with most of the images out of the way, you get to now spend time with all your guests and for some of my couples, they have people coming from all over the country to see this amazing event. So it is understandable the couple does not want to go out and get images, but this should all be made clear during the consultations.