01/20/2022
i always get asked by brides some variation of why should i do a first look, what’s the point, what will you get out of it, etc! and boyyy do i have some answers for you!
why even bother with a first look?
first looks are a fantastic opportunity to have a private, intimate moment with just the two of you before you are constantly surrounded by friends and family wanting a chance to congratulate and hug you (which there is nothing wrong with!) they give you space in your timeline for other activities that are important to you.
what should i do during a first look?
besides the initial turning around and capturing the grooms reaction, nothing is set in stone! this is completely up to you! if you don’t want to do anything but see each other, have a few moments, and then move on to the wedding then that’s great! some other options are to read private vows, give each other little gifts, or read each other letters that you wrote beforehand. all of these make for beautiful, intimate moments for you to look back on!
how does a first look help my timeline?
first looks are an awesome opportunity to get some of the more formal portraits out of the way. you can do bride + groom portraits, bridal party portraits, and even family portraits during this time before the ceremony. this leaves you with more time later to enjoy cocktail hour with your guests, less time taking pictures after the ceremony, and more time to take sunset portraits. i shot a wedding last month where we took alllll of their portraits before the ceremony with time to spare!! it was awesome and they had so much more time to spend enjoying their wedding and their loved ones.
it’s YOUR day to make it memorable for you. you should always choose to do things that are worth it for you and will make your day as laid back, stress free, and fun as possible! once you book your wedding with me, i send you an exclusive wedding planning guide with allllll the tips and tricks i’ve learned from photographing weddings. my past/current brides has told me how helpful it is to have a guide that is so jam packed with useful info that they could actually use when planning their wedding.