Of all the moments on your wedding day, the first look is arguably one of the most important. A first look is a private moment where the bride and groom see each other for the first time before the ceremony. Some couples choose to forgo this moment, opting to keep with tradition and wait until the bride walks down the aisle. However, not having a first look can actually hurt your timeline management and your image quality, and here’s why:
A first look can first of all help calm any pre-wedding nerves. On your wedding day, it’s normal to feel anxious, but seeing your spouse before the ceremony can help you relax and center yourself. This will let me capture all that nervous energy leaving your body when you see each other and you’ll be much more relaxed in your formal portraits.
Secondly, a first look can help us better manage your wedding day timeline. Without a first look, you’ll need to take all of your portraits after the ceremony, which can cause delays and make you feel rushed. By having a first look, you can not only take your couple portraits but arrange to take the family ones as well. Letting us get to the reception faster!
If your ceremony is set for after sunset, another advantage of a first look is that it lets us take advantage of the sunlight. As the sun sets, the light rapidly shifts, making it challenging to take stunning, well-lit pictures in dim lighting.
By having a first look earlier in the day, you can take advantage of the natural light and we have a little bit more control in trying to get you the best light!
Additionally, by taking pictures during the day, we can get a range of images with different backgrounds, landscapes, and lighting conditions that may not be possible in the dark.
Finally, a first glance enables more imaginative and private photographs. There are restrictions on where your photographer can be and how they can capture the moment when you see each other for the first time during the ceremony. With a first look, I can have more flexibility to get creative and capture intimate moments between the two of you.
So for my final plea, it’s crucial to take into account the advantages of the first look. A first look can ease your anxiety, help us better plan your schedule, and enable more artistic and personal images in the very best light.
This will be the only couple of minutes you have by yourselves before being constantly surrounded for the rest of the day and putting time aside for that is worth it!
