PROS and CONS of The First Look

In this weeks blog, I want to talk to you about the First Look. Now, I personally LOVE First Looks. It is a chance for you and your fiance to have a private moment to yourself before the major events of the day start to get underway. When photographing First Looks, I keep my distance and let the two of you get caught up in the moment. I simply just capture the raw, candid moments and pure love between the two of you. Almost 100% of the time, someone is in tears of happiness, and I capture the best smiles of the day.

Here is a list of some Pro's and Con's of the First Look to help you decide if your timing will allow it, or if you want to build it into your day.

First Look Pros:

The main purpose of the First Look is practicality of timing.

You get to take more time with the Bride and Groom portraits and wedding portraits and you don’t feel as rushed.

Without a First Look, sometimes after the ceremony family can get lost and the portrait time during cocktail hour can feel overwhelming for some.

With a First Look, After the ceremony the timeline can go much smoother and you get to spend more time at cocktail hour.

It can be a great opportunity to have that quiet time together and even ease nerves before the ceremony.

First Look Cons:

If you’re more traditional, sometimes there is nothing like seeing your partner for the first time walking down the aisle!

First looks can build up emotion. Some grooms are very private with their emotions, which can sometimes disappoint a bride if she expected a big reaction the first time he sees her at a First Look.

Lighting wise on a sunny day, first looks don’t always have the best lighting situations for portraits afterwards because the sun is higher up and more harsh.

A great option you could do if you want a First Look but also want portraits with the golden hour light is if you have the ability to extend your cocktail hour, you could use part of that time for more portraits with better light.

The great news is you can always change your mind, even on the day of the wedding!

A skilled photographer will be able to adapt and help you make whatever your choice is happen no matter what.

I hope you enjoyed those tips! If you have anymore questions about First Looks or if your timeline is a good fit for it, feel free to shoot me an email!

Look out for Next Weeks blog!

Christina