I know what you’re thinking, “What the heck is a first look?” It’s simple: a first look is when a couple plans to see each other before the ceremony and do the majority of their pictures earlier in the day. It’s the first time they’re going to see each other all done up in their wedding attire, looking fancy as fuck, ready to throw tradition to the wind for the sake of…well, a better wedding day experience, in my opinion.

It’s no secret that I’m a BIG fan of first looks, and it’s not just because the pictures are beautiful, intimate, and often emotional. Here are my top 10 reasons that you absolutely need to do a first look on your wedding day (number 10 just might be the most important):

1) You get to have two WOW moments.

Remember when I said that first looks are intimate and emotional? It’s such a perfect time for you and your partner to connect without everyone’s eyes on you. You get to have a moment that says, “Hey, look how hot we look!” and then later on, at your ceremony, you still get to have your, “Holy shit, we’re about to get married!” moment. I can say from experience (not just as a photographer – I did a first look on my own wedding day) that having a first look does not take away from the importance of that “walking down the aisle” moment. You just kinda get to have it twice.

2) Banish your wedding day jitters!

Your partner is your person, am I right? The one who can calm you down? The one you feel most comfortable around? When you have a first look, you get to be with your person longer, and you get to help each other shake off those nerves before the ceremony. I’ve seen so many couples instantly relax after being able to see each other.

3) Your hair and makeup will be on point in your pictures.

I’ve shot enough outdoor weddings in 90+ degree heat to know that waiting to do your pictures until after the ceremony can be…less than ideal. A first look happens earlier in the day, so your hair and makeup are their absolute freshest for your photos. Who doesn’t want that?

4) You get more pictures.

That’s right! You will likely end up with more pictures of you and your partner. Why? Well, cramming all of your pictures into a cocktail hour typically only leaves 15-20 minutes for couple photos (you’re splitting that one hour with family photos and wedding party photos, remember), so doing a first look allows you to take more time earlier to fit in all the shots you want.

5) You can have photos at a location other than your venue.

Are you getting married at a winery but have always dreamed of wedding photos in a forest? Maybe you’re planning things in the city, but want to add some nature-vibes to your photos. A first look allows you to take a bit of extra time to drive to a different location and take advantage of different backgrounds. Variety is the spice of life, right?

6) You can avoid the rain.

Rain is the #1 worry of most of the couples I talk to. It’s not something you can control, but it’s definitely something you can plan for. Having your photos scheduled for earlier in the day means that if rain were to strike in the afternoon, you have room in your timeline later on to do photos, or if rain were to sneak up later in the day, you can happily sip your cocktail knowing all your photos are completed.

7) Have the best light for your photos – especially in the winter.

Winter weddings almost make first looks a must. With sunset before 5pm, you need to be outdoors doing your photos much earlier if you want natural light and that dreamy golden-hour look that everyone wants. Even if you’re having a summer wedding and the sunset times are later in the evening, utilizing that afternoon sun can still have benefits (especially if you end up with a darker, cloudy day).

8) Reduce that wedding day stress!

So we’ve already talked about how seeing your partner earlier in the day can help you chill out, but it’s also worth talking about the other ways it can help reduce that wedding day stress. When doing a first look, most couples still opt to have family photos done directly after the ceremony. If you’ve ever been a part of family photos on a wedding day you know that they can be…mildly chaotic at the best of times. Logistically the more people you have involved in photos, the more stressful it is. Maybe Uncle Bob suddenly wandered off the bathroom, or Grandma left because she didn’t realize she was supposed to be in these photos, or…you get the picture. If you try to squeeze all of your photos into your cocktail hour, all of these normal family photo quirks will ramp up that stress level (because you know Uncle Bob’s pee break is eating into the photo time for you and your partner). If your photos are done beforehand, it’s a lot easier to laugh off the craziness of family photo time and just enjoy the ride.

9) Pay less for your wedding photos.

Wait, what!? Yup, it’s true. If your photographer charges by the hour, you can really condense your photo timeline if you do a first look compared to a traditional timeline where the ceremony happens between noon and 2pm. Moving your ceremony into the late afternoon and your photos a bit earlier really keeps the day from having too much down time and paying for photography coverage that you just don’t need.

10) You get to spend cocktail hour with your guests.

I think this is the most important reason to do a first look. Your wedding day is going to fly by. You’re barely going to remember half of it. I want you to be able to experience as much of that day as possible and to me that means being at your wedding, not off doing pictures while your party happens without you. The most common feedback I hear from couples after their wedding if they didn’t do a first look is that they felt like they barely had any time to chat with their guests. Doing your pictures earlier in the day means that you have so much more time to spend with your friends and family (and cocktail hour is the best time for your photographer to get all those beautiful, candid shots that I know you’re after). What could be better than that?

So, have I convinced you? I hope so!

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