How to Decide if We Should Do a First Look?
Is a first look right for you?
There are so many factors that go into whether or not a couple should do a first look on their wedding day.
To be honest, when I was wedding planning myself, I had no desire to do a first look with my husband. I thought all of the things most people think: It’ll take away from the moment, it’ll make it less special, and it’s bad luck.
To make a very long story short, on my wedding day, it was a virtual monsoon. We ended up doing a first look to try to salvage any light we could for pictures. I thought I would be disappointed, but you know what? Looking back, I couldn’t be more grateful. In a day that is supposed to be all about the two of us, our first look was the only time that I got to relax, breath, and spend time with my husband. We got to hold hands. We looked each other in the eye. We excitedly bantered about how nervous we both were.
And that moment where he saw me walking down the aisle? It was still fantastic. All of the meaning was still there. I was still walking toward the man I love, to promise forever to him. The music was playing, and we were surrounded by all of the people that mean the most to us. Nothing can take away the specialness of that moment. A first look just made it feel like we got that moment twice.
If you are debating a first look, here are some things to consider!
Your Timeline and The Time of Year
There are definitely times that I suggest doing a first look, and there are times where I suggest waiting until the ceremony to see each other.
The most common time I recommend waiting until the ceremony to see each other is for couples that are doing a traditional catholic wedding that begins in the early afternoon. Wedding Vendors lovingly refer to it as weddings with “The Catholic Gap”. This is when the ceremony starts around 1pm, with a reception that doesn’t begin until the evening. This gap leaves us with plenty of time to take pictures and make sure you and your wedding party don’t feel rushed!
One instance that I really encourage a first look is when weddings are held in late fall through early spring. In the months when the sun is setting at 5:00 pm, it’s nearly impossible to shoot outdoor after the ceremony with natural light. If you have hired a photographer that has a flash-intensive style, that may be perfectly fine. If you are someone who has dreamt of light and airy, naturally-lit wedding images, you’ll need to make sure your pictures are done before the sun has set. With a ceremony that ends at 6pm, and a sunset at 5pm, that will be nearly impossible without a first look. If you are hoping to avoid doing a first look and are planning a winter month wedding, consider bumping your timeline up to an early afternoon wedding to ensure you will have daylight to shoot with!
2. Your Ideal Location
If you are someone that wants to have a certain location for your pictures, we will need to factor in traveling time to that location. With a first look or a large gap in between the ceremony and reception, we can be creative with our locations! More often than not, weddings where there is no first look can’t afford the time needed to make a special trip to a certain location. In those cases, we work with the spots that are closest and most easily accessible because of time constraints. This means outside of the ceremony or reception location many times!
3. Your Experience
I know this can be hard to do, but take some time to really consider how you want your day to feel - both for the two of you and for your guests.
Do you really want to spend your entire wedding day apart from each other, hiding and stressing you might see your significant other? Out of a 15 hour day, do you want to only be together for 5 of them? And those precious 5 hours being a rushed and frazzled dash to get all of your pictures, greet your guests, and then hop into the formalities of the evening?
What about your guests? Do you want to enjoy their company, and spend cocktail hour getting to hug and thank them for coming? You only get one wedding. With a first look, you can extend your day by 3 hours, and be done with everything before the ceremony so you are free to relax and enjoy the day - together!
Considering a first look is a lot to think about! Talk with your planner, and let them help you organize your priorities and your timeline to match one another. Talk to your photographer, and ask them how much time they recommend for different parts of the day. Hiring a great team will keep you stress free and organized with or without a first look!
Meet Megan
Megan Noll is an international wedding photographer and educator for creative entrepreneurs. She is based in Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee but will serve her clients anywhere. She has a vivacious personality, big laugh, and a smile that rarely leaves her face. With her grandparents as her inspiration, she strives to preserves the unique and special moments of your day in a timeless why for generations to come to enjoy. She wants her images to demonstrate to future generations how she was taught about the excitement that true love can bring.
She and her family love traveling and and she’s home we loves a great glass of wine. You can find Megan at
wesbite: http://megannollphotography.com/
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megannollphotography/?hl=en