First looks for couples before weddings were all the rage here on the Outer Banks some years back; now they seem to be just another option to consider. While the time-honored tradition of not seeing your significant other until the ceremony continues to be the more common practice, many couples now opt for a scheduled moment, just after they have finished getting ready, for them them to meet in private before the ceremony.
The first look has its pros and cons, so I’ll try to break them down for you here:
Wedding First Look — The Pros:
Many couples cite timing as one of the reasons for having a first look. Seeing each other before the ceremony means you can also take family and wedding party photos before the ceremony (assuming you can corral everyone), which frees you up after the ceremony to spend more time with guests. As a general rule of thumb, formal photos take about an hour, and some couples don’t want their guests to be waiting around that long before they get to see them.
Additionally, a first look can be a meditative break for a couple. It can be a time to exhale, to be together quietly, and to calm each other’s nerves before the ceremony. I’ve experienced some truly emotional first looks, and it can be a very tender moment. After the ceremony, things tend to go pretty fast and there’s little time to be alone, so this can be a time for the couple to have some alone time before everything gets hectic.
If you are doing a wedding in the wintertime, a first look can be a necessity, as the light fades early and if you want to get photos done in the daylight with natural light (which I highly recommend), you should probably schedule them before the ceremony, and then it would only be natural to have a first look.
Wedding First Look — The Cons
I’ve often found that if not done well, first looks can add too much “doing” into an already crammed wedding day schedule. There’s already enough going on before the wedding to try to organize the disparate parties for photos — people will be getting ready in different locations, with different groups — and this can add unnecessary stress to the moments before the ceremony. Additionally, I find that before the ceremony, group photo shoots can be a little more tense, as everyone is still a little nervous. After the ceremony, after the cheers and hugs and kisses, people tend to be a lot more at ease, and their joy will generally translate to more relaxed photos.
In my personal experience, it is much easier to organize people for group photos directly after the ceremony, because they will all already be assembled in the same place. There only needs to be one firm time — the time of the ceremony — that people need to adhere to, and the rest can just follow naturally. So if you know your family and friends tend to be a little bit lax when it comes to being on time, it might be better to do photos after the ceremony rather than before.
Also, while the first look is generally pitched as a time to be alone with your betrothed, you won’t be completely alone. The photographer and videographer will be there to record your emotions. In my experience, this makes some people a little nervous, some not at all.
My main consideration concerning a first look has to do with the quality of light. Scheduling outdoor photos before the ceremony, when the sun is higher in the sky, will more often than not result in harsh shadows, squinting, and washed-out colors. There are things I can do as a photographer to compensate for this, but in essence I will be working against the light and not with it. Conversely, getting these shots after the wedding is a relative breeze, as the light will be softer, warmer, and more flattering.
Also, please keep in mind that if you want to take group photos before the ceremony, all parties involved will need to be dressed and ready at least an hour, if not more, before they would otherwise. And if the day is hot, they will be exposed longer to the heat of the day.
The Takeaway?
I’m happy to work with couples who want to do a first look, but unless they are doing a wintertime wedding, I tend not to promote it. Some wedding planners schedule first looks as a matter of course, but in the end it’s a personal decision. If you’re considering doing a first look, I would say — though I know it sounds corny — do what’s in your heart. Don’t worry so much about tradition, because traditions change. Don’t think about the schedule, because honestly it’s probably more trouble from a scheduling standpoint. But if you feel you’d like to have that moment with your boo before all the madness of the ceremony, photo session, and reception, then by all means, do. As your photographer, I’m happy to work with whatever decision works best for you.
