One of the most common questions engaged couples ask me during wedding planning is, “should we do a first look”? I hate to tell ya’ll – but there is no simple answer! It’s such a personal decision that every couple should consider together. In this post, I’m going to share a few reasons why you might choose to do a first look and how I photograph them for my couples. Ready to cross one wedding day detail off your list? Let’s do it!

What is a First Look?

Okay, so what is a first look? Simply put, it’s the first time you get a look at your person all dressed up! This can happen when you walk down the aisle OR it can take place before your ceremony. When a wedding photographer asks if you’re planning to do a first look, we are typically talking about the two people getting married but with that said, some people do first looks with their bridal parties, parents, siblings etc. which can be so special and meaningful.

Your Wedding Day Timeline

I absolutely want you to have everything you could dream of for your wedding day but sometimes the timeline and flow of your day just don’t lineup to make a ceremony first look happen.

When I assist couples with wedding timeline planning, I try to be as realistic as possible about how long each part of a wedding day takes and how much we can fit into a 4, 6 or 8+ of photo coverage. Depending on how many group photos you want to walk away with and when your ceremony/cocktail hour/reception begins, you may not have enough time to do all of those photos after the ceremony. Especially if you want to join cocktail hour – and of course you want to join cocktail hour!

I suggest really thinking realistically through the flow of your day and what will help you fit the most of what you want while keeping you the least stressed and rushed for time. You’re spending so much time and energy planning this thing, you need to enjoy it!

TIP: I typically suggest at least 8 hours of photo coverage to ensure that you get the most of what you want while still having plenty of time to relax and enjoy all of the lovely moments of connection throughout your day.

Your Ceremony Location

Perhaps you’re getting married in a church. Did you know that many churches restrict where a photographer can stand and what kind of additional lighting they can use? Yeah, me either until I had this job. You may want to ask your church contact what kind of restrictions they have on photography and videography.

Your wedding photographer can use a zoom lens, but there isn’t much they can do about a dark venue without some kind of additional flash or lighting. The first time you see your person all dressed up in their wedding day finest can be one of the most emotional moments of your day and we don’t want to miss capturing that emotion for you! Without additional lighting your photographer may be in the dark – literally – and you may end up with grainy photos that don’t have that crisp detail that allows for all that beautiful emotion to show

TIP: No matter where you get married, have your officiant remind everyone that it’s a cell phone free event. We all have that family member who has their phone out taking pictures all the time – that phone will be in your photos if you don’t ask them to put it away.

The Emotion

You might be thinking, “yeah okay but we want the surprise factor!” And to that I say, a first look IS a surprise, it’s simply a private one. It really doesn’t have to be this big huge staged thing with a ton of people watching and me snapping away right in your face while you feel cheesy and weird.

As a wedding photographer, I want your first look to be an intimate moment for you two to be together and to soak it all in. Your about to do a HUGE thing – get married. That can bring on a lot of nerves. Having a centering moment together before you do the damn thing can be a great way to refocus on what it’s all about. Your love and union. I like to give my couples plenty of space for a first look so I typically try to take them outside or in a large space, like your ceremony space before guests arrive, with a zoom lens or an 85mm.

And there you go…

A couple of things to consider when deciding if a first look is for you or not. As you can tell by now, I really love one 😆. Planning to do a private first look before your ceremony allows for your photographer to place in you the perfect setting with excellent light and a non-distracting background. It allows you and your partner to ensure that the first moment you see one another, it’s captured with beautiful emotional and real detail for you to cherish + relive for years to come.

All photos by Kendal Banks Photography