First looks have been hugely popular in the last couple of years. Some couples are all about them and some are absolutely against them. There certainly are benefits to seeing each other prior to the wedding ceremony, but is it worth it for every couple?’

Couples ask me all the time, “what is typical? What do you think we should do?” It’s truly a decision that you must make as a couple. I usually see 3 scenarios as to why a couple chooses to do the first look.

1. The bride and groom want to join cocktail hour and they want to get as many photos as they can done prior to the start of the ceremony.

2. The couple has only hired the photographer for a certain amount of hours and they want to squeeze in as many photos as possible in their time limit.

3. The bride and groom would like to have a special moment prior to the ceremony. Calming their nerves is important to them and they think the first look will help with this.

All three of those scenarios are right! The most wonderful thing about weddings these days is that there is no right way or wrong way to execute a wedding. Everyone used to follow the traditional path. Now, couples can do whatever they feel is best. Take a look at your wedding day and decide what is best for you two as a couple. If being involved throughout the whole evening is most important to you all, then do the first look. If you had to cut back and hire the photographer for only a certain amount of hours and you want to capture everything you can in those short amount of hours, do the first look. If you want to see each other before because you cannot imagine waiting it out to see each other, than I say go for it!

 

However, if you are doing a first look because you feel pressured to fit everything into the wedding day on film, don’t do it. If you are doing it because that is “what everyone else does,” don’t do it. If you have dreamed your whole life of walking down that aisle and seeing your other half bawling their eyes out, (Ya’ll this was me!!!) then do not do it!!

At the end of the day, what matters is doing what YOU as a couple feel is best!