Have you heard of a wedding first look but don’t know what exactly that means? Please allow me to share with you all the awesomeness that it is!

A first look at your wedding is when you see that glorious person that you are marrying for the first time on your wedding day. For more traditional weddings you would first see them at the end of the aisle. A first look is a beautifully orchestrated version of that.

It can be just the two of you or you can include your family and/or wedding party.

Now that you know what a first look is, lets dive into my top 5 reasons of having one at your wedding.

1. Ease your nerves. Let’s face it, weddings can be a little overwhelming and nerves tend to get all in a tizzy. Having a first look takes all that away in a flash. You’re able to take a deep breath and be ready to embrace the day you’ve been dreaming up, together.
2. With a first look, you can choose to have it as the just the two of you or with your closest friends or family. Allowing you both to be able to show that emotion that’s been building up without a crowd may be the most intimate and memorable part of your wedding.
3. Get all of your formal photos taken while your hair and makeup are still fresh!
4. Get all of your formal photos taken before the ceremony even starts! This means you will get to actually talk and visit with you guests during cocktail hour ( and have a cocktail too! ) . Including at first look is the best way to ensure that you get all the photos you want and still get to be present and enjoy every part of your wedding day!
5. Lastly, this is the day that you and your fiancé have been dreaming of. Why would you want to spend half the day without them by your side? Enjoying more hours of your wedding day with them is simply the best. I don’t know of a single couple that has done a first look and regretted it.

Of course, it is your wedding day. You should plan it the exact way you want. As your wedding photographer, I will never push a first look on you if it is something you simply don’t want. But I always love to inform my couples of the benefits so that they can make an educated decision.

So what do you think? Is a first look right for you?

For more tips on wedding planning check out my wedding timeline guide