Many brides are doing away with the tradition of the groom first seeing them when they walk down the aisle and are instead planning a First Look wedding. You’ve likely heard of this many times – it’s when the couple plan time alone prior to the ceremony where the groom first lays eyes on his bride. As you’re dreaming about your wedding day and making plans, you may be asking yourself, do I need First Look wedding photos? The short answer: Yes. The long answer? Well, keep reading.

There’s always something nice about tradition. Many brides dream of the moment her groom sees her for the first time as she walks down the aisle. But if you aren’t that kind of bride, I would highly recommend you plan a first look in to your wedding timeline, and here’s 4 reasons why.

It takes away anxiety

Nerves and anxiety are common emotions on a wedding day. For many brides and grooms, these feelings disappears once they’ve had some time together. You want to be the bride that enjoys her wedding ceremony and is fully present for it, not the one sweating and just waiting to get it over with.

A first look gives you time to be with your groom and enjoy some time together and get the nerves out of the way before you even walk down the aisle. By the time you get to the altar, you’ll be able to be in the moment, soaking it all in rather than just waiting for it to be over.

It ensures you have time for the important things

I can’t stress this enough. As an experienced bride and photographer, my number one hope for you is that you can relax and enjoy your wedding. The truth of the matter is, weddings tend to run late. When the ceremony starts thirty minutes after you had planned, and dinner is being served at 6pm sharp, what gets sacrificed? The photos. Not only do they get cut short, but you end up stressed and asking for the time while you should be focusing on your groom, trying to make sure you aren’t as late for the reception as the ceremony. While your guests may appreciate this, YOU will not.

When you plan a first look, your photos become the priority. If the ceremony does start late, it’s because you were busy getting your photos done. And since they’re already finished, you can focus on making sure there’s time for the other important things. As your wedding photographer, I work with you to create a timeline so you know that you’ll have time in the day for all the photos you want. Putting the first look photos right at the beginning of the day ensure that these aren’t rushed or photos aren’t missed so that you get to the reception in time for dinner.

Your hair and make-up are fresh

Make-up fades and gets smudged, bobby pins come loose and sometimes even dresses get dirty or ripped. First look photos ensure you look your absolute best in your wedding photos, as you’ve had no time to cry off your eyeliner, jump up and down until your up-do is falling out, or snag your dress on anything.

A first look is an intimate, beautiful time for just you and your groom

But in all honesty, this is the number one reason I would recommend first look photos for your wedding. When I think back to my wedding, I regret how little time I had alone with my new husband. I showed up at the rose garden where our ceremony was, walked down the aisle, and was surrounded by people for every single moment afterward until we left the reception. When you plan first look photos into your day, you set aside time for just the two of you to enjoy each other and your wedding day, right before all the chaos and excitement begins. It gives you the opportunity to focus on why you’re really there – your love and the future you’re committing to one another.

I recommend a first look to all my brides for the reasons above, and because, in all honesty, they’re just a lot of fun! If you’re still looking for the perfect photographer to capture your day, I’d love to hear from you! Let’s chat!