Why Breaking Tradition Might Just be the Best Decision You Could Have Made..


Okay, first looks, a hot topic in the modern wedding industry. Did Mom and Dad do one? I doubt it, but you? You totally can and I promise your walk down the aisle is still going to be everything you imagined it to be. First-look wedding photos have become one of my top favorite wedding trends in recent years! However, for many couples, deciding whether to have a first-look can be quite challenging.

It's a big decision that significantly impacts the entire timeline of your wedding day. Therefore, I'm here to outline the advantages of having a first-look on your wedding day. This way, you'll have a clearer idea of what to anticipate and can choose what works best for you!


Let's talk about the pros that a first look provides:


  • Intimate Moment Without Onlookers: In my experience as a wedding photographer, I often see couples pressured to act in a certain way to appease family. Without the wedding party or family present, couples often feel more at ease and can express their emotions freely during their private moment with the photographer/videographer. This results in more authentic and emotive photos as couples can be themselves without the pressure of an audience.
  • Perfect for Private Vows: A first look is a great moment to exchange intimate vows that you may not want to read in front of friends and family. Let your first look be the time to say something to your spouse that only your ears will hear and your hearts will remember. A first look especially allows more reserved couples that true sense of connection they crave, privately.
  • You Get Formal Photos Out of The Way Faster: Once you've seen each other, you can choose to have family and wedding party photos done before your ceremony. This means there will be a lot less photos left to take afterwards and you can enjoy more of your wedding day. Dreamy golden hour portraits of you and your spouse will be all that's left! Other than more relaxed reception fun.
  • Time to Decompress: A great way to get the pre-ceremony jitters out. Many couples find the first-look a calming experience, easing pre-ceremony nerves and allowing them to support each other without the pressure of public vows.
  • It will NOT spoil your walk down the aisle: It won't detract from the special moment at the altar! The wedding day is incredibly exciting, ensuring that you both will still be swept up in emotion when you finally meet at the altar. It is a magical moment and a first look is not going to ruin it. This is your day with your person.
  • More Time to Enjoy The Day: When you opt to not do a first look, you'll likely spend the first half of your wedding day getting ready, then you'll go into to your ceremony (you'll probably be starving afterwards, typically people are nervous and don't eat a lot pre-ceremony), and then you'll go straight into wedding party photos, family photos, etc. Family and wedding party tend to scatter after the ceremony and it can be challenging to 'round' everyone up. After that, then you'll still have couples photos as well. Doing a first look allows to get as much photos as you'd like out of the way so your wedding day can be more enjoyable! You can be present during your reception and simply celebrate what the day is all about, your love.
  • Eat sooner: With the majority of your photos out of the way and the ceremony nerves dissipating, you can actually go eat and renew your energy without worry of something happening to your wedding day attire because photos are mostly complete!

Charlie + Trevor's emotional first look from their November wedding at Uptown Indigo in Shelby, NC.