Should You Do a First Look or Not? A Chicago Wedding Guide
There are so many perks of doing a first look on your wedding day, which is why so many wedding vendors and photographers recommend it. However, I know the thought can be disappointing or daunting for some of you, as it is outside what you may have envisioned for yourself; and that is totally normal and okay too! With that though, I do always like to present the options and give our couples all of the information as to why it is suggested, so they can make an educated decision about whether or not to do one. Here they are!
PROS OF A FIRST LOOK:
Your hair and makeup is freshest in the morning! You spend all of that time getting ready + money on professional stylists, so let’s make the most of those efforts by documenting your portraits when you are looking the most fresh.
You spend heaps of time planning for your wedding day. However, without a first look, you have to wait until your ceremony to see your partner. By this point, half of the day is already gone. By doing a first look, you get to see your partner way earlier in the day and spend more of your wedding day together! It really does go by so quickly, so a first look is an amazing opportunity to maximize every minute of your day.
Anxiety is a very real thing on a wedding day. If you tend to struggle with anxiety, a first look is a great way to release all of those nerves and go into your ceremony feeling more relaxed because you already got to spend some time together + settle into the reality of the day. If I had a dime for every couple who said “oh my gosh I feel so much better now” after their first look, I would have a lot of dimes.
There is not a camera lens on this planet that is wide enough to capture both the bride + groom’s reactions simultaneously when a bride walks down the aisle. Of course, that is always an incredibly special moment, so our lead shooter will be focusing on the bride walking down the aisle while our second shooter will be capturing the groom’s reaction. Whether you do a first look or not, nothing can take away from how special this moment is. However, a first look is just an additional special + intimate moment. And it’s the only way to capture your reactions together in the same photo. These are often some of the most emotional + special photos from an entire wedding day.
By doing a first look, it opens up your wedding day timeline in a way where you can get all of your portraits done before the ceremony! This allows you to relax + just have fun after the ceremony rather than rushing to get all of your photos done. Without a first look, it often makes the day feel faster and causes the bride + groom to miss their cocktail hour.
You don’t have to miss your cocktail hour! This hour can be used in so many ways - it can be time to step away and take some time for you + your partner to rest and soak up some time together. Or you can attend your cocktail hour + mingle with your guests then, so you don’t feel pressured to say all of your hellos during the reception when you’d rather be dancing.
A first look allows for your timeline to flow better so your guests don’t have an awkward 2-3 hour gap to fill their time between the ceremony and reception.
CONS OF A FIRST LOOK:
It is untraditional, which is a con for some people!
Some people believe that a first look takes away from how special it is when a groom sees his bride walk down the aisle. I’d say they’re two entirely separate moments, but that’s just me. 98% of grooms still cry even if they did a first look :-)
If you are having an early ceremony (before 3:00pm), a first look might not be your best option due to having start your day too early. Typically it depends on when the sun is setting + other variables which we can discuss together.
