You may already know what a first look is at a wedding, but if you don’t, a first look is a time before the ceremony that a bride and groom see each other for the first time. Traditionally, the groom isn’t supposed to see his bride before the wedding as it’s considered “bad luck”. This practice actually dates all the way back to the 18th century. I’m here to tell you that after capturing many first looks, there’s no merit to it. 😉 With that being said, some couples may want a more traditional wedding. There’s nothing wrong with that! But if you are debating, here’s my top 5 reasons for incorporating wedding first looks into your big day!

Bloom Photography | California Wedding Photographer | Top 5 Reasons to Incorporate Wedding First Looks

1 – Sharing Private Moments Together Pre-Ceremony

Having a first look during your wedding means you have more one on one time with your partner! If you’re having a large wedding with many guests, chances are you’ll be be mingling and catching up with them during the reception. This won’t leave much time for you and your new spouse! Incorporating a first look during your wedding allows you more time to see them, take it all in, and love on each other before you head full force into the day!

2- Calm The Nerves & Exchange Private Vows During Wedding First Looks

Many couples find comfort in the presence of their partner on big days or during stressful times. Having some down time to see your partner before you ceremony can help calm the nerves you may have. It’s only natural to be nervous when you’ll have many, potentially hundreds of people watching you. Many couples also choose to exchange private vows to one another during this time. If you want your vows to be more intimate, then this is the perfect opportunity!

3- Knock Out Those Family & Wedding Party Portraits Before The Ceremony!

Who really wants to finish their ceremony and go right into taking ALL the photos?! You want to celebrate with your people, am I right? Your family and wedding party photos can be taken before the ceremony when you do a first look. This will save you so much time and stress for you later on in the day. I can assure you that you’ll just want to head on into cocktail hour and mingle with your favorite people!

4 – More Bride and Groom Portraits

On top of getting all of the wedding party and family portraits done, you can also knock out most, if not all of your bride and groom portraits! Don’t worry, if you want to head back out during sunset for some dreamy photos, we can still do that! Who doesn’t want more portraits with their spouse?! Come out for your sunset photos relaxed knowing we already took the majority of them before the ceremony!

5 – More Time With Your Wedding Guests

You can head into your cocktail hour and reception feeling stress free and ready to mingle with your guests! If you have all of your wedding photos done beforehand, your wedding timeline will be a lot less hectic. Your wedding day should be as stress free as possible. It’s important that you enjoy your time with your closest friends and family in celebration!

So, Are Wedding First Looks Right For You?

A wedding first look may be the right option for you if you want to spend more time with your partner, exchange private vows, calm the nerves, get the majority of your portraits done before the ceremony, and have more time to spend with your guests. If you’re more of a traditional couple, then this may not be the best idea for you.

What I will say is that some may fear a first look will take away from the walking down the isle moment. From personal experience, nothing can take away from walking down the isle with my dad to the love of my life. Also, in my experience as a wedding photographer, many grooms still shed tears even after seeing their bride the second time as she walks down the aisle! At the end of the day, there is no right or wrong choice. It all depends on how you envision your wedding day to go!

Start Planning Your Dream California Wedding & Bring Me Along!

My hope is that if you’re debating on if wedding first looks are right for you, that this blog has helped you decide! And if you’re planning your wedding and looking for a California wedding photographer, I’d be honored to be a part of your special day! You can learn more about me here. If I sound like the prefect wedding photographer for you, then inquire with me here! In the meantime, check out more wedding tips and photos on the blog, and follow me over on Instagram to stay connected!