Wedding Planning Tips | Deciding on a first look | Colorado Wedding Photographer — Colorado Wedding and Elopement Photographer

When you’re planning a wedding there are all sorts of details you have to plan out. From the time of day you’re getting married, who’s sitting at which table, what time are family portraits happening, and everything in between! There are SO many things to decide on, so I wanted to offer you some help with one of the bigger questions you might have right now: “Should our wedding have a first look or not?”

Why it Matters Whether You Have a First Look or Not

“Are you having a first look on your wedding day?” is a question you’ll definitely be asked by your photographer (I know I’ll ask it if you’re one of my couples!), and a planner if you’re working with one. This is such an important question as it is a huge decision for your timeline as it influences SO many different aspects of it, such as portraits and getting ready time. One of the benefits of booking with me (besides the fact that I’m a lot of fun, obvi) is that I will help you customize your timeline for the whole entire day, with or without a first look!

When I start planning timelines with couples, some don’t know if they want to do a first look, while others are pretty adamant one way or the other! I want to preface this by saying that I am there to capture your day how it happened. Although I have an opinion on if you should do a first look or not (otherwise why would I write a blog about it?), at the end of the day this is about YOU and your partner! If you don’t want to do a first look, great! We’ll still get all of your shots done and it will be a perfect day because you and your boo got married.

That said, if you’ve read this far, you’re probably at least on the fence about having one. If that is the case, here are 5 reasons that I love first looks for a wedding day and what I believe they add to your overall wedding experience!!

1. A Truly Special and Intimate Moment

Seeing your love for the first time on your wedding day is no exaggeration a once in a lifetime moment, and capturing it is important! Wedding days are often filled with so many of your closest friends and family and the interactions with those people, that it’s often hard to find time for just the two of you. A first look on your wedding day lets you do just that. It’s a moment where not only are you able to react to seeing one another for the first time, but you get to spend this moment together before the craziness that comes with the rest of your wedding day. While it’s true that there’s more anticipation and build up if you don’t see one another until your ceremony, trust me even with a first look you’re both going to feel SO many emotions once your ceremony starts!!

A bride has her back to the camera and the 5 members of her wedding party all smile during their first look when seeing her for the first time

2. A Smooth Timeline is a Happy Timeline

One massive benefit that comes along with having a first look on your wedding day is how much flexibility it gives you with your timeline! One example of this is my sweet friend Myrisa’s wedding. For several reasons, including the timing of the sunset and the need to be out of their church immediately following the ceremony, they opted for a first look. Because of the first look photos, we were able to take ALL their portraits before the ceremony. Yes, you heard that right. We did the whole wedding party, all family portraits, and all couple portraits done with enough time for them to relax and have a snack before they got hitched. It was a breeze, everybody still had fresh makeup and hair, and that meant that we were able to immediately head to the reception after the ceremony.

For those of you who have large lists of family formal photos, those who want lots of portraits, those who want to get to the party sooner rather than later, or for those who know they will already be exhausted by the time the ceremony is over, I strongly recommend a first look. I know that not everyone loves photos, so getting the bulk of these photos out of the way is always a plus!

A father wearing his military uniform smiles when seeing his daughter in her wedding dress for the first time for their first look on her wedding day in the forests of Colorado

3. First Looks Don’t HAVE to be With Just You and Your Partner

Doing a first look with your dad, your mom, your bridesmaids, grandparents, or anyone who is special to you on your wedding day is another way to get some really candid and precious moments. First looks with a parent, especially with your father, hold a special place in my heart. This is kind of hard for me to even write right now because my own dad recently passed away. One of the things that I have started to think about in my own process of grief is that these are the kinds of photos that I will not have with him. So I will always say this, photos of you with the people in your life are heirlooms. They are invaluable. They are moments that you won’t get back, and I want you to have these photos to enjoy and treasure down the road.

So, not to get too serious or bring the mood down, but I don’t think you’ll regret having these photos 20 years into the future. So why not do them?

A bride and groom stand in a field surrounded by trees facing one another as the groom reads his vows to the bride from his phone

4. It’s a Great Time for Private Vows

One trend I see coming up more and more frequently with weddings these days are couples having private vows to one another which I think is SO sweet. It adds a level of intimacy to your wedding day and your relationship that is just so magical. It’s also a great option for those that aren’t quite as comfortable with public speaking. While your wedding guests are your friends and family, it’s still a lot of eyes on you!! If you’d rather keep your vows as an intimate moment between the two of you, doing them during your first look on your wedding day is a wonderful option!

Two brides hold hands and laugh with one another while standing on a mountainside in Colorado as the sun rises behind them

5. They’re a TON of Fun!

These don’t have to be overly emotional and dramatic (but I do love that!). They can also just be a lot of fun! Harry wanted to get down on one knee and “propose” to Allee after their first look, since they wanted photos of that. I think that anyway we can make your first look fun, unique, and YOU is so awesome, so let’s get creative and have fun with it! It’s your wedding day after all!!

At the end of the day, the choice to do a first look on your wedding day is personal, and it’s yours to make with your partner. I certainly hope that if you were on the fence, this was some helpful information for your planning process! No matter the choice you make, your wedding day will be the best day ever, and I can't wait to capture it all from start to finish! If you’re ready to talk more about your wedding day timeline and if you want to include a first look in it head to my contact page! Let’s get in touch so we can plan the BEST DAY EVER. And if you’re looking to see more of my work be sure to check out my blog as well as my Instagram for all the wedding goods!!