Leah Marie Photography

This is one of the most common questions asked by our couples in the lead up to their wedding day. We personally love for our couples to say yes to a first look. We are going to break down our top three reasons and get into an alternative if you just can’t bear to break with tradition.

No. 1 Wedding Day Timeline.

The first look takes place before you walk down the aisle. Taking advantage of the time before your ceremony will open up your cocktail hour for photos with family and the bridal party. This can also allow couples to stop in greet people and not rush through things like bustling or family portraits. Utilizing that time before the ceremony is especially important if your venue is large and spread out with a number of picture spots located away from each other. The logistics of getting from location to location will consume the hour of time available after the ceremony very quickly.

No. 2 Aesthetics.

When you choose, or chose, us to photograph your wedding you did so based on our portfolio which features natural light. When you wait until after the ceremony you risk losing light based on the time the sunsets. Another aspect to consider is if you know you are crier, you may want to take into account the tears you will shed during the ceremony and what affect that may have on your makeup.

No. 3 Privacy.

A first look gives our couples a moment alone without the attention of all their wedding guests. This can help alleviates any pressure you might feel about being the center of attention- with all eyes on the two of you. This can also help slow down the pace a bit particularly if you have a large bridal party.

If the first look doesn’t feel right for you, try a first touch. This happens when the couple meets either at the corner of a building onsite at the venue or on opposite sides of a door and hold hands without seeing each other face to face. We’ve had couples come together for first touches to say a prayer together or to read their vows and share in a quiet moment for just the two of them. These are beautiful to capture and give us the opportunity to photograph the couple on their own similar to a first look.