Capturing Perfect First Look Wedding Photos

Capturing first look moments is a key requirement of any wedding photographer wanting to tell meaningful stories.

Wedding photographers are storytellers who capture one of the most important days in a couple’s life.

And the moment that a couple sees each other for the first time on their wedding day is such an emotional storytelling opportunity!

After shooting weddings for over a decade, I’ve decided that no first look is the same – but they’re all important.

In this article, I’ll talk about why first looks are such an important moment for wedding photographers to capture.

Then, I’ll dive into how to do it well, from location choice to timing.

Hopefully, you’ll come to see that it’s not just about the photos but about creating a great experience for your couples. Which, of course, helps you create great photos!

Why Capturing First Look Moments is Important

When it comes to wedding photography there are a lot of important moments and key shots that tell the story of a wedding. The first look is one of them.

The term “first look” refers to the moment that a couple sees each other for the first time on the wedding day.

This moment can be filled with a lot of emotion and anticipation, making it a great opportunity for wedding photographers.

Let’s talk about the purpose of the first look as well as the pros and cons.

The Purpose of the First Look

Traditionally, the first time a couple sees each other on their wedding day is when the bride is walking down the aisle.

As wedding days grow more customizable and some traditions are thrown out the window, the first time a couple sees each other is still an important moment to immortalize.

It’s not always convenient to avoid seeing each other until that moment in the aisle – but we don’t want to throw away storytelling opportunities for convenience.

Which is why first looks came about.

A first look is essentially a staged moment where the couple sees each other for the first time on their wedding day.

The emotion and anticipation build up all morning, and then the couple finally gets to look into each other’s eyes and say, “Let’s do this.”

There might be smiles, tears, hugs, and kisses exchanged.

Couples get to tell each other how beautiful they look and that the hours spent getting ready were not in vain.

And the wedding photographer gets to capture this emotional wedding photography gold.

The Benefits of a First Look

The main benefit of a first look is the ease that it brings to your timeline.

People don’t want to miss out on their wedding reception and limited time with wedding guests because they’re off taking pictures the whole time.

It’s a huge benefit of a first look that you can do bridal party and family pictures before the ceremony.

(That said, I often don’t do this for reasons you’ll read about until the next section.)

If a couple isn’t seeing each other until the ceremony, then often the photographer will take bridesmaid pictures and groomsmen pictures separately.

I generally avoid this, too, because it’s not very efficient.

You have to ask the entire bridal party to stick around after the ceremony for more pictures of everyone together, increasing the amount of time they spend taking photos.

If you’ve ever been a Bridesmaid, you know how annoying and tiring it can be to spend hours taking photos rather than celebrating.

However, getting photos done before the ceremony can help the couple get to their wedding reception sooner.

• Related: How to Take Photos of a Wedding Reception

It can also allow you more time to take portraits somewhere further away from the ceremony.

For me, this is the main reason to do a first look.

Having time to take portraits somewhere epic is almost always worth it, especially for my style of photography.

Another benefit to a first look is that the Bride and Groom get to see each other sooner than the 5pm ceremony.

Spending the whole day apart can feel disconnecting when a wedding is supposed to be about celebrating love and kicking off a marriage.

Many of the couples I’ve worked with have loved getting some time together before the chaos of the wedding begins.

It’s nice to have a moment with your soon-to-be spouse.

The Challenges of a First Look

The first look isn’t always the time saver and photo savior that wedding photographers think it’s going to be.

The two main challenges of a first look are the lighting and the experience.

First looks generally occur during mid-day light, which is not an ideal time to shoot portraits of couples, their families, or their bridal parties.

Additionally, because guests start to arrive and the bride wants to be hidden away, doing a first look often requires that everyone is ready two hours before the ceremony starts.

That’s a lot of waiting around.

I’m always concerned with the comfort and experience of my couples and their guests.

Getting good photos and having a great experience go hand in hand.

The more fun the wedding is for everyone involved, the better the photos will be.

So if everyone is standing around for hours before the wedding simply for the sake of the photos, their impression of the photographer is not very high.

And, more often than not, someone is missing, and we have to retake certain photos after the ceremony anyway.

So all of that waiting around was for nothing.

For all the pros of first looks, the cons are the reasons that I don’t push first looks on my couples.

Sometimes, it makes sense to shoot all the group pictures right after the ceremony when the light is better and everyone is guaranteed to be present.

• This Year’s Wedding Photography Trends & Styles

How to Capture the First Look at a Wedding

In the sections below, we’ll talk about how to capture the first look at a wedding.

While you don’t want to over-pose the moment or interfere with the emotions that are happening, it helps to have a plan.

The more you can know what you plan to do, the more you can trust your instincts in the moment.

Preparing the Couple

It’s important to communicate with your couple about the first look.

You want to prepare them for what it means so that they know what to expect.

Perhaps more importantly, you want to make sure that the first look is the right choice for them.

I don’t like to push my clients into a first look if seeing each other for the first time walking down the aisle is important to them.

Instead, I talk through the pros and cons of both choices so they can understand the purpose and benefits.

Then, I make sure to address their concerns and make sure I understand their preferences.

Photographers might have different preferences for how the first look plays out when the time comes.

I tend not to give too many instructions because I don’t want to interfere with what feels most natural to the couple.

Setting the Scene

Choosing the location for the first look is an important step but it’s not always an easy one.

Depending on the time of day, the prettiest views might not make the best first-look locations.

It’s important to consider the lighting, although, as we’ll discuss in the next section, you can’t always control that.

If it’s a cloudy day and you’re blessed with soft light, then just go for the best views.

Otherwise, doing a first look in open shade can be beautiful because you’ll have soft light on the couple’s faces.

You can then do portraits with epic views because you’ll have more control over the posing and how you use the highlights and shadows.

You need to balance your ability to capture emotion with choosing the best light you can have with the best backdrop.

As I alluded to, I often compromise the backdrop for this candid moment and focus on the emotion instead.

Then, after my couple has had a moment alone and the tears have slowed, I can get some shots with the ideal backdrop while controlling the angles better.

Other things to consider are how private the atmosphere will be.

Typically, it’s nice if the first look is free from distractions and other people so that the couple can be in the moment.

As a two-photographer team, one of us can take the groom to a chosen first-look location and then radio the other that the scene is set.

Then, the second photographer brings the bride to the location.

Timing for the First Look

The timing of the first look is typically based on the overall schedule for the day.

This so happens to rarely be during the beautiful golden light, which is one of the reasons I don’t force first looks on my couples.

First looks often end up in the middle of the day, which means you’re working with mid-day light.

That’s why we talked about thinking about the lighting when selecting your first look location.

The first look will often take place at least an hour before the ceremony.

It depends on how many photos you plan to take before the ceremony and how many people are involved.

I usually try to be done with pictures about a half hour before the ceremony starts, because guests will be arriving and the bride will want to hide away again.

That means if you need an hour for couples portraits, bridal party, and family pictures, then you’ll want to do the first look an hour and a half before the ceremony.

Or, if, like me, you’re going to do the family pictures after the ceremony, you can spend that time on portraits in a cool location.

Make sure you account for any travel time between locations as well.

Tips for Capturing the First Look

It’s nice to capture the first look from multiple angles, but if you’re shooting the wedding by yourself, you’ll need to choose what the most important angle is.

Make sure you have your camera settings ready because the first look can happen fast and you only get one chance.

This is especially true if you’re planning to use flash.

You must build rapport with your couple before the first look moment so that you’re not a distraction.

You want to be as unobtrusive as possible so that you can capture raw emotions.

• Best Camera Settings for Wedding Photography

Variations and Alternatives to the First Look

Often, the groom is standing somewhere, and then the bride walks to him.

She taps him on the shoulder, and he turns, revealing how beautiful she looks in her dress.

However, sometimes couples want more equal roles, so you can set it up so that they walk to meet each other in a certain spot.

Instead of a tap on the shoulder, you can tell the other person to turn around.

I’ve always thought a reveal walking down a grand staircase was classically beautiful.

Sometimes couples still don’t want to see each other before the wedding but they want a moment to say hi.

In that case, couples often hold hands through a crack in a door, are blindfolded, or stand back to back.

Some couples want the bridal party or family to witness, while others don’t.

• 15 Pre-Wedding Photoshoot Ideas, Tips & Poses

Final Words on How to Capture First Look Moments

By now, you should understand the importance of first looks as well as how to capture them.

As you head to your next wedding, you’ll be prepared to capture both the technical and emotional aspects of this important wedding photography moment.

While I don’t always agree with all the reasons to do a first look, there are definite benefits that we can exploit for the sake of our couples.

First looks allow photographers to delve into authentic moments and intimate connections between our couples.

These moments are both carefully orchestrated and intentionally candid to produce genuine images that narrate the story of love.

As photographers, our role is to freeze the tender and vulnerable emotions of first looks, turning them into an everlasting memory.

From selecting the perfect location to understanding timing and lighting, we can help our clients have a memorable and photogenic day.