For those that don’t know, a first look is when you privately see your groom for the first time before the ceremony. Here are both sides of the first look debate.

Pros of a First Look:

1. If you do do a first look before the ceremony, we can do all/the bulk of couple portraits (and all wedding party photos & family photos as well!) before the majority of your guests arrive. As a result, your guests will spend less time waiting for you to join them at the reception and you can even participate in your cocktail hour. This makes your day so more enjoyable for guests and you’ll be able to spend more time with all the people who have come out to see you.

2. Doing a first look allows for more time for couple pictures because you don’t feel rushed to get to your reception. If portraits are of high importance to you, a first look is a great way to create tons of extra time for them!

3. First looks can be truly magical and heartwarming. After you walk down the aisle, your groom won’t have the opportunity to talk to you about what’s running through his mind. If you do a first look, he will.

Cons of a First Look

1. It breaks tradition for the groom to see you before the wedding ceremony

2. Maybe you don’t want the first look to be a private moment. You might want all your friends and family to be able to participate in that experience with you.

If you’re don’t feel strongly either way, I personally recommend doing a first look 🙂 I promise, it makes your day so much less stressful & more enjoyable for your guests.

This is Part 3 of my series “What Brides Should Know About…” To read more, click the below:

1. Details
2. Getting Ready
3. First Looks
4. Couple Portraits
5. Venue Photos
6. The Ceremony
7. Family Photos
8. Wedding Party Photos
9. The Reception
10. Exits

–> Planning a wedding can be overwhelming! But I gotchu 😉 After going to so many events as a photographer, I’ve got plenty of recommendations and experience with everything wedding-related. Click here to learn more about the Caili Chung Photography Wedding Experience <3