Seeing your partner for the first time down the aisle at your wedding is arguably the most exciting and beautiful time of the day, however for some, having this play out in front of a crowd of people can be a source of pressure and anxiety. Thankfully, the option of doing a first look exists! You may see it as "non-traditional" but according to a study in America, 57% of couples there opt for a first look. It's becoming more and more common here in Australia too! So it's definitely worth exploring the idea. 

As a Yarra Valley wedding photographer, I've been luckily enough to capture quite a few of them! But before I get into the pros and cons of a first look, I'd just like to note neither option is REALLY better than the other. There are negatives and positives to both, but at the end of the day it comes down to personal preference. 

I would like to start with what I think is the biggest positive, and that is the fact that you get to spend more time with your guests. Usually after the ceremony it's PHOTO TIME, which means potentially a group photo, family photos, bridal party photos & couple photos. Although as wedding photographers we try to make it fun and smash through all of it as quickly as we can, you're still losing at least an hour of your wedding day that you could have been spent celebrating with your family and friends. Most couples who do a first look choose to also do their bridal party and couple photos right after, giving them that time back. 

A first look also allows you to spend a little more time together in general. Instead of having to hide away from each other before the ceremony, you get to spend an hour or two hanging out before things get hectic. Often a wedding day can seem like a blur, and this helps to slow it down. As I mentioned earlier, it can also calm the nerves and stress that the ceremony may bring. I have testimonials from so many couples who did a first look that said that they were SO much more relaxed and ready for the ceremony!

There is also usually less time pressure. During the colder months when the sun is setting earlier, we have far less light after the ceremony, so sometimes it can be a bit of a rush getting all the photos done. Doing these photos before the ceremony circumvents this and in turn, it can make the day way more relaxing for you. This is why I'd HIGHLY recommend seriously considering doing a first if this is the case for you. 

Finally, you potentially might get more of a real reaction from your partner. You never know how someone will react standing in front of a crowd of people. It might sound dumb, but even those who are usually emotional might not neccessarily be able to show this due to the pressure of it all. So doing this in a more intimate and private setting will allow both of you to be less guarded and geniune. You also get the chance to touch, embrace and really talk to each other.

So I'll admit there are definitely more pros, but there is absolutely a few cons to consider. First of all, you'll have to get ready a little earlier. This probably won't be an issue if you're having a late afternoon ceremony, but if it's in the morning or midday, it may provide a bit of a challenge. Depending on how they do their packages, you also might need to add on hours for your content team so they can still capture up to the end of your formalities. I recommend you have them there for at least 10hrs if this is the case. 

If you're getting married in the summer it might be a little painful doing a first look and photo session due to it being a hotter part of the day. Speaking from a photographers perspective, the lighting is also usually worse at this point too. Although if there's plenty of shade at the location then that fixes both of these issues. Even if your venue doesn't provide much it, there is always the option of going off site. 

Usually we try to finish off the first look and photo session AT LEAST thirty minutes before the ceremony. At most weddings here in Australia, guests usually start arriving after this point. But it's important to bare in mind that if you're doing the first look at your venue, there is the chance some guests might arrive early and spot you. 

SO there you are! Hopefully you've found this helpful. If you were to ask my opinion, I'd say that in most cases if you're getting married in the colder months (not during daylight savings) I'd STRONGLY recommend doing a first look. It would just help you to have a more relaxed, stress free day overall. But other than that it's completely just a personal preference. Yes there are definitely more positives to doing a first look, but some people dream of seeing their partner down the aisle for the first time, so at the end of the day just do whatever feels right for you.