All About First Looks and Why They Rock!

To have a first look or not?

This is a question that always comes up when we begin planning your wedding day and photography timeline. As a bride and groom, the two of you will be making an important decision together about this special moment. When our couples ask for our professional opinion, we always recommend a first look – so lets get into all the good details!

A first look is a moment between a bride and groom when they see each other before the ceremony for the first time.

We will help you set everything up; from helping pick the best location at your wedding venue to making sure everyone is in the right spot! Normally, the groom will be turned away from where the bride will be walking from (sometimes blindfolded) and wait until she comes closer to tap him on the shoulder so he can turn and see his beautiful loved one for the first time. Right when this moment happens, we capture both reactions of the two of you and it makes for an incredibly sweet set of photographs! We usually recommend the first look to be private and away from the bridal party and family – you might not be able to have another moment alone any time soon after! Once we get your first initial reactions, we will leave for a bit so this beautiful moment can be enjoyed without any interruptions!

The benefits of a having a first look

Now that you know what the first look is and how it happens, we can discuss what the benefits are verses seeing each other during the ceremony for the first time.

The first benefit is to save time by getting formal portraits done before the ceremony. Since you already saw each other, we can immediately start taking family and bridal photos, as well as pictures of the two of you together. By getting these done right away, we don’t have to photograph you after the ceremony so you can enjoy your cocktail hour with your guests. So basically, you add time to your photography – ideally we would like to have anywhere from an hour and a half to two hours for all the formal photos and photos of bride and groom together. In case you don’t have a first look, we will have to complete all the photos in one hour or less (if you have to drive from the ceremony location to the reception or if you have a receiving line – this takes time from your photography as well). So instead of having about two hours to get these amazing magazine-style, big-wall-portrait worthy photos, we will have less than an hour to complete them. Don’t get us wrong – we will do our absolutely best to photograph portraits in a timely manner, but depending on how big your families and bridal party is, less than an hour might be not enough.

The next benefit of having a first look right away is taking away stress from the entire wedding party, especially the bride. By having your special moment together and seeing each other before the ceremony, walking down the aisle when all eyes are on you will definitely be less stressful and overwhelming.

Lastly, by having a first look you also allow yourself to have more fun with your bridal party – you can enjoy more time with bridesmaids and groomsmen before the ceremony since you already saw each other.

Onto the photos!

Without further explanations, let’s get right to photos where you can see for yourself how emotional and beautiful first looks are!

Minneapolis Wedding Photogapher wedding first look  001.jpg

Minneapolis Wedding Photogapher wedding first look  002.jpg

Minneapolis Wedding Photogapher wedding first look  003.jpg

Minneapolis Wedding Photogapher wedding first look  004.jpg

Minneapolis Wedding Photogapher wedding first look  005.jpg

Minneapolis Wedding Photogapher wedding first look  006.jpg

Minneapolis Wedding Photogapher wedding first look  007.jpg

Minneapolis Wedding Photogapher wedding first look  008.jpg

Minneapolis Wedding Photogapher wedding first look  009.jpg

Final thoughts

With everything being said, it’s still okay not to do a first look if this is something you feel strongly about. It’s your wedding day and you prioritize yourself how this beautiful event will take place! The moment the bride walks down the aisle towards her groom waiting in front of the altar… it’s a breathtaking and special moment you’ll cherish forever. With or without the first look, no matter what you decide, we will be there to capture it in it’s unique beauty!

Time Into Pixels Photography was voted Best of the Knot Weddings and Couple’s Choice on Wedding Wire. Interested in us photographing your engagement or wedding? Contact us for availability and more information.