First Looks: Pros and Cons
A wedding first look is an intimate moment where the bride and groom see each other for the first time before the ceremony, sharing genuine emotions away from the crowd. While some couples opt for the classic aisle reveal, a first look adds a personal touch to the wedding day, fostering a deeper connection between the partners. We’ve pulled together a pros and cons list for you to consider when thinking about your wedding day timeline.
Pros for the first look
If you’re wanting to spend as much time as you can at your wedding and with your wedding guests, you should consider a first look and bridal party photos before your ceremony! By doing your photos before the ceremony, you’ll have plenty of time to talk to your guests and enjoy the canapés after your ceremony and before your reception.
It gives you and your partner a few moments together: A first look definitely does not spoil the ceremony! You’ll be overwhelmed with emotion no matter what, so if you want to see your partner first, don’t skip it.
You can capture an emotional moment on camera. A wedding is an intimate, emotional experience, and a first look means we can capture a couple together in that moment. Yes, walking down the aisle is emotional, too, but you’re not together in those photographs.
Cons for the first look
A first look will mean you have to be ready even earlier than you’d planned and cut into your pre-wedding photo timings.
Lighting may not be ideal! If you’re planning a first look this will most likely happen just before your ceremony around mid-day - which, if its a sunny day will be very harsh lighting! Yes we can find a shaded spot to capture your first look and bridal party photos, but nothing beats early arvo sunshine for a softer look in your photos & videos. Also, a bright, sunny day leads to more people blinking and squinting!
You’re out in the sunshine, wind or rain before your ceremony which means your hair and makeup may move slightly for your ceremony!
You’ll get more out of your photos and videos if you don’t have a first look. We will be floating around getting candid photos and videos after group photos to the reception, but remember this will be 1 to 1.5 hours of floating while people are enjoying chatting, catching up and eating canapes - which no one really wants a photo during.
See below a 10-hour wedding day timeline including a first look:
11 am - Arrive at grooms house
12 pm - Arrive at brides house
1:30 pm - First look / bridal party photos at venue
3 pm - Guests arrive
3:30 pm - Ceremony
4 pm - Celebrate the newly wed
4:15 pm - Group photo
4:25 pm - Family and Friends photos
5:50 pm - Guests seated
6 pm - Couple walk in / cake cut
6:10 pm - First speeches
6:30 pm - Dinner
7 pm - Sunset photos (changes depending on time of year)
7:30 pm - Last speeches
8 pm - First dance / dance floor
8:30 pm - Flash photos (changes depending on time of year)
9 pm - Amour Weddings leave
We send all of our couples a rough timeline when booking to suit their day and best time for lighting. Two weeks before their wedding we sit down again in person or over ZOOM to finalise the details of the day. You will also receive from us a pre-wedding guide pack for tips and tricks on their day.
