Should You Do a First Look at Your Wedding? An Adelaide Photographer's Honest Take
Ask any wedding photographer what their favourite moment to shoot is and a first look will be near the top of the list. Every single time.
If you haven't come across the term yet, here's the quick version — and then we'll get into why it's worth thinking about seriously.
What actually is a first look?
A first look is a planned, private moment where you see each other before the ceremony. Usually it's just the two of you, tucked away somewhere at your venue, with us nearby doing our best impression of being invisible.
The reaction — and we've shot a lot of these — is almost always incredible. Because unlike the aisle moment, there's no performance pressure. No 100 people watching. Just the two of you, actually feeling it.
It doesn't have to be just the two of you
Here's something a lot of couples don't know: a first look doesn't have to mean your partner. Some couples are dead set on keeping that aisle moment for their first glimpse of each other — completely valid — but still want to capture that raw emotional reaction somewhere in the day.
So do a first look with your dad. Or your mum. Or your whole bridal party at once. We've seen all of these and they're honestly some of the most emotional photos from any wedding day.
Why it's worth doing — practically speaking
Beyond the emotional side, a first look has some genuinely useful benefits for your day:
It calms nerves. Having a quiet moment with your partner before the ceremony does something real for your headspace. By the time you're walking down the aisle, the butterflies have settled and what's left is just excitement.
It opens up your portrait schedule. If you've already seen each other and done some portraits before the ceremony, your post-ceremony window is less pressured. You can spend more time with guests and still get everything you need photographically.
It's your best chance at natural light portraits. Especially important if your ceremony is indoors or later in the day — a pre-ceremony first look gives us a window to shoot in the best light available.
What if you want to keep the tradition?
Completely fine. The aisle moment is one of the great moments of any wedding and we photograph it beautifully regardless. Just know that if you skip the first look, we'll be working harder to carve out portrait time elsewhere in the day — so make sure your timeline reflects that.
Either way, talk to us before the day and we'll help you build a schedule that works.
