How a First Look (Positively!) Impacts Your Wedding Photography Timeline

I know I’ve blogged about first looks and wedding photography timelines before, but in this post, I’m tying the two of them together in hopes that it helps to answer some questions for those of you in the planning process! This post will be especially helpful for those of you who are having your cocktail hour start as soon as your wedding ceremony ends. Those of you with a 2-3+ hour gap between the end of your ceremony and the start of your cocktail hour have a bit more flexibility in whether or not you should consider a first look!

While some of our couples know they definitely want to share a first look together on their wedding day, others are a bit more hesitant. I totally understand because Arturo and I went back and forth about doing a first look on our wedding day. However, I’m SO thankful that we did!!

WHAT IS A FIRST LOOK?

Photographing the first look is one of our favorite parts of a wedding day! Arturo and I will find a location that’s private enough for the two of you to truly enjoy these moments together. We’ll start off by facing one of you in the opposite direction the other will be walking from. When Partner #2 arrives, I usually have them tap the first person on the shoulder, prompting them to turn around so you can see each other for the first time (a.k.a. the first look)! Arturo and I stand back and document the pure emotion you two are experiencing, whether it be excitement, tears of joy, or a mix of both!

For those of you on the fence about doing a first look like I was, I want to share our experience with you! Like many brides, I really wanted a reaction from Arturo when he saw me coming down the aisle, but I also didn’t want to feel let down if he didn’t react much, or worse, put that kind of pressure on him knowing how many people were going to be looking at him at that point in the ceremony! Doing a first look is one of THE BEST things we did on our wedding day. Arturo’s reaction was priceless AND he had another great rush of emotion and excitement when I walked down the aisle! It was a win-win!

HOW DOES A FIRST LOOK AFFECT A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY TIMELINE?

I could go on and on about the benefits of doing a first look and how it positively impacts your timeline, but the two main reasons I love to share with couples are 1) you’ll feel SO MUCH LESS STRESS on your wedding day, and 2) you’ll receive MORE PORTRAITS in your final gallery! Read below to learn about even more of the benefits!

STRESS LESS, ENJOY MORE
Who wants to be stressed on their wedding day? I’ll tell you who: no one. Wedding day photography timelines without a first look are always tighter for time. No wedding day is perfect, and things can fall behind schedule, which is why I always buffer in extra time than I think I’ll need to photograph different parts of the day. Timelines with first looks give me more wiggle room to add in those extra pockets of time here and there, whereas timelines without first looks don’t give me any buffer time at all.

MORE PORTRAITS
As I stated before, timelines with first looks give us more time throughout the day, especially when it comes to portraits of the two of you, your wedding party, and your family formals. If you choose not to do a first look, all of those portraits have to be crammed into the 60 minutes of cocktail hour, which is definitely NOT enough time. The larger a group portrait is, the more time it takes to photograph each group on your list. Between family and wedding party photos alone, that could easily take close to an hour if your list isn’t limited. If that were the case, we’d be left with only a few minutes to photograph the two of you, which also means a limited number of portraits of you guys on your wedding day. Choosing to do a first look will give Arturo and me more than just a couple of minutes to create beautiful wedding portraits of you both before your ceremony, and maybe even a few newlywed photos afterward too. When I say a first look will give you more portraits, I mean it!

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR INVESTMENT
Weddings are expensive! Don’t you want to make the most out of your investment, not only with your photographer but also with your venue and caterer? You’re paying a lot for your wedding venue and food, so be sure that you get to actually enjoy them both by doing a first look. As I mentioned above, first looks also provide you with more portraits in your final gallery, which means you get more for your money in your wedding photography investment as well!

EVERYONE GETS TO ENJOY COCKTAIL HOUR
Once you two have taken all the time you want at your first look, we’ll move right into taking romantic portraits. When we’ve finished those, we’ll photograph your wedding party, followed by family portraits. With a first look, this happens all before the ceremony, which means your family, your wedding party, AND the two of you can enjoy the cocktail hour! After the ceremony, you’ll definitely be hungry, so why waste time in front of our cameras? Instead, go grab a bite and your favorite cocktail to celebrate!

RECEPTION DETAILS
As you two are enjoying your cocktail hour with your wedding guests, Arturo and I take that time to photograph all of the reception details & decor that you worked tirelessly to plan! Without a first look, we don’t have time to photograph any of these details since we’re using the cocktail hour to photograph portraits.

SAMPLE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY TIMELINE

Below you’ll find a sample wedding photography timeline based on a 6:00 pm ceremony with eight hours of photography coverage. I know every wedding day is unique, which is why I work with each of our couples to create a timeline that fits their day!

1:30-3:30 Details & Wedding Prep
3:30-4:15 First Look / Romantic Portraits
4:15-5:00 Wedding Party Portraits
5:00-5:30 Family Portraits
5:30-6:00 Ceremony Details
6:00-6:30 Ceremony
6:30-6:40 Newlywed Portraits
6:30-7:30 Cocktail Hour / Reception Details
7:30 Reception Begins (Receptions tend to be more personalized, but below is a general idea)
7:45 Introductions, First Dance
8:00 Dinner
8:45 Toasts, Special Dances
9:00 Cake Cutting, Dancing
9:30 Photography Coverage Ends

I hope you find this first look and timeline explanation helpful as you plan your wedding!  Are you scheduling a first look on your wedding day? Share your plans by leaving a comment below!

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHERS

Shaina Lee Photography is a husband and wife photography team serving Connecticut, New York, and beyond.  We specialize in timeless, elegant, and romantic weddings while celebrating all couples in love. 

Are you planning a proposal, engagement session or wedding?