The Most Important Thing to Tell Couples Before Their First Look
It’s no secret.
I absolutely LOVE first looks! (So much so, I wrote this post about our own wedding!) I love that my couples get to have time just for themselves during their wedding. I love that the rush of the day slows for them. I love that grooms get to see their brides and tell them exactly how they feel right then. I love how much time it leaves us to give my couples extra portraits of the two of them. I love the ease it puts on the timeline. I love that my couples can pray together, read their letters to each other, get away from the commotion of everything else that’s happening. I just LOVE first looks! (Side note: Do all my couples do a first look? Not at all! I know everyone has a special vision for their unique wedding and we make anything work!)
But if you’re a wedding photographer, there is one important thing that I’ve learned and come to think is vitally necessary to tell your couple BEFORE their first look.
And it’s this.
I tell the groom as I position and instruct him before his bride meets him the same thing that I tell the bride before she walks out to him…
“This is your moment.
Take your time with each other. Talk as long as you want.
I’m going to stay in the background until you tell me you’re ready to move onto portraits.
There’s no rush.
Enjoy this.”
When I take the time to tell my couples this, it does a couple things. It reaffirms what I love about first looks–it’s their time. Their moment. It doesn’t rush anything. The timeline might be behind, but this is much more important. Let her cherish his reaction. Let him have the time to tell her how she looks. The goal is for them to forget you’re even there. When you eliminate the confusion about if you will tell them when to move on or if they will tell you, then the first look will be everything your couple dreamed it would be!