I'm the owner + photographer at Anne Casey Photography — serving Maryland & Pennsylvania

 First look photos are becoming a more and more popular part of the wedding day. And I LOVE when couples decide to indulge in this trend! There are TONS of fun ideas with first look photos like having the bride walk up behind her loved one and tap them on the shoulder OR having your bridesmaids and groomsmen cover your eyes before you see each other. AHHH the feels!!  Chris and I decided to do first look photos and other than actually getting married, it was the thing we looked forward to the most!! I can’t explain how amazing it felt to just have a few quiet minutes with my future husband. So from the photography aspect AND being a bride last December, I totally see the significance with first looks! Today I’m going to give you the top 3 reasons why first looks are truly valuable.

1.)   Settling your nerves. You remember that saying “stop and smell the roses?” Well that’s kind of what first looks are ALL about.  I think we all know the actual wedding day can be a tad overwhelming. From worrying about being on time for hair and make up, to making sure you haven’t forgotten anything-it can be a little hectic! Having a moment where you can just stop and appreciate each other right before you exchange vows can be absolutely priceless. Think about it, you really won’t be able to talk until AFTER the ceremony is over. So why wait?!

2.)    You’ll have more variety in your wedding day portraits! The first look is before the ceremony, of course, so those photos will be earlier in the day. After the ceremony is the typical time to do all of the portraits, so the light look different later in the day. What’s more is that a lot of my couples choose to take abut 10 minutes during their reception for sunset or nighttime portraits. So. Many. Choices! And consider the weather! There are times when doing a first look saves your portraits because of rainstorms! As a natural light photographer, rain can really put a damper on things! If you’re waiting until after the ceremony for portraits and it starts pouring rain, then that limits our options for portrait locations! If you’ve made the choice for a first look, you will still have gorgeous naturally lit images from your wedding.

3.)  You get more photos. Since first looks give some additional time during your special day, it allows me to take even more gorgeous portraits! And being able to have more photos of your wedding day is definitely NOT a bad thing 😉 You’ll be looking at these photos for years to come! And think about your future wedding album! First look photos are SUCH a nice addition to wedding albums.

To my engaged couples, I hope you consider doing a first look for your wedding. Not only because I’m obsessed with first looks, but because it create an unforgettable moment that will for sure be etched in your hearts forever <3 Look below and you’ll see just a sampling of gorgeous images I was able to capture during the first look!