To Look or Not to Look: That is the question

Ah yes, the ultimate wedding debate—right up there with “chicken or beef?” and “do we really need a donut wall? (which the answer should always be YES!)”

Should you sneak a peek with your almost-spouse before the ceremony, or hold out for the Big Cinematic Aisle Moment (cue dramatic music and possible ugly crying)? There are Pros & Cons to both, hence the discussion, it really comes down to who you are as a couple, where you are getting married, and maybe your timeline.

(The “📷” below share our point of view on this topic.)

The Pros of a First Look:

1. Calm Those Nerves Seeing your partner before the ceremony can be the ultimate anxiety antidot. It's a private moment to breathe, laugh, and maybe even shed a tear without an audience.

📷 These photographically are some of the sweetest moments I have ever documented we can get right in there and catch the tears, the laughter, the moment.

2. Maximize Photo Ops First looks allow for a relaxed photo session before the ceremony, ensuring you get those amazing shots while your makeup is still fresh and the light is just right.

📷 TRUE!

3. Enjoy the Cocktail Hour By handling photos beforehand, you can actually attend your cocktail hour, sip that signature drink, and mingle with guests instead of posing for a picture.

📷 THIS allows for great photos of you and your guests, not just on the dark dance floor.

4. Intimate Moments This is your chance for a genuine, uninterrupted moment together—a rarity on such a bustling day.

📷 YUP! This is why we LOVE a first look!…that being said…..

The Cons of a First Look

1. Breaking Tradition If you're a stickler for the classic "see you at the altar" moment, a first look might feel like a departure from tradition.
📷 I mean that locking eyes with your loved one as you walk arm in arm with your Dad….

2. Earlier Start Time Be prepared for an earlier wake-up call. Hair, makeup, and getting dressed all need to happen sooner to accommodate the first look.

📷 I mean this is what the internet says, me, I think if your day is scheduled right (which we can help with) you shouldn’t need to loose any beauty sleep.

3. Potential for Overexposure Some worry that seeing each other before the ceremony might dilute the emotional impact of the aisle moment.

📷 I mean, maybe?!?, but for me (David and I did a first look, so maybe i’m biased) but I got two first looks. One, just me and my best friend. The second, with my dad beside me surrounded by my family and friends.

4. Additional Costs An earlier start might mean extended hours for your photographer and videographer, potentially increasing costs.

📷 Not with David and Sherry Photography, we are yours for the whole day. So plan your day the way you want to!

Timing Tidbits

If you’re thinking about doing a first look, the trick is to plan backwards from your ceremony time. Why? Because the ceremony is the one thing you absolutely cannot push. The ceremony is the one thing that absolutely has to start on time—no ifs, ands, or “just five more minutes.” So if you’re going to sneak in that pre-aisle peek, you’ll want to map everything out from there.

QUESTIONS TO ANSWER:

Where do you want to do the first look? Travel time?

Who’s involved—just the two of you, or are your wedding party and family coming along for the ride? Your dog wearing a bowtie?

How many photos do you want to take before the ceremony? All of them? or just the two of you?

All of these factor into how early you need to get started in the morning. Spoiler alert: it’s often earlier than you think. But don’t panic—we’re timeline pros and we’re here to help you build a schedule that feels relaxed and actually works.

Now, if you’re having a Jewish wedding, a first look might already be built into your day! The Bedeken—which is the veiling ceremony where the groom sees the bride before the wedding—is essentially the OG first look. Maybe that’s where the rest of us got the idea from? Tradition meets trend. We love to see it.

The takeaway? Start with the ceremony time, then reverse-engineer the rest. We’ll help you map it out so your first look feels relaxed, unrushed, and completely you. The first look is one of the most beautiful, grounding moments of your wedding—if it fits your vision for the day.

Our job? Make sure it also fits your schedule. We’ll bring the tissues, the timelines, and the chill vibes—because we’re equal parts romantic (David) and ruthlessly organized (Sherry).

Peeking early or holding out for the aisle tears—we’re here for your kind of drama.
– David & Sherry
Bringing the tissues, wrangling the timeline, and making first looks look d**n good since way before it was trendy