The First Look

“She rounded the corner and turned into the warm shade beneath the corridor, holding her dress, stepping softly. The warm browns of the walls bounced off her skin and her dress sparkled lightly as the sunlight cascaded through the vineyards, down the hallway, and onto her dress. She looked up at the figure standing with his back to her and smiled. It was the smile we had been waiting for. It wasn’t the one of excitement when she slipped on her dress and walked to the mirror to see herself for the first time. It wasn’t the laughter that she reserved for her bridesmaids. It wasn’t even the one I saw during her engagement photos when she gazed into his eyes. It was the one that appears when a bride sees the man she is going to marry for the first time. And hers was stunning. All of the beauty inside of her suddenly radiated the moment she saw him standing with his back to her, ready to see his bride on their wedding day.

And when he turned around, his eyes saw that same beauty standing before him. All he could do was step forward and take her in his arms.”

This was a First Look moment that I described at a wedding in June of 2008, but this same exact feeling takes place with every First Look that Jeff and I photograph. What is a First Look? Its when a bride and groom decide to see each other before the ceremony in a private and intimate moment. There are tons of reasons why we love First Looks, but I thought that I would share just the most common reasons to consider seeing each before your ceremony.

(Of course, we will never force anyone to do a First Look if they don’t want to. Its your day and we will do everything in our power to make it perfect!)

1. We pick the location

If you see each other before the ceremony, Jeff and I are given the freedom to pick the best location possible for this amazing moment. We can consider depth, lighting, texture and privacy to make the moment as memorable and beautiful as possible. For example, our most recent First Look took place with Amy & Garett at The City Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, which was fifteen minutes away from their ceremony site. We were able to set up an amazing perspective of their first moment together because were given the freedom to choose the location.

2. We capture the emotion

When you see each other for the first time in a private location, both of you can express your emotions much more freely than when you are standing in front of your guests. We will be able to give you 5-10 minutes to just be together, talk to each other, say how excited you are, and take in the moment. For many couples, this is the only time that they get to spend by themselves on their wedding day!

3. We can go to cool locations

When our couples choose to see each other before the ceremony, we have the ability to take pictures at locations that wouldn’t be possible between the ceremony and reception. For example, we spent an hour taking pictures inside of the gorgeous Mission at San Juan Capistrano with Jeff and Meredith in August of 2008, which wouldn’t have been possible after the ceremony. Instead, we had tons of fun beforehand and they were able to mingle with guests during the cocktail hour. We’ve also been able to tromp through meadows and trek up sand dunes, all for some incredible images!

5. We get to have fun

Your wedding day is ultimately about celebrating your love and commitment to each other, and we want you two to have the best experience possible. The First Look gives us the flexibility and time to relax, have fun, and capture your love for each other!