First Look: Pre-Ceremony or at the Aisle?

Many of my clients have been asking me lately for my thoughts on the merits of doing creative portraits before the ceremony versus waiting for the iconic look down the aisle being the first glimpse of the bride in her wedding dress.

My recommendation is to first take light into consideration. If you are having an evening wedding at sunset or thereafter, you may find yourself facing some limitations regarding the portraits that can be taken post-ceremony. While your photographer should be capable of using lighting techniques to take creative portraits even if it is dark outside, clean, beautiful photographs are generally best captured with the assistance of some natural light.

I also recommend that couples think about how eager they will be to celebrate with their friends and family after the wedding. While some couples are fine taking off for the whole of the cocktail hour and greeting guests at the reception, many brides and grooms want to spend the cocktail hour socializing, sipping and having fun. It can also be a bit of a challenge to get into “portrait mode” after a long day of preparation and the release after the ceremony, as many people naturally want to get right to the party!

You should also think about the locations that are important to you for portraiture on the day of the wedding. If you want to go to three different locations in your city, finding the time to do so after the ceremony may be extremely challenging, and you may wish to consider doing these photographs beforehand to ensure you receive all the photographs you desire and keep your guests happy!

A final consideration is to think of what time of moment you would like for your “first look” as bride and groom. I suprisingly find that grooms tend to be the more conservative than the brides in terms of wanting to wait until the ceremony to see each other. They, naturally, are fearful of “spoiling” the moment of seeing their brides walking down the aisle for the first time. However, I find that when couples elect to see each other beforehand, the intimacy that a private meeting before the ceremony can provide elicits reactions that are consistently more emotional than those during the ceremony. I personally find that both brides and grooms are more willing to share a range of emotions when in the company of just one another (and a photographer!). Both brides and grooms also still have nervous, tear-filled reactions during the ceremony, even if they see each other beforehand. With all of your guests and loved ones surrounding you in your venue and a processional song playing, the anticipation will almost surely still be there, ripe for photographs.

While your decision should be a personal one that takes into account your comfort level and the importance of tradition, I find that doing portraits pre-ceremony generally helps the day go smoother for everyone involved. Here are a few photos of some “first look” meetings I photographed last year: