Timing and the First Look

Looking back to the time that Ray and I were planning our wedding, I recall the stress behind interviewing vendors, booking the caterer, the dj the photographer. As a 10 year old I remember dreaming about the day I'd get married and how everything was going to be perfect, however the organizing of it all prior to having mister right just never occurred to me.


I knew pictures were going to be one of the most important things that we'd purchase for our day. I thought we had the perfect photographer. We eagerly looked forward to seeing the images of our day. Then disappointment set in. After all these years of looking back and regretting my choice I realized one of the biggest problems that caused the let down of the photos was the lack of time that was allocated for group photos. Somehow in the rush of everything that we were doing I somehow missed to have pictures of me and my siblings taken, several important key people were left out and there were only a few pics of Ray and I together.

I can only put part of the blame on our photographer for why I'm not happy with our pictures. Had I been more sensitive, I would have made it a priority to set aside the time during the day. Ray and I would have seen each other before the ceremony and would have had a good amount of time allocated toward our pictures together.

As a photographer I try to emphasis that one of the most important parts of the day of the wedding is making sure that you allocate a good amount of time to the pictures. I also put measures in place to assure that all the key people that are needed to be photographed are photographed, as I dread ever having a bride come to me asking me why I didn't photograph her with her siblings.

As a photographer, if you don't put these preventative measures in place and emphasis to your bride and groom the importance of setting aside the time, the chances are that someone who is important isn't going to make it into the pictures. I've learned that you have to roll with the punches and be ready to grab any available moment you can find to make sure to get pictures of the bride and groom. This can be challenging sometimes as they don't want to be apart from their guests but in the end when they see their pictures, they're glad you asked for the time.

I've found the best way we manage instances when we know that the schedule is going to be tight is to suggest a photo session between the bride and groom prior to the wedding ceremony. I love it when couples allow this. An intimate introduction like this can be set up in a way that we are able to capture raw emotion off the bat. Not only this, it grants the permission for a couple to hold and awe at each other for several minutes prior to making their eternal commitment to each other. I encourage all couples to consider this option as the result becomes a huge pay off in the images.

So my bit of advise for the Bride and Groom would be: make the time for your pictures, if you can and are willing work it out to see each other before the ceremony and work with your photographer to make it clear that he/she has a list of important people that you want included in the group pictures.

My advise to any photographer is: suggest and encourage couples to have a first look session and explain and be creative in finding ways to make the moment intimate enough that the couple will be excited to opt for this rather than the first look being at the ceremony. Explain the benefits that they will gain in having more time with their guests after the ceremony.


Here are a couple of my fave's that we shot with two beautiful couples who opted to have their first look prior to the ceremony:

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