First Look or No First Look? A Gulf Coast Photographer’s Honest Take

A first look is a private moment when you see each other before the ceremony, usually with just your photographer there. It gives you more time with your guests and more relaxed portraits, at the cost of the “first sight” at the aisle. Neither choice is wrong. On the Gulf Coast, one thing tips the balance more than anywhere else I know: the sunset. From November to February, the sun is down before most receptions begin, and a first look is often the only way to get portraits in daylight. Here’s how I’d decide, with sample timelines for both.

I’m Korbin, a wedding photographer and videographer on the Gulf Coast (KDH Weddings). I’ve photographed weddings both ways, and I don’t push couples either way. I just show them what each one does to their day.

What is a first look?

A first look is when a couple sees each other in their wedding clothes before the ceremony. Usually one of you waits with your back turned and the other walks up and taps a shoulder. It’s just the two of you, and me and my camera at a distance. After the first look, we usually go straight into couple portraits, then the wedding party and family, all before the ceremony.

Some couples also do a first look with a parent, usually dad, before the ceremony or before seeing each other.

Pros of a first look

• More time with your guests. When most portraits are done before the ceremony, you can actually go to your cocktail hour.
• Calmer nerves. Most couples tell me the nerves disappear the second they see each other. The ceremony feels easier afterwards.
• A private moment. You can talk, laugh, cry and read letters without 150 people watching.
• More relaxed portraits. No rush between the ceremony and the reception, and more variety in locations and light.
• Beating the early sunset. In winter on the Gulf Coast, this is often the deciding factor (more below).

Cons of a first look

• You’ll be ready earlier. Hair, makeup and dressing all move up by one to two hours.
• No “first sight” at the aisle. If that moment has been in your head since you were eight, don’t give it away.
• Less time getting ready together with your bridal party, if they’re also in the portraits.

“Does a first look ruin the aisle moment?”

In my experience, no. I see just as many tears at the aisle after a first look as without one. Seeing each other in private and seeing each other walking down the aisle, with your families watching and the music playing, are two different moments. Most couples who do a first look still cry at the ceremony. But if the aisle reveal matters to you more than anything else, skip it. That’s a perfectly good reason.

How the Gulf Coast sunset changes the answer

The sun sets at about 4:50 pm in December and about 7:53 pm in late June in Pensacola, and the whole coast is within a few minutes of that.

• November to February weddings: with a 4 pm ceremony, the sun is gone by the time you’ve done family photos. A first look is usually the only way to get couple portraits in daylight, and I’d strongly recommend it.
• March to May and September to October: you have options. With a ceremony around 4:30 to 5 pm, we can do family photos after it and still catch golden hour for couple portraits. Many couples skip the first look here.
• June to August: sunset is late, so there’s plenty of light either way. The first look question becomes about heat: an earlier first look in the shade, and then portraits near sunset, keeps everyone cooler.

Here’s the whole year: the best months for a Gulf Coast wedding.

Sample timelines: first look vs no first look

These assume a 5:00 pm ceremony in October, with sunset around 6:18 pm.

With a first look

No first look

Neither timeline is better. The no-first-look day is only tight if the family list is long, which is why a tight family photo list matters most on no-first-look days. For more example days, see my wedding day timeline guide.

Alternatives to a first look

If you want some of the calm without giving up the aisle:

• First touch. You stand either side of a door or a corner, hold hands without seeing each other, and talk. Dakhota and Jesse did this at 5eleven Palafox. They kept the first look for the aisle, and the first touch was one of the most emotional moments of their day. Dakhota & Jesse’s 5eleven wedding
• Letters or gifts. Exchange letters or a gift through the bridal party, and I’ll photograph each of you reading them.
• Private vows. Austin and Kaila did a first look at Bartram Park in downtown Pensacola and read each other handwritten vows before their ceremony at Palafox Wharf. Austin & Kaila’s wedding
• First look with a parent. A moment with dad or mom before the ceremony, even if you save the aisle for your partner.

How to make a first look great

1. Pick a private, shaded spot close to where you’re getting ready, with a backup for rain.
2. Keep it private. No bridal party peeking from the window, unless you want them there.
3. Take your time. Talk to each other. I’ll stay back and use a long lens.
4. Yes, you can kiss. Just blot the lipstick afterwards.
5. Go straight into portraits while you’re relaxed and the moment’s fresh.

How many hours of photography do you need?

A first look adds about an hour to the front of your day, so it can push you from 6 to 9 hours of coverage. My packages are 3 hours ($1,500), 6 hours ($3,000) and 9 hours ($4,500), with a second shooter on 6 and 9 hours, which is especially helpful for getting two getting-ready rooms on a first-look day. See pricing

FAQ: first looks