Sweet Wedding First Look Alternatives If You Want to Wait Until the Aisle
Chances are if you’re reading this post, you’re pretty firmly in the no first look camp. You’ve always pictured seeing each other for the first time at the ceremony; you love the tradition of waiting until you walk down the aisle, and a first look just doesn’t feel like you. I totally support doing what means the most to YOU for your wedding day! 👏🏻
One of the biggest benefits of a first look that I always share with my couples is the dedicated alone time you get with each other on your wedding day. You. Your partner. That’s it! (Well…except your photographer off to the side trying to be as invisible as possible. But you’re expecting that. 😂) The good news is that skipping a first look doesn’t mean you have to miss out on having a meaningful moment together before the ceremony! There are plenty of wedding first look alternatives that let you connect, calm some of those nerves, and soak everything in without actually seeing each other.
1. Do a First Look With Someone Else
Your partner isn’t the only person you can have a first look with! Plan one with your dad, mom, both of your parents, a grandparent, sibling, or someone else who means a lot to you. They get to see you completely dressed and ready for the first time, and you get a few minutes together before the ceremony begins. Just be prepared for the possibility of needing a makeup touch-up afterward! 🥹
2. Do a First Touch
A first touch is one of my favorite alternatives for couples who want to wait until the aisle to actually see each other! We’ll find a spot where you can stand on opposite sides of a wall, doorway, or corner and reach around to hold hands without sneaking a peek.
You still get that quiet time together to talk, laugh, and calm each other’s nerves, but the big reveal is saved for the ceremony. And yes, I will make VERY sure neither of you can accidentally see the other before I get you into place! 😂
3. Write Each Other Letters
If you want to keep yourselves completely separate before the ceremony, write letters to each other and plan a few minutes to read them while you’re getting ready. It’s such a personal way to tell your favorite person how excited you are, what you’re feeling that morning, and what you’re looking forward to about the life you’re about to start together.
You can exchange them through your wedding party or have someone deliver them, and you’ll have the letters to keep long after the wedding day is over!
4. Read Your Vows to Each Other
Love the idea of writing personal vows but feel a little anxious about reading them in front of everyone you know? You can share them privately before the ceremony without seeing each other!
Just like a first touch, you can stand around a corner or on opposite sides of a doorway and read your personal vows to each other while saving the more traditional vows for the ceremony. You still get that intimate moment together, but you don’t have to share something incredibly personal in front of a crowd if that doesn’t feel comfortable to you.
5. Exchange Wedding Day Gifts
If you’re planning to exchange wedding day gifts, turn that into its own little moment! You can open them at the same time while you’re hidden from each other during a first touch, or separately while you’re getting ready.
You may not be able to see each other’s reactions, but you can still hear them if you’re together! And if you decide to open them separately, your photographer can document each reaction so you both get to see those moments later in your wedding gallery.
6. Do a First Look With Your Wedding Party
Your wedding party may have seen a picture of your outfit already, but that’s completely different from seeing you all dressed, finished, and ready to GET MARRIED! Have everyone get dressed first, then make your grand entrance once you’re completely ready.
These first looks are usually some combination of cheering, crying, laughing, and everyone immediately wanting to hug you, which makes them SO much fun to photograph. Plus, it gives you another chance to slow down and enjoy a moment with some of your favorite people before the ceremony!
You Can Still Have a Meaningful Moment Without a First Look
There’s no right or wrong way to plan this part of your wedding day. A first look can be amazing, but it’s absolutely not a requirement for having a relaxed timeline or meaningful photos! If waiting until the ceremony to see each other is something you’ve always dreamed about, keep that moment.
You’re going to get a LOT of opinions while planning your wedding, but you don’t have to make decisions based on what everyone else thinks you should do. Pick the traditions you love, skip the ones you don’t, and find little ways to make the experience feel like the two of you. Whether that means holding hands around a corner, exchanging letters, sharing private vows, or staying completely separate until you walk down the aisle, we can build your photography timeline around what matters most to you!
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