Why The First Look Is The Best Addition To Your Wedding Day
Choosing to add a first look to your wedding photography itinerary is a choice many couples have trouble coming to a decision on. Here’s why you should totally do a first look.
On a wedding day, you and your vendors work a delicate balance between the logistics of the actual event, to the emotional flow of one of the biggest days of your life. As a photographer, I’m with you and your spouse every step of the way through the day, so I’m there for all the choked-back tears and hurriedly mis-buttoned suit jackets (guys, don’t fasten that bottom button). When the timeline is fast-approaching the point in the day where excited and hungry guests start arriving, this is often where the most jam-packed two hours of the wedding occur. Utilizing a first look before the ceremony can totally change how you and your family feel after you say “I Do.” Let’s break that down:
The Power Hour (And A Half)
I mentioned that, often after the ceremony, the couple and relevant family members can feel rushed and ultimately stressed by the timeline. People often try and cram everything and the kitchen sink into the time between the ceremony and reception. I call this the “Power Hour [And A Half]”. Here, you must balance the need to get a bunch of photos done in a short amount of time, and the gurgling tummies of your hangry wedding guests. An example of this would be:
3:00 - Ceremony
3:30 - Ceremony End
3:45 - Receiving Line Finishes
3:50 - Family Photos
4:20 - Wedding Party Photos
4:40 - Couple Creative Portraits
5:00 - Line Up For Reception Entrance
You can see how this timeline presents some major issues. The first is that we must face reality… The reality that your family photo time will likely go over what the timeline prescribes. Maybe it’s your distracted uncle Steve, whose attention is being pulled in two directions by both the open bar and his frustrated wife calling his name. Maybe it’s your little cousin who, though she nailed her role as the flower girl, can’t seem to stop crying over the fact that, no, she’s not allowed to yank down the cloth draped over the ceremony arbor. Whatever roadblock your wedding day will throw in your direction, it will likely happen during family photos due to the many moving parts. This pushes the ever-important wedding party and couple creative photo sections deeper into the reception time, where famished guests and anxious vendors await you.
There Is An Easy Fix
If you’re willing to relocate the experience of your first look from the ceremony aisle to an earlier time of the day, then virtually all of your scheduling woes for the rest of the day wash away, at least from a photography perspective. Placing a set time for doing a first look allows us to complete your creative portraits, wedding party shots, and even some family photos, all before the ceremony.
Then, once the ceremony is finished, all we have to worry about is grabbing the remaining family photos - usually extended family and large groups. If we have the time, we can grab a few post-marriage photos of you and your now-spouse in the time before the reception. The rest of the day flows really smoothly, and the only real adjustments you may have to make to accommodate the first look is to start your getting-ready processes an hour or so earlier in the day. A small price to pay for this huge scheduling weight off your back! So many of my couples have told me that they loved the small, quiet moments that happened during their first look. Many use it as an opportunity to read personal notes to each other, or to exchange gifts. As a plus, it makes for some really beautiful, powerful photos!
We, as wedding vendors, really want you to have a beautiful, stress-free day that you remember fondly. If you’re having trouble fitting everything into your current itinerary, consider adding a first look!
Andrew + Kristen - St. Louis, Missouri Engagement Session
Kristen and Andrew’s St. Louis engagement session in Downtown and Lafayette park!
Just another gorgeous evening spent with gorgeous people. I had so much fun hanging out with Kristen and Andrew during their session as we took advantage of the fantastic light and quoted movies that Rotten Tomatoes definitely rated too low. Check out some of my favorites below!
Michalah + Zach - Peoria, Illinois Wedding Photography
The best of the best from Michalah and Zach’s Peoria, IL wedding photos!
Weddings from my hometown are consistently just straight-up magic, so it was fitting that Michalah and Zach’s wedding day was, well, magical! We started the day off getting ready at Cornerstone Baptist Church, hopped on over to Luthy Botanical Gardens in Peoria for some chilly photos, and went back to Cornerstone where the ceremony took place. Then, we scooted on over to Tremont High School for the reception. It was surreal shooting in the building where we all attended Jr. High and High school, but such a blast and the photos turned out great!
I’m honored to have been a small part of Michalah and Zach’s big day, and honored to share some of my favorite moments of their wedding with you. Take a look!
Interested in getting some cool photos made of you and your fiancé?
Heather + Coleman - Springfield, Illinois Creative Wedding Photography
Coleman and Heather’s Springfield, IL wedding at The Inn 835 was fantastic! Here are some of my favorite moments.
Heather and Coleman are just amazing humans, and I am so blessed to have been given the opportunity to document their wedding day! What’s that? You need proof that they’re a couple after my own heart? Here’s what Heather texted me when we first spoke:
“We are nerds at heart (DnD, gaming, LOTR, Harry Potter, etc.)”
That’s it! That’s all I needed to know that they’d be rad. Their ceremony and reception were at The Inn 835 in Springfield, Illinois - an absolutely beautiful venue that just popped under the warm light and budding fall colors that we caught that day.
I’m so happy for Coleman and Heather. Check out some of my favorites from their day below!
Lauri + Matt - Peoria, Illinois Creative Engagement Session
Lauri and Matt’s Peoria, Illinois engagement session! Check out some of my favorites!
I had such a blast hanging out with Matt and Lauri for their Peoria, Illinois engagement session! We started the session in Donovan Park, and eventually worked our way over to Peoria Heights for the rest of the session.
Pro tip: If there is a seemingly abandoned yet cute-looking couch in the middle of a park that is popular with photographers, do not approach said couch. It is a trap and you will be asked by another photographer to leave the immediate vicinity.
Chelsea + Mason - Peoria, Illinois Creative Engagement Session
A gorgeous sunrise joined Chelsea and Mason during their engagement session in Peoria, Illiniois.
Chelsea and Mason’s sunrise engagement session in Peoria is a story. A story of trials, a story of challenges, a story of redemption…
Which really means we couldn’t find the trailhead to the park we wanted to visit so we spent some time at a random playground in a trailer park.
In all seriousness, I’ve been wanting to do a sunrise session for a VERY long time. We started on the Peoria riverfront, and made our way over to Rocky Glen park! Some last-minute weather issues made this possible, and it turned out fantastic! Here are a few of my favorites from that morning.
In need of some photos? Hit me up!
Annie + Russell - Highland, Illinois Creative Wedding Photography
This is the blog about Annie and Russell’s Highland, Illinois wedding jamboree!
Annie and Russell’s Highland, Illinois wedding was nothing short of a blast! It was so much fun to see a lot of the same people that I took pictures of last year at Alexa’s wedding!
From the lovely ceremony at St. Paul Catholic Church to the rip-roarin’ reception at Lindendale Ballroom, it was a day filled with so much jubilant love and laughs. Also, the toasts had me cackling behind my camera. Go, team! See some of my favorites below.
Elizabeth + Scott - St. Louis, MO Wedding Photography
Elizabeth and Scott’s lovely and intimate wedding day at SIlver Oaks Chateau.
Liz and Scott’s wedding day was one for the books. They did such a stellar job with all of the details, and making everyone there feel so welcome and loved. I’m so gosh dang happy for them, and I’m so gosh darn happy with the photos we made.
Ceremony and Reception held at Silver Oaks Chateau in Pacific, MO.
If you’re curious, here’s their engagement session!
There are some late 2019 and 2020 dates still available. If you need photos, hit me up!
Rachel + Holden - Taylorville, Illinois Wedding
Holden and Rachel’s Taylorville, Illinois wedding photography!
Joined my good friends Rachel and Holden in Taylorville, Illinois at The Landing Barn to photograph their wedding a few months ago. The rain gave way to sunshine later on in the day and it was just so much fun!
Video by: Jesse James Ayers
Jesse is a cool, cool guy. Here’s a fun vlog he did from the wedding day!
Thanks for tagging along! If you need photos of your own, hit me up!
Joe + Kailey - Defiance, Missouri Wedding
Kailey and Joe’s Defiance, MO wedding at the Daniel Boone Home. Love love love!
I have so much love and joy for Kailey and Joe. What an honor it was to document their day, make really cool photos with them, and party into the wee hours with their family.
Amen.
Ceremony/Reception: Daniel Boone Home
Need cool photos?
Utah, 2018 - Landscape Photography and Hiking Adventure
Landscape Photography trip to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, as well as Dead Horse Point State Park
I’m fighting for it, my friends. Each year, I’m fighting to get far away from my routine and not shower for a week and sleep on the ground and take photos and hike until my feet fall off and feel so insignificant under the pressing depth of Creation. Not just a weekend getaway, but an intentional effort to go somewhere new.
To be clear, it’s not escapism. I love my life back home.
It’s the desire to feel uncomfortable by breaking my normal, so as to breed an itch that only unfamiliar terrain and an oil change’s worth of miles on my aging car can scratch.
So I went to Utah this year. I went with my good friend, Stephen. We packed up a car full of pasta sides and camera gear and headed to the West, only 6 hours further than the 13 we drove last year.
Here are some pictures I took.
Trip Notes:
We drove for two days. In the middle we stopped and camped for the night an hour outside of Denver. This is where the photos start. We then went to Arches national park and spent 3 nights there. After that, we moved camp to Dead Horse Point state park as a home base and spent two days exploring Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point.
That’s it! These are some of my favorites from Utah, 2018.
Heather + Coleman - Springfield, Illinois Engagement Session
Heather and Coleman’s Springfield, Illinois Engagement Session. EPIC.
What a fantastic couple, and an EPIC set of photos we made together. Heather and Coleman are an absolute hoot to hang out with (they love music, and puppies, and DnD!!! ❤️).
Their joyful natures shine through these photos, I believe, and I cannot wait to shoot their big day!
Check out some of my favorites from their session below!
If you or someone you love needs cool pics… Hit me up!
Rebekah + David - Springfield, Illinois Wedding
A few of the highlights from Rebekah and David’s Springfield, Illinois Wedding!
This was such a joyful wedding day! Hopping around Springfield with these two was so much fun, and their wedding was so special.
The ceremony was at Edwards Place, one of the most unique spaces I’ve had the pleasure of shooting in. We moved over to the reception at the Springfield Motor Boat Club, which is a space I know is so important to Rebekah and David. In fact, each location was meaningful to them in some way, and it was so special to be brought along in the story that day!
Also, the dancing got REAL goofy near the end. Take a peek at some of the highlights!
Thanks for checking this wedding day out! If you need images of your own, let’s chat!
Elizabeth + Scott - St. Louis, Missouri Engagement Session
Elizabeth and Scott’s Forest Park engagement session!
From my first meeting with Elizabeth and Scott, I knew they were gonna be tons of fun! Scott is a super talented potter, and Elizabeth is a painter and raises German Shepherds! Art and puppies: an obvious match made in heaven.
I can’t wait to see what we make on their wedding day! See some of my favorites from their engagement session below. ❤️
Makeup By Ashley Boren
Hair By Katie Evers
Max + Abigail - Peoria, Illinois Engagement Session
Max and Abigail’s Peoria, Illinois engagement session!
I can’t get enough of the deep greens and golden light from Max and Abigail’s engagement session. Please enjoy some of my favorites!
PSA: If you or someone you know is in need of some photos, contact me today!
Emma + Kurt - Marion, Illinois Wedding
Some pics from Emma and Kurt’s lovely Moline, Illinois wedding!
After Emma and Kurt’s engagement session, I knew I was in for a treat with these two.
The loving family, friends and gorgeous weather framed their wedding day so perfectly.
And they even let me steal them for night portraits. How neat is that??
Pretty neat, I’d say! See some of my favorites below.
Thanks for scrollin’! If you need some photos of your own, say hi!
Ellie + Austin - East Moline, Illinois Wedding
Austin and Ellie’s East Moline, Illinois wedding photos!
You may remember Ellie and Austin from a killer engagement session we did forever ago! Well, it was time to get hitched.
Here's a rundown of the day:
Really cool salon: ✔️ (Thanks to Five Star Salon Spa)
Great taste in podcasts: ✔️
Amazing father-daughter look: ✔️
RAIN: ✔️
Muddy Shoes: ✔️✔️
Epic Party: 🎉
See more below!
Aren't those stars beautiful? Leave a comment and tell Ellie and Austin how great they look!
By the way, if you're in need of some wedding photos, I'd be happy to chat!
Matt + Alexa - Highland, Illinois Wedding
Some pictures we made at Matt and Alexa’s Highland, Illinois wedding!
I'm a tad late on the blogging train, but I still wanted to get some of my favorites out there before I wrap Alexa and Matt's wedding up for delivery!
This was such a killer wedding, and there was so much love in the air for these two. An awesome couple, lovely family and friends, and a crispy hot day made for quite the party!
Do ya need any cool photos, and haven't found the right person to take them yet?
Katie + Kyle - Hermann, Missouri Wedding
My favorites from Kyle and Katie’s beautiful farm wedding in Hermann, Missouri!
Katie and Kyle's wedding was a HAWT one! But it was also so, so, so good. You could easily tell that every single person on this lovely day had so much love and joy for the bride and groom.
And that makes for some good partying!
I did Katie and Kyle's engagement session back in February (which seems like forever ago), and to see them again and to be given the honor to do their wedding day was such a joy.
If you'd like your day to be better, scroll on down and see some of my favorites from Katie and Kyle's big day! #whanggang
Venue: Sweet Clover Farm
Need some awesome pics of your wedding day?
Mary + Austin - Collinsville, Illinois Wedding
See some of my favorite moments from Mary and Austin’s Collinsville, Illinois barn wedding!
This fun little Collinsville wedding could not have been a more perfect day! The weather was perfect and uncharacteristically cool, which was a welcome change from what we've been getting lately here in the midwest. Hanging out with Mary and Austin, and getting a front-row seat to their hilarious family and friends was an absolute joy.
Thanks so much to Willoughby Farm for having such a fantastic venue for a June wedding. See some of my favorites below!
Are you getting married soon, and need some photos taken of said marriage?