fbpx

last day to save big!

The AJ Spring Flash Sale disappears tonight! Click here to score a deal on the course or resource you need before they’re gone!

black friday EXTENDED

last day to save big!

flash sale ends tongiht


Browse by Category

Browse Blog by Category:

For Brides

The First Look

We're Amy & Jordan
We're here to help you take amazing photos, build a successful business and live a beautiful life. We're high school sweethearts, parents of three and teachers at heart. 
TOp categories
Wanna Take Amazing Photos?
take the free class

Decisions. Decisions. Decisions. Brides make hundreds of decisions to plan the perfect wedding and we want to help them make some of those decisions easier. In this series, we’re opening up about  different parts of the wedding day timeline and uncovering some of the best decisions every bride can make before the wedding to help ensure the day is everything the bride envisions, and maybe even more!  If you’re joining us for the first time, you can catch up here:

1. 5 Tips for Choosing Your Getting Ready Venue
2. 5 Things Every Bride Should Bring to Her Getting Ready Room
3. Is a First Look Right for Me?
4. The First Look from a Groom’s Perspective
5. Building in Time for Bride and Groom Portraits
6. The Three B’s: Bridal Party, Bouquets, & Boutonnieres
7. Making Time for Ceremony and Reception Details
8. Why We LOVE Linens

Should you see your groom before you walk down the aisle, or not? That’s a tough question to answer, because it’s a personal one. Everyone has an opinion from your mom to your photographer, and you can’t really know if you made the right call, well, ever, because it only happens once. You can’t test drive it beforehand. You can’t go back and do it again. And while tradition dictates that your man doesn’t see you until everyone else does, more and more brides are opting to see their husbands-to-be before the bridal march plays. So, just why are so many brides choosing a first look? We’ve got our opinion, theirs, and a lot more below…

What is a first look? 
The first look is a special moment for the bride and groom to see each other for the first time on their wedding day before the actual ceremony.  It’s intimate and it’s private, with only your photographers there to capture each moment as it unfolds. We’re there to stand back and freeze time for our brides and grooms as you get a chance to hug, cry, kiss, twirl each other around, hold each other, whisper sweet nothings, and take a moment to just breathe and be together. The best part? It’s all caught on camera, so you can relive the way you felt in that moment for the rest of your lives.

Fort Myers Beach Wedding_0013

What does my photographer think?
We, as photographers, always want what’s best for you, the bride and groom. It’s your day, not ours. So, if you’ve decided that a first look isn’t for you and there’s nothing that could change your mind, then your photographer, no matter who it is, should respect that. We absolutely do. But, if there’s part of you that’s still curious, if you’re on the first look fence, we’ve a got a few things for you to consider from our experience.

1. You’ll get more time together.
And that time is precious. The very first time you see your groom, you will actually get to talk to him! You’ll get the kind of time that a ceremony just can’t provide. He’ll have the time to twirl you around, hug you over and over, wipe your tears, tell you how nervous he’s been and how absolutely beautiful you look. In a ceremony, couples are lucky to exchange a whispered word or two before the next step in the ceremony begins, and sometimes it feels like it is moving too fast. Most ceremonies take place in the early evening, about an hour before the sun sets, so when a couple chooses to wait until then to see each other, it also limits the amount of time you have left to spend together on your wedding day. A first look gives you a chance to have a full conversation, soak in the day you have been meticulously planning, and then spend the rest of your day enjoying it together.

2. You’ll get more photos.
A first look allows you to maximize your time with your photographer, which means more photos of you and your new husband! When you see each other earlier in the day, you’ll just naturally get more photos of you and your groom, your bridal party, and your family. As we mentioned, most ceremonies begin in the early evening, and there’s limited light left afterward for beautifully-lit, natural portraits. If you do a first look, you can start as early as you want and take as many photos as you want – and we can still sneak away after the ceremony for your first photos as husband and wife right as the sun sets.

3. You’ll be fresh for your photos and your ceremony.
When you opt for a first look, you get to see your groom right when your hair and makeup are freshest. If you cry and smear, it’s okay, because you can touch up before your portraits and before your ceremony.

4. You’ll get to cocktail hour faster, and so will everyone else.
When you choose to do a first look, we are able to get all of your bridal party and family members straight to cocktail hour because their job is already done. It’s like passing straight to “Go” in Monopoly! A first look allows for all of the formal group portraits to take place before the ceremony, when everyone is looking and feeling their best. Then, once the inevitable hunger and exhaustion kick in after the ceremony, your bridal party and family don’t have to wait around for photos before they take advantage of the awesome appetizers and cocktails they’ve been dreaming about. They will be so much happier, and we all know a happy bridal party means a rockin’ party!

Montelucia Wedding_0012

What are brides saying about it?
We might know a thing or two about the first look, but our brides are the true experts. They lived it. We asked a few of our past brides to share what their first look was like for them, and as we read their responses, we just couldn’t help but get chills. Nobody says it better than these real life brides. 

“I was convinced that I did not want to do a first look.”

“When we first sat down with Amy and Jordan, I was convinced that I did not want to do a first look. I was afraid it would take away from that special moment of walking down the aisle and seeing each other for the first time. After some convincing, I agreed it made the most sense with the time we had, but I was still not sold on it. I can now say that, without a doubt, I would recommend doing a first look for anyone. It was the best part of our entire wedding because it gave us a moment that was just for us. We were able to take in the excitement and happiness of the day together, and it was honestly the only part of the whole day that we were able to do this. The world seemed to be in slow motion for just that little time as we laughed and cried together and soaked up the joy of the day. Not only that, but we were then able to get straight to the party after the ceremony and celebrate with our guests. I am so happy we decided to do it because it is now my favorite memory from the day.” – Liz

“I could literally feel my heart pounding in my chest.”

“During our first look, I couldn’t believe how emotional I was. As I walked to the place where we were meeting, I could literally feel my heart pounding in my chest. It was the most emotional moment of the day, because it was so private. Nothing could have prepared me for how exciting it was to see Todd waiting for me. I can’t imagine that it would have been if we had waited until the few seconds at the altar, with 150 people watching! Those are some of the best photos from the day.” – Katie

Soho 63 Wedding Photographer_0069

“The moment I saw him I felt a sense of calmness and peace.”

“By the time, I was literally sewn into my dress and ready to see Heath, I was feeling pretty anxious and stressed. Then, that all changed. The moment I saw him I felt a sense of calmness and peace. It may sound cheesy, but all the other things didn’t matter anymore. There was my very best friend all dressed up like we were going to prom, and nothing else really mattered. No matter what happened the rest of the day, we were gong to be married at the end of it, and I knew all the things we wanted for the rest of our lives were starting right there, in that moment. That sense of peace continued into our wedding and reception. I honestly had the best time. I didn’t worry about another thing and just got to enjoy the blessing of getting married.” – Rachel

“It was the most intimate, special moment of my life.”

“I was hiding in a gated area, waiting for Evan to arrive. His back was facing me, and I slowly creeped up and tapped on his shoulder. When he turned around, we hugged and kissed and looked each other up and down… in complete awe. It was such a special moment. Evan twirled me around, getting a full view of my dress, telling me how beautiful I was. It was the most intimate, special moment of my life. Being there just him and me, taking in our last few minutes before becoming husband and wife, is a moment I will never forget.” – Michelle

Paradise Valley Estate Wedding_0016

 

meet us

Amy & Jordan

We're high school sweethearts who had no formal training in photography, but went from being elementary school teachers to making six figures as full-time photographers. We're teachers at heart (with over 30,000 online course students) and are here to help YOU take amazing photos, build a thriving business and live a beautiful life. As parents to three littles, we're all about making every minute count and love to share what we're learning along the way. We're so glad you're here!
 

Hey friend! we're

meet us

Amy & Jordan

We're high school sweethearts who had no formal training in photography, but went from being elementary school teachers to making six figures as full-time photographers. We're teachers at heart (with over 30,000 online course students) and are here to help YOU take amazing photos, build a thriving business and live a beautiful life. As parents to three littles, we're all about making every minute count and love to share what we're learning along the way. We're so glad you're here!
 

Hey friend! we're

meet us

Amy & Jordan

We're high school sweethearts who had no formal training in photography, but went from being elementary school teachers to making six figures as full-time photographers. We're teachers at heart (with over 30,000 online course students) and are here to help YOU take amazing photos, build a thriving business and live a beautiful life. As parents to three littles, we're all about making every minute count and love to share what we're learning along the way. We're so glad you're here!
 

Hey friend! we're

meet us

Amy & Jordan

We're high school sweethearts who had no formal training in photography, but went from being elementary school teachers to making six figures as full-time photographers. We're teachers at heart (with over 30,000 online course students) and are here to help YOU take amazing photos, build a thriving business and live a beautiful life. As parents to three littles, we're all about making every minute count and love to share what we're learning along the way. We're so glad you're here!
 

Hey friend! we're

meet us

Amy & Jordan

We're high school sweethearts who had no formal training in photography, but went from being elementary school teachers to making six figures as full-time photographers. We're teachers at heart (with over 30,000 online course students) and are here to help YOU take amazing photos, build a thriving business and live a beautiful life. As parents to three littles, we're all about making every minute count and love to share what we're learning along the way. We're so glad you're here!
 

Hey friend! we're

meet us

Amy & Jordan

We're high school sweethearts who had no formal training in photography, but went from being elementary school teachers to making six figures as full-time photographers. We're teachers at heart (with over 30,000 online course students) and are here to help YOU take amazing photos, build a thriving business and live a beautiful life. As parents to three littles, we're all about making every minute count and love to share what we're learning along the way. We're so glad you're here!
 

Hey friend! we're

don't miss it!

In this FREE online class, we'll show you three major photo mistakes (and how to fix them) so you can take beautiful photos with whatever camera you have! No prior experience required!

your teachers, amy & Jordan

FREE ONLINE PHOTO CLASS

learn how to take amazing photos

Instagram

Let's connect on Instagram! Click here to find Amy on Instagram and follow along!

@amy_demos

don't miss it!

In this FREE online class, we'll show you three major photo mistakes (and how to easily fix them) so you can take beautiful photos with whatever camera you have! No prior experience required! 

take amazing photos

FREE ONLINE PHOTO CLASS

3 MaJOR PHOTO MISTAKES

free class!

Don't take another photo without learning the most common photo mistakes most people make (and how to fix them fast!) Get our secrets for amazing pics no matter what camera you have in this online photography training for FREE! No experience required!