What is a first look on a wedding day?

A first look is where a couple see each other before the ceremony. It can be a private meet or it can be done with your wedding party and turned into a mini event. It can be a pretty special thing to do.

Ideally, a first look is best in a scenic location like a secluded park or on a section of beach that will hopefully have some meaning for you on your wedding day, to help add to the images and video.

There’s the obvious tradition-breaking that goes on with a first look but what you get is a private moment together to shake off the nerves before the ceremony. You get a chance to look at the effort each of you have gone to with your outfits and it's a beautiful moment all to yourselves.

One big thing that I love in particular about a first look is that this is a moment during the day where we don't have any time pressures. You both get a few moments of peace to absorb each other. Being completely present and grounded.

The other big thing that I love is that once your ceremony has concluded, you get to mingle with your guests and stay present with everyone that has come to celebrate with you.

I’ve done some research on when first looks came about but I wasn’t able to find any solid history. Suffice to say, they have been around a while particularly in the US but there's lot more popping up here in Australia in recent years. I've captured many of them in the photos but the video above is my very first film of a first look.