The main advantage is that you don’t have to wait until after your ceremony to do your couple and bridal party photographs. You can get these done before the ceremony and save time. Your guests won’t be complaining that they had to wait around while you went and had your photos taken. This takes the pressure off the photographer as well as they will have more time to construct and get creative with your photos. The result is better wedding couple photos for you.

The next advantage is that if you are going to get a really emotional moment on camera this is probably going to be it. The emotions before the actual ceremony are normally pretty high and there won’t be the added pressure of everyone staring at you in the ceremony area. So the couple is free to be themselves and this often results in raw emotions and creates some great photo moments.

If you love wedding tradition then it’s ok to skip this option. Or rather do the first look with your parents or grandparents or bridesmaids. They still give great emotional photos, especially dad and daughter. This way you can still get to see each other for the first time at the ceremony instead and still have some great emotional shots, it just won’t be the bride and groom.

Or you can do a first look without the look. The couple below chose to hold hands without seeing each other and pray together before their wedding. How cute is this?