35 First Look Wedding Photos: Don't Miss That Moment

Save these romantic first look wedding photos to inspire your own first look at the wedding ceremony. First look wedding pictures are a must-have for all modern photo albums, no matter it’s done in private or during your grand entrance into the church.

first look wedding photo first look wedding photo

Make This Magical Moment Look Better on Photos

FixThePhoto retouchers will enhance your first-look wedding pictures correcting colors & shadows, adding special filters, removing strangers or distracting objects, you can even ask for head/face replacement if needed.

First look photography is a very emotional part of the wedding. This is what you have been waiting for all this time. It is the moment when you tell how you feel to each other and you are sure to want every second of this moment to be captured dramatically. Look though these poses and ideas to get the best wedding pictures.

1. Reading Marriage Vows

memorable idea for first look

The marriage vow, which includes cute stories from the life of the bride and groom, declarations of love and touching words, will be especially exciting and memorable. Therefore, I advise all photographers to capture this moment.

2. Use Doors

best first look reactions

If you want to achieve great first look wedding photos and surprise a groom with your look, I recommend walking from a closed door.

3. Make Photo Collages

before and after first look

A series of photos can include only ‘before’ and ‘after’ picture and still express love between a couple.

View more couple photo ideas.

4. Here Comes the Bride

why do grooms cry when they see the bride

If you don’t feel like seeing each other before the ceremony and want to keep the excitement, you don’t need to refuse wedding first look photos. A groom’s reaction can be captured while a bride is walking down the aisle.

5. Tears of Joy

best groom reactions

Why not? I think a wedding photoshoot can include such emotional photos. Be careful with photo editing while editing the reddish skin color that appears while crying.

6. In the Church

wedding wire first look

If you want to follow the tradition and don’t want to see your partner earlier than at the wedding ceremony, it can be easily done! The photographer will capture your reactions during a walk down the aisle.

Read more about how to capture bridal portraits.

7. Saying ‘Yes’ To The Dress

groom first look

Not only a bride gets excited about her wedding dress. A groom will be also excited when he sees her in such white beauty.

8. With Groomsmen

bride first look reaction

A bride won’t be able to keep her excitement to herself when she gets to see her fiancé. This moment is definitely worth making into a canvas for memories.

9. With Bridesmaids

bridesmaids reaction

Contemporary first look wedding ideas go beyond a couple. There is a new trend for such pictures to blindfold a groom on first look showing the bridesmaids. One more trend is for a bride to reserve first look for her bridesmaids, not for a groom. It might seem non-traditional but they are your friends who were present in your life before a groom entered it and helped you all the way.

10. Father and Daughter

daughter and father

Are you doubting whether to have a wedding first look or not? New England based Director and Photographer Corey Hendrickson recommends organizing such a photo session because during the cocktail hour you won’t have the time for this. If you have this photo shoot before the wedding ceremony, you will have a lot of time and possibilities to take pictures with your guests and family and use some photo ideas you had in mind.

11. Staircase Descent

first look staircase

Even if you don’t have glass shoes on you, staircase descent will give you a Cinderella feeling at the ball.

Check out more bride and groom poses.

12. Turn the Knob

cute moment wedding

Don’t rush to turn the knob and show yourself. Let your photographer take a nice shot of this first.

13. Holding Hands Before First Look

first look wedding ideas

The moment of holding hands before your first look is an old tradition that has been modernized in these days. Being a very important addition to your wedding album, it eliminates the gap between your past and future. Creating ideas for first look photo session, take into account the location. Hold hands across the doorstep, around a tree or among balloons.

14. Back to Back Before First Look

best first look wedding photo ideas

According to the tradition, a groom takes his first look at a bride when she walks down the aisle. However, many couples don’t follow this tradition and prefer to have this moment in privacy and with photos taken. Emotion is the most important thing for successful wedding shots! Be ready to give an impassioned speech before the wedding reveal.

15. Groom’s Emotions

grooms emotional reaction to bride

Some grooms are serious and can’t show their feelings and emotions. However, on such a day they express all that. Even the most serious man will get emotional and these emotions must be captured for your wedding album. If you have an indoor photoshoot, your pictures will be more romantic and personal. If an outdoor one – you will have more chances to catch good natural lighting, emphasize facial features and emotions. So, think it over carefully!

16. No Peeking Before First Look

first look tips

Counting seconds before first look wedding is a common practice for many couples. But from time to time, brides or grooms can’t resist and peek. Patient couples manage to wait for that magical moment. Each couple is different. Some of them will make a lot of fun this day. For example, a bride can ask her groom to wait for her blindfolded and while he’s waiting, she can sneak and see him first.

Read more about how to take funny wedding pictures.

17. Hugs for My Honey

first look hugs

It’s important to capture not only first look wedding pictures but the actions before this event as well. Ask your photographer to shoot you entering from the front while you are walking behind your fiancé. This will help capture both of your facial expressions before seeing each other for the first time.

18. Bridal Balloons

great first look ideas

If you want to make your photos colorful and positive, consider getting balloons that match your wedding colors. Such balloons will stand out on a white background.

19. Fairytale Love

romantic first look ideas

When you touch your fiancé’s shoulder, he will immediately turn around in huge excitement. If you want to have a private location, consider shooting in a forest which will emphasize the magic of this moment.

View more wedding photography ideas.

20. A Midsummer Night’s Dream

cute first look idea

A bright tuxedo and a white wedding dress on the park background will help create intimate and original first look pictures.

21. Holy Matrimony

empty chapel idea

It is very important that your photographer captures your happiness and thrill so that you and your partner can remember this magical moment. An empty chapel would be a perfect location for romantic first look photography.

22. Sneak Peek

first look wedding pictures

Allow the bridal party to participate in your photoshoot so that they can also enjoy this moment. This will be very special for everyone.

23. Romantic Focus

how to take first look photos

Let your photographer adjust the focus of the camera by concentrating on you and your partner during your first look photo session.

24. Majestic Landscape

wedding landscape

Let your photographer slightly walk back to shoot amazing scenery during your first look. Be sure that your fiancé moves around so you can show off your wedding dress.

Read more about pre wedding photoshoot.

25. Vintage Vibes

classic style

Make your first look simple and classic with old motives. The sepia filter and brick columns give a special look to such pictures without extra fuss.

26. The Moment We Met

wedding first look ideas

Another great idea for taking first look wedding photos is a place where you met your partner. It will make you recall some memories together and celebrate your feelings.

27. Taking The Plunge

first look photo

Rain can give an amazing and romantic look to your pictures as well as good lighting. Spend this magical moment standing with your partner under a big umbrella.

View more rain photography tips.

28. Snowy Sweethearts

first look reactions

Photographers should allow a couple to be tender while they are shooting their first look. This will help capture true emotions and take a good photo of the location.

29. Handsome and Happy

first look ideas

A new and sophisticated ballroom is a perfect place to have a wedding reveal. A fancy private place will give your photographer a possibility to capture your and your partner’s happiness when you see each other for the first time.

30. You May Now Kiss the Bride

kiss first look

First look wedding photos show huge love of a couple to each other. Ask the photographer to take a shot from the angle which can capture your engagement ring. It is a great idea to use such a picture for wedding thank you cards.

first look wedding image first look wedding image

Enhance Colors & Remove Distractions

Let experts in Photoshop and Lightroom improve your first-look wedding pictures to emphasize that special moment even more. Color correction, face & body improvement, background manipulation are included. 

31. True Love in The Tropics

tropical wedding

If you are going to get married in a tropical place, use the beauty of palms, birds and exotic trees for your photos.

32. Remove All Blemishes

wedding photo editing wedding photo editing

Don’t forget to edit your photos and do at least basic enhancement: remove skin blemishes, stray hair, smooth skin, etc. Make retouching natural and soft.

33. In Mountains

first look mountains

Having a mountain location for your first look images will be very beneficial to you as the ground surface creates an amazing background. It gives your pictures a fairytale look.

34. Beach Beauty

first look beach

If you have your wedding on the beach, make sure to have your first look wedding shots taken on the coast in the sand. Beautiful blue water will create an ideal background for this magical moment. You can use this photo for your thank you notes afterward as well!

View morebeach photo ideas.

35. Rooftop Romance

first look rooftop

If your wedding is taking place in a city, use such urban area as your background for your first look pictures.

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