Father/daughter first looks can be just as special as couple first looks! Here are 3 reasons why you should consider this for your wedding day.

1. You want to have a special moment together before the ceremony

• Most brides have their moms, sisters, or bridesmaids help them with the planning and getting ready process. It’s important not to forget about dad! The father/daughter first look is something special that you can share together.

2. You love candid moments.

• Amazing moments happen by chance, but also happen when planned. If you give yourself enough time (which means actually planning for it), natural interactions will take place.

3. It lets you do a first look if you don’t want to do a couples first look.

• If you love the idea of doing a first look, but you still want some tradition, you can always have the father-daughter first look be the alternative.

A few tips to make the father/daughter first look run smoothly…

• Make sure to schedule enough time in your timeline for this first look. The father/daughter first look shouldn’t take more than 5-10 minutes, but you want to pad your time. I recommend scheduling this 1st look about 45 minutes before the wedding ceremony starts (unless you are doing a couple first look as well… then push this one earlier).
• If you are giving a gift to your dad on your wedding day, this is great time to hand it to him. Be sure to tell your photographer in advance about this.
• If you can pull it off, try to set the first look up without letting your dad know that is happening. The best way to do this is give him a time to be ready, then have a family member or a member of your wedding party give him a reason to enter the room where the first look is taking place. You want the experience to be genuine, and your dad may be self-conscious if he’s thinking about where he should stand or how he should look for the photo instead of being in the moment.

The best gift you can give your dad on your wedding day is special memories. A father/daughter first look will allow another opportunity to give him those sweet precious moments with his little girl one last time before she becomes a wife. You won’t regret carving out a few minutes in your day for your dad.