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My mission as a wedding photographer in Philadelphia is to help happy couples celebrate life's biggest joys with high quality photos and a dang good time. I believe the experience is just as important as the photos and that you deserve beautiful, lasting memories.

Hey!! I'm Gabriella.

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A bride and groom share a first look under a willow tree next to a stream, smiling at each other with vow books in hand.

Should You Do a First Look?

As a wedding photographer one of the most common questions I see couples grappling with as they plan their dream wedding is this: should we do a first look? If you find yourself asking that very question – whether it be now or in the near future – let me walk you through some major reasons why couples choose a first look, and a few pro-tips for how to connect one-on-one with the love of your life if you decide to skip it! 

While first looks are relatively common these days, its okay if you’ve never heard of them! A first look is a special moment before the ceremony where you get to see each other all dressed up for the first time on your wedding day. Traditionally, the big ceremony entrance walking down the aisle is where couples see each other for the first time. But first looks have become really popular in recent years as the wedding industry has changed, and, in my opinion, for good reason. Let’s get into why…

A groom smiles as he sees his bride for the first time on wedding day during their first look at Terrain Gardens in Devon, PA.
A bride beams with giddiness and joy as her almost-husband sees her in her dress for the first time on wedding day during their first look at Terrain Gardens in Devon, PA.

Emotional Connection:

One of the most compelling reasons to do a first look is to be intentional about being able to soak in as many individual moments of your wedding day as possible. Getting married is a BIG DEAL. And it comes with some big nerves, and big feelings. Seeing each other before the ceremony is such a great way to ground yourselves, to share your excitement, and to just really cherish what is about to happen (you’re about to get married!!)

One-on-One Time:

A first look also allows you and your partner to have more one-on-one time together on your wedding day. Lets be real, your wedding day will FLY BY. It just always does. UNLESS, you’re intentional about the time you share together, just the two of you. A first look is such a great way to have a few extra moments alone, amongst a busy, busy day.

Timeline:

And lastly, this is (in my opinion) probably the biggest reason to do a first look – the timeline. As a wedding photographer, the timeline is always on my mind! If a couple opts out of having a first look, all formal wedding photos typically occur right after the ceremony, as the rest of your guests enjoy cocktail hour. This includes family, wedding party, and couples portraits, which can consume the entire cocktail hour. While this is totally doable, taking all formal photos during cocktail hour leaves little time attend it. There won’t be much time to mingle with guests or enjoy the music & apps before reception. With a first look, you can get the bulk of formal photos done BEFORE the ceremony!  

HOWEVER. If you DON’T want to do a first look, you can still have an INCREDIBLE wedding day. Here are some ideas to support a more traditional wedding day, sans first look!

Extended Cocktail Hour:

The timeline can get crunched if you do a typical 60 minute cocktail hour. So I recommend extending it 30 minutes to be 90 minute total! You’ll be able to do all your couple and family portraits while still being able to enjoy your cocktail hour for a little bit. 

Take a Moment:

Whether you have 10 or 15 minutes alone in a private room before entering the reception or a private last dance at the end of the night, there are plenty of ways to connect with your partner on your wedding day.  Whatever you choose to do, I always recommend taking a minute to soak in the gravity of your wedding day with your spouse. Your wedding day is the culmination of months of planning, but it’s just the beginning of a lifelong marriage. It is SO important to internalize that together at some point on your big day.

Team first look or not, there are so many ways to enjoy a special moment with your partner on your wedding day. First looks can be amazing (the photos alone, can you imagine!) but so is honoring whatever your dream is for your wedding day! It is YOUR day, after all! 

If you’re a busy bride and want to hear a little more about why I love first looks – then take a listen to an episode of The Busy Bride Podcast all about first looks right here!

Looking for more tips to enhance your wedding day? Check out these blog posts: how to include your pet in your wedding, 9 tips to have the best engagement session ever and 8 ways to include loved ones in your wedding day.

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- kristen & jared

“Hiring Gabriella as our photographer was the single best decision we made on wedding day. Because we had an intimate elopement at town hall, it was important to us to capture the small details and intimate moments in a way that we could look back on our day and feel like we are reliving it. Well, Gabriella’s work does just that. She exceeded our expectations and we could not be happier with our gallery. She gave updates and clear expectations along the way so that we were never left wondering what next steps were, and was timely with getting sneak peaks and the full gallery back to us. We are an introverted couple who is not used to being in front of the camera, and Gabriella was super patient and made us feel at ease throughout the whole day. Her communication style is to be seriously commended. She also went above and beyond to scope out of the venue and found the perfect spot for us to do our private vows in. We don’t have a single negative thing to say about our experience. If you are considering working with Gabriella for your special day, do it!!

"THE SINGLE BEST DECISION"

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- RYlie & ryan kelliher

We LOVED working with Gabriella for our Wedding photography! From our first video call, she made us feel totally at ease about the whole process, and it was clear she had a ton of experience. We do not consider ourselves very photogenic, but Gabriella got AMAZING pictures from our Wedding and an Engagement shoot. She’s fun, friendly, professional, and everything you need in a Wedding photographer (or for any other event). Cannot recommend her highly enough!

"SHE MADE US FEEL TOTALLY AT EASE"

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- AARON & LYDIA

“Gabriella is the BEST photographer and we could not have asked for anyone better to capture our proposal! I had intentions of interviewing multiple photographers, but after seeing her work and talking to her over the phone, I immediately booked with her. Her passion for photography is so evident. She goes above and beyond to make your shoot about YOU. She does a great job of taking control and guiding you with poses that you will love, and her candid shots are unbelievable. She had a smile on her face the entire time and we felt like a close friend was there doing this for us. Would recommend her 100 times out of 100!

Gabriella was absolutely amazing. She made the photography session so easy and effortless. Her personality is so warm and inviting, she made us feel so so comfortable during these pictures. Gabriella went above and beyond for us and I’m so grateful my significant other found her as a photographer. I would highly recommend!”

"SHE GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND"

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