If you’re deciding between a first look or no first look, you’re likely hearing almost every wedding photographer trying to convince you that you should have one; but I don’t think you should! At least not if it doesn’t align with your priorities and desires for your wedding day. Nicholas and Emily’s outdoor wedding at Centerville Estates is a beautiful example of a middle ground that preserves the official “first look” moment for the aisle, while still prioritizing presence and connection throughout the day. You shouldn’t feel pressured to do anything on your wedding day based on someone else’s ideas or preferences. Keep reading for more insights on how to slow down your wedding day timeline to allow you to be fully present, whether you decide to do a first look or not, as well as highlights from this beautiful wedding day and venue.

Centerville Estates: Outdoor wedding venue in Northern California

Centerville Estates is a beautiful outdoor wedding venue Located up Centerville road in Butte Creek Canyon California. Unique for their beautifully landscaped natural scenery, stone paved reception and ceremony sites, and the butte creek river flowing right behind both sites, it’s a perfect spot if you want a clean, accessible outdoor space for your celebration. As a Chico wedding photographer I love finding nearby venues with that classic estate wedding vibe and using venue highlights for detail shots like these!

One thing I love about this venue is how compact it is. The getting ready space, ceremony site, reception area, and other scenic photo spots are all within a short walking distance, yet because of the trees and the layout, they all feel like distinct areas. Having everything close by is key for adding space to your timeline and improving the experience of your day for both you and your guests. If you choose a venue that requires a lot of extra walking or travel time, you’ll need to account for that extra time on your timeline, making many events take longer than normal.

One big consideration with Centerville (or any outdoor venue) is the lighting. There are great spots with open shade for portraits, but the ceremony spot can have a lot of harsh, dappled light depending on your ceremony time. This means There might be bright hotspots and dark shadows when the sun shines through the trees. Consider your specific venue conditions and how the light might change during the day or year when deciding on a time for your outdoor wedding ceremony. Also, make sure to hire a photographer who can adjust their settings and adapt very quickly to changing lighting if your ceremony is outside!

First Look VS. First Touch

Nicholas and Emily wanted to keep things traditional and not see each other at all before the ceremony. I worked with them to create a wedding day timeline that would allow them to stay present throughout the day while still honoring their desire to save their first look for the aisle. When you don’t do a first look, you don’t naturally have a moment to connect, decompress, and process all your thoughts and emotions with your partner before the ceremony. In fact, unless you plan intentional moments of connection, you likely won’t get to talk much until dinner! For that reason, we opted for a first touch. Like a first look, you still plan it into your timeline and get an extra opportunity for photos of the two of you, but instead of a big reveal, you can hold hands back to back or around a corner (no peaking!) and take a few moments to talk to each other, read private vows, read letters, or pray together. Having this moment together helps you be more present during your ceremony and can add a lot of intimacy to your day!

How to Enjoy Your Wedding Day

If you’re not doing a first look, there are several other ways to help alleviate the pressure and avoid rushing through photos after you ceremony. First, take all the individual bridal party and family photos (ones with just the bride or just the groom) before the ceremony. This allows for a much shorter photo list after the ceremony, which leads me to the second tip: have a detailed family photo list! This is absolutely crucial and will save you a lot of stress on your wedding day! This is something I create for each of my couples after they have filled out my timeline questionnaire and provided the names of their family members, but if your photographer doesn’t ask for this, you’re going to want to make it yourself. Now that you have a shortened photo list and plan for post-ceremony family & bridal party photos, don’t forget the last step: Take time (and plan time) to enjoy each moment! This means not rushing to family photos right after your ceremony. Instead, plan some buffer time between events so you can give hugs, greet friends, and celebrate with all your favorite people!

To recap, make sure you:

• Make decisions on what events/traditions to include in your day based on your own priorities and desires, not other people’s opinions.
• Consider your venue and lighting conditions when deciding on a ceremony time
• Consider walking/travel time when creating your wedding timeline
• Plan intentional moments of connection throughout your day (like a first touch if you don’t want to do a first look) to help you stay present
• Take all the individual bridal party and family photos (ones with just the bride or just the groom) before the ceremony
• Create a detailed family photos list with names, relation, and family name for every family shot that you want.
• Take time to enjoy each moment and don’t rush into the next event!

If you’re looking for a Northern California wedding photographer who will help you plan all these details and more, Inquire below!

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Vendors:

Venue | Centerville Estates

Florals | Angela Haskell – Little Red Hen Floral

Coordinator | Veronica Enns – 530 Bride

Photographer | Bethany West Photography

DJ | Chris Frankovich – The Wedding DJ Company

Bar | Farmers Daughter Mobile Bar

Bakery | Mim’s Bakery

Catering | Aca Taco