Our Favorite First Look Locations

The time-honored practice of not seeing the bride until she walks down the aisle is still a heavily believed good-luck superstition, but more and more couples are bucking tradition in favor of a first look before their wedding ceremony. There are many incredible places to share this special moment in Indianapolis. We’ve gathered a few spots we love from our exclusive venues and a few reasons why we love including first looks in wedding events.

Eiteljorg Museum
We love the exterior of Eiteljorg Museum. This particular area outside the main entrance is actually a perfectly private and secluded area great for this special moment. The added warmth and dimension from the architecture help create a captivating environment. It’s also one of the few outdoor spaces that can be enjoyed rain or shine!

Photo by Lumatic Imagery

Indiana State Museum

Canal Overlook at Indiana State Museum is a beautifully lit, all-glass enclosed walkway between two building of the Indiana State Museum. This space is wonderful for first looks because of it’s ample natural light and simple design. We love the depth photographs in this area have from the long lines of the window framing.

Photo by Gabrielle Cheikh

Newfields

 Each season brings a different landscape to the gardens and different colors. The grounds at Newfields cannot be ignored! There are so many incredible outdoor locations at Newfields that are perfect for first look moments together.

Photo by Jessica Strickland

Montage

There are so few locations in Indianapolis to host a waterside event in Indianapolis and we are so fortunate that our personal venue is one of them. Our patios overlooking the water is our favorite spot at our location for first look photos. The relaxing environment is just what couples need to cool any pre-ceremony nerves!

Photo by Garret Daniel

Scottish Rite Cathedral

Scottish Rite Cathedral is a very large venue and there are so many private spaces where a first look would be perfect, but one of our favorites is in the stairwells. Backed by beautiful painted glass windows, each floor has a built-in backdrop which makes photographs as lovely as the moment being captured.

Photo by Ian Borgerhoff

From a practical point, a first look allows a couple more time to take photos before the ceremony so they can enjoy their cocktail hour and reception sooner. This could be important for a couple that wants to be able to greet all their guests or jump right into the party.

First looks let couples spend more time getting the wedding portraits they want in their favorite locations. Usually photos of the couple, family and wedding party are taken after the ceremony is over, but this can cut into cocktail hour or take up the time entirely.

First looks help calm nerves and give the couple a chance to enjoy some private time together before they are surrounded by family and friends. Some couples are overwhelmed with emotion on their wedding day, so being able to connect before vows are exchanged gives them an opportunity to better compose themselves for the ceremony. Truth be told, once the ceremony is over the couple is usually swept up in a whirlwind of activity with friends and family so there isn’t another great time to really take a moment together.