Should you have two wedding photographers?
Are you wondering "Do I need a second photographer at my wedding?"
If so, then read on - I’ve written this blog just for you!
As a professional photographer I can absolutely deliver really great images for you without a 'second', but to help you decide if it’s worth the investment I've outlined below 10 reasons why you should consider a second photographer at your wedding.
Of course, not every wedding needs one.
So, with the above in mind, here are my thoughts on the main areas to think about.
Oh, and there’s a summary of my thoughts and your free cheat sheet at the end of the page…
1. Do you need bridal and groom prep?
I love the getting ready shots during the pre-wedding preparations part of the day. It’s a perfect time to capture not only the bridal prep photography but also the groom preparation photos too.
You’ll be experiencing a heady mix of excitement, anticipation and nerves all rolled into one as you look forward to the rest of the day!
Imagine this… it’s the morning of your wedding.
Hopefully all of the little details are taken care of and you’re relaxing with your best friends while your hair is being done. If certain items haven’t been checked off of the to-do list, it’s time to hand them over to someone else - the rest of the day is going to be fast paced and filled with lots of emotion! Take advantage of this down time!
Will you and your groom be exchanging gifts during this time? Are there certain people in your life that would appreciate seeing you get into your gown? You might want very few people around for this special moment, or you might want you Mum, aunts and Grandmothers present there!
And while you’re getting ready for your big day your groom is of course getting ready with his groomsmen in another room, and possibly at a completely different venue.
And there’s the crux of it.
You won’t be experiencing each other’s fun and excitement, and logistically it’s not possible for me to be in two places at once. That’s where a second photographer is perfect to capture your husband-to-be’s getting ready, toasts, and maybe opening a gift from you or vice-versa.
Sharing these moments as you look through your wedding photos after your wedding lets you relive each others special moments together!
2. Your couple shots / portraits
You’ll no doubt have set aside a time slot in your day for your ‘couples portraits’, or maybe in addition there could be a golden opportunity on your day for a short period of time to get some lovely photos of the two of you when the light is ‘just right’, like the Golden Hour.
At those times it’s really useful to have a second photographer that can either remain with your guests to capture more memories and fun moments for you, or they could join me to give you an extra selection of photos. For example, while I take the close up photos of you both, my second photographer can take photos from further away (wide shots). Or, they can help with the styling or ‘details’ shots.
3. Quicker wedding group photos
You want your wedding group photos to happen as quickly as possible and with minimum fuss so that you can spend more time with all of your guests and have more fun on your day.
A second photographer can really help in this situation.
They can help with rearranging your dress so that it looks perfect, quickly getting the right people into each group photo, chasing that runaway veil, making sure people are standing in the right place, taking care of handbags and more.
Also, while I’m taking the overall photos of the groups, my second photographer can take photos of smaller ‘groups within the group’, and they can capture photos of your guests chatting away and enjoying the day while I’m busy concentrating on your group photos.
4. Lots of people at your wedding?
If you have lots of guests, a second photographer will make sure that you get more photos from your day and a greater chance of getting every guest in your photos somewhere! No matter how carefully I keep my eyes open for great photo opportunities I can’t unfortunately be in two places at once (as much as I’d love to be!) This way nothing gets missed!
5. Sorting your wedding dress out
There are many times in the day when having a second photographer around to arrange your wedding dress is not only a great time saver, but also important to make sure that it looks just right in your photos. Your bridal prep, your couples photos, group photos - these are just a few of the times.
There’s often a time pressure with photos on your day and having someone around that knows without being asked to sort the dress out is absolutely invaluable.
6. The weather and lighting
There’s no doubt about it - the weather can be unpredictable! It also has a major effect on the light available and therefore the best location to take your photos (under a shady tree, inside, outside etc).
If the light is very bright (harsh sunshine) or it’s clouding over, or even starts raining so that we have to rush indoors, then a second photographer will be able to help quickly with any additional lighting or shading that I decide to use to get the most flattering photos of you. Having them around will also save time and give you more time to spend with your guests!
7. Speeches and toasts
It’s so important when your speeches are taking place that I capture the ‘speech givers’ in full flow, you and the top table’s reactions, laughter and emotions. All of those amazing moments that you won’t necessarily see but will look back on after your wedding and in the years to come as your relive these special moments.
It’s also important to capture the reactions and emotions of your other guests in the room and while I can do that in-between watching the top table, it’s a huge benefit to have a second photographer to focus on the room as a whole.
8. Different locations for your ceremony and reception?
Is your ceremony taking place at a different venue than the rest of your day, for example, in a church?
This is a busy time for your photographer who’ll probably be taking photos of you leaving the church, and will then be trying to reach your next venue before you do so that they can take photos of you arriving there!
A second photographer can be either helping me pack up my gear and getting it into the car ready for me to depart the church or can travel on ahead before you leave the church ready for your arrival at your wedding breakfast venue.
9. How big is your venue?
Is your wedding venue going to be large with plenty of space for your guests to spread out?
If so, working with a second photographer allows us to be in different areas of the grounds at the same time so that I can focus on getting photos of the two of you mingling with your guests while your other photographer concentrates on capturing more memories with your other guests.
10. The ceremony - photography limitations
Where your ceremony is held and who conducts it has a big impact on where I’m allowed to stand to take photos.
Particularly in a church, photographers are not usually permitted to move around a great deal by the person conducting the ceremony (in some cases we are only allowed to stay in one spot). Ceremonies held at the same venue as your wedding breakfast may allow more freedom of movement.
However, two photographers allows for photos from two different angles and more photos from one of the most important (if not, the most important) parts of your day. I could be at the front taking photos of the two of you, whilst my second photographer is at the back of the church/room.
Summary
Having a second photographer isn’t right for everyone and can be a decision that needs some thought. It’s a case of weighing up the benefits against the additional budget required of having two photographers. Bear in mind though that investing in an additional photographer will be a small proportion of your overall photography pricing.
Here are my overall thoughts:
If you’d like to have photos of your bridal prep and the groom prep, and they’re at different locations then you’ll definitely need one.
If you’re having a very small wedding then I’d say there may not be a big benefit to you.
Consider the value to you of having more photos from your special day that tell your story in more detail.
Some of my couple’s favourite photos from their day usually involve the reactions and emotions captured of their families and friends - more of these are likely to be captured with two photographers.
Having group photos? Then another photographer can help to make these happen more quickly, leaving you more time to enjoy the rest of your day.
Consider how tight your timeframes for photography are on your day and if ideally your photographer needs to be in two places at once! Another photographer can certainly ease the time-pressure.
Large venues and grounds mean that your guests are likely to be more spread out. A second photographer can help capture more memories and candid moments than a single photographer.
If you’re getting married at a church, and driving on to a different location for your reception, having a second photographer means that your primary photographer can capture photos of you leaving your ceremony location, while the second photographer leaves earlier so that they can take photos of you arriving at your reception venue.
Second wedding photographer free cheat sheet
Click on the image to download your copy!
Second wedding photographer free cheat sheet
What happens next?
Make sure to speak with the photographer that you’re considering about the pros and cons of a second photographer.
Based on your venue and the type of photos you’d like to get from your photographer following your wedding, they’ll be able to advise you if it’s worthwhile considering.
If you are considering a second photographer I’d love to hear from you. I’ll help you work out if it’s worth it or not based on your wedding plans (it isn’t always!).