Do you need a second wedding photographer at your wedding?

Second wedding photographers: what’s the deal?

So you’re getting married (congratulations!) and you’ve started the search for your wedding photographer… but hold up, what’s all this about second shooters!?

Some wedding photographers (myself included) can offer a two-shooter package, meaning you get two of us on your wedding day.

But why would you need two wedding photographers?

Put simply – if there are two of us snapping away, there’s more opportunity to capture more of the fleeting moments of your wedding day.

This isn’t to say you’ll miss out by only having one photographer. I shoot most of my weddings alone and never do I feel like I’ve missed any important shots. Documentary-style wedding photographers (like me!) will work their way around on your big day, capturing as many natural moments as possible – but ultimately, we’re just one person and the bride and groom are the stars of the show, meaning there’s less time to capture other fleeting moments.

Having an extra wedding photographer on the day can help capture those moments.

Bridal preparations photos are common – but don’t forget the groom!

Many couples opt for bridal preparation photographs to capture the fun (and nerves) of preparing for the bride’s big day, but having a second shooter means you can capture the groom’s preparations, too!

If the groom isn’t interested, the second wedding photographer can get to the venue well before all the guests to capture the venue details before it fills up, and capture shots of your guests arriving.

The ceremony

While your wedding photographer will capture shots of your guests where possible during the ceremony, you are the focus and that’s where your wedding photographer will need to focus their attention.

While this means you’ll be able to properly remember the ceremony – lots of couples tell of how the whole thing is a blur to them afterwards! – it can mean missing what could be some lovely shots. Relatives shedding a tear, laughter when the baby in the audience cries out when the registrar asks if there are any objections, etc. Having a second wedding photographer means there’s always another camera pointing at your guests, ready to capture those additional moments.

The small details…

You’ve worked hard making sure every tiny detail of your wedding day is perfect – the flowers are arranged just so and the table settings look amazing, for example. It’s important to capture those details, particularly the table settings before guests sit down to eat. I usually squeeze this in between the ceremony and the dinner while you’re busy chatting to your guests and basking in your “just married” glow, but this can mean missing out on shots of you interacting with your guests (only for a short period, but it’s worth noting).

Having a second shooter avoids this issue.

The evening…

As with the rest of the day, your wedding photographer will work hard to make sure they capture shots of you both as well as all your guests – but if you’re popular and have lots of friends and family, having a second shooter can help ensure every guest gets their turn in front of the camera!

So… do YOU need a second wedding photographer?

For many couples, one wedding photographer is plenty; I shoot most of my weddings alone. But if you have a lot of guests, a particularly big venue, lots of other stuff going on, or you just want to have someone dedicated to photographing your guests all day, then a second shooter could be a great idea!

Get in touch using the contact form below to discuss!