I have been asked a lot lately about why a couple should have a second shooter for their wedding, so I decided to write a post about it that will hopefully shed some light on the topic! I know I may be a little biased, but I will say I hired a second shooter for my own wedding day, which was before I was a wedding photographer 🙂 At BBP, the second shooters I have are all professional photographers with their own businesses. I receive all of the photos they take during the day and I am the one who edits them. Two people capturing your day has so many benefits, and here are what I feel are the most important ones to highlight:
1. One Photographer Can’t Be in Two Places at Once.
Getting Ready
At most weddings, the bride and groom get ready at two different locations. This means if you only have one photographer, it typically isn’t possible to capture both the guys and the the girls getting ready. But if you have a second shooter, she would be sent over to the guys, and then everyone is covered! Even if you do have time in the wedding day timeline for one photographer to capture both groups, often times something is running late. That is when it is SO helpful to have a second photographer there to help get back on track time wise.
Cocktail Hour
Right after the ceremony, the main photographer will likely be doing Family Formals, and possibly full bridal party photos and bride and groom portraits. But at the same time, all the guests are over at cocktail hour. Wouldn’t you love some photos of all closest friends enjoying cocktail hour on your big day? Unfortunately this is one of those times one sole photographer just can’t be in two places at once.
Reception Details
You have spent months planning the perfect reception for your big day. There are so many little details you’ve put a lot of thought into, and you deserve to have photos of the end result! Capturing all the reception details and decor before the guests come into the room is another great reason to have a second shooter. These can be taken while the main photographer is doing post ceremony photos.
2. You Will Have Two Different Vantage Points.
Ceremony
The most popular reason people decide to hire a second photographer is for the fleeting moment when the bride walks down the aisle. If it is not an unplugged ceremony, the aisle seems to get more crowded with guests tending to lean a bit over (more on this for another blog post!), and it can be difficult for one photographer to capture a great angle of both the bride walking down the aisle and the groom’s reaction. This is actually why I hired a second shooter for my own wedding (and I am so glad I did)! A second shooter during the ceremony also allows for candid shots of your family’s expressions, more up close photos (with different angles) of you and your groom, all without any fear that the kiss would be missed.
Reception
While the main photographer is focusing on the bride and groom during their first dance, the second shooter can be capturing the sweet faces of your guests watching. These are actually some of my favorite photos of the reception. There is always so much genuine emotion during the first dances (cue the tears behind the camera)! This can be carried on throughout the entire night.
3. More Coverage = More Photos
Simple as that! Having two photographers with different viewpoints, different locations, and different lenses being used at the same time, your final gallery will include the most complete and best coverage of your wedding story. You will receive more photos that you will have to cherish forever.
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