Is a second photographer right for your wedding day?
I’m often asked by couples whether they should have a second photographer on their wedding day. The honest answer is that there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach. Each wedding is unique and each couple’s priorities for their photography are different. So it’s better to consider a few factors in order to understand what’s important to you before deciding whether a second photographer is right for your wedding.
Here are a few things that I recommend you think about:
1. Wedding day logistics
The most obvious advantage to having a second shooter at a wedding comes down to logistics. While I can cover a lot of ground in one day, I simply cannot be in two places at once. This is most important for a few parts of the day in particular:
- Getting ready – If you want to capture both of you getting ready but you’re in different locations, a second photographer makes this possible. Typically, the bride doesn’t get to see the groom’s preparations but a second shooter means that you won’t miss out on these moments.
- Ceremony – Do you want to capture both of your reactions when you first see each other down the aisle? At the ‘I do’ moment, do you want to capture both yours and your guests’ emotions? While I’m capturing one of you waiting patiently (and nervously!) at the end of the aisle, the second photographer can be with your partner arriving at the ceremony and capturing their perspective coming down the aisle.
- Drinks’ reception and wedding portraits – During the day we will take some time away from your guests to capture some portraits of the two of you. Typically, this happens during the drinks’ reception. A second photographer can continue to capture moments with your guests while we’re off doing your portraits and group shots.
You get the idea! So many moments happen simultaneously at weddings and they’re all worth remembering.
2. The size of your wedding
How many people will be attending the wedding? If you’re having over 100 guests, it’s worth considering a second photographer, simply because it will be challenging for one photographer to capture photos of everyone.
3. The cost
A second photographer potentially adds more cost, depending on which of my wedding collections you choose. While I don’t recommend making decisions based on price alone, it is an important consideration.
So how does having a second photographer for our wedding day work? Will Chloë still edit all our images?
The role of second photographer is purely to be there to help me capture the day, everything else is handled by myself, both before and after your wedding. At the end of the wedding, the second shooter hands me their memory card. I then do all of the editing and delivery to ensure consistency throughout your whole image gallery.
In summary, there is no right or wrong thing to do. Ultimately, when deciding on whether a second shooter is right for your wedding, it comes down to what is important to you.
Love, Chloë
As a wedding photographer, I just adore capturing beautiful, timeless imagery that you’ll cherish forever. Visit the gallery to see more of my work.
