I know. It sounds excessive. One photographer is expensive enough, but hear me out. There are plenty of benefits to having a second photographer on your wedding day, and many couples have admitted that not hiring two photographers was one of their biggest wedding regrets. Fortunately, I believe so strongly in having a second wedding photographer with me on a wedding day, that I don’t even offer the option to book with MEP without one.

Here are the many reasons why you need a second photographer for your wedding.

It’s added security

Technology can fail sometimes. A camera can go down, the memory card fills up and needs to be changed or the battery dies right in the middle of an important moment that can’t be paused so that the lead photographer can switch cards or batteries. If you have a second photographer present, the moment goes captured while the lead photographer handles the technological issue and you have no idea that both cameras weren’t shooting at the same moment. You don’t miss any captures of the first kiss or the first dance.

There’s also the chance that something could happen physically to your lead photographer. There was a wedding that I shot in 2021, I was walking down a flight of stairs and in the process, missed a step, fell down the stairs rolling my ankle in the process. It was an incredibly hot day, I was 5 months pregnant and we were toward the end of the evening. I pushed through the pain, got up and kept shooting. Until I got lightheaded and almost passed out. Thankfully, I was able to step away during the father of the bride’s speech to care for myself, knowing that the moment was being captured because my second shooter was there and covering it. I also had the added advantage of having an assistant with me who also is a well versed photographer, so I gave her my gear and she kept shooting.

Only good things come from two photographers being present…

You’ll be able to get photos of both sides of the wedding party

Typically, the bride and groom and their wedding party get ready in different rooms and sometimes different locations. If you have a second shooter, you’ll be able to get photos of both sides at the same time. That way, as a bride, you won’t have to sacrifice time with your photographer to make sure they get photos of your partner getting ready as well.   

Having a second shooter will allow you to capture everyone’s reaction to big moments 

You definitely want to have photos of the bride walking down the aisle, but the groom’s reaction is important too! If your primary photographer is focused on the bride, the second shooter can be perfectly positioned to capture her partners reaction at the end of the aisle. A second shooter will also be able to capture family member’s reactions as the bride makes her way toward the altar. These are moments you certainly won’t regret capturing.   

A second photographer can help streamline post-ceremony family and bridal party photos

Have a large family or bridal party? Having another person in charge of posing and organizing can really make the process run smoothly. Excitement is high after the ceremony, and forcing a large group of people to quiet down, listen, and cooperate while posing them for photos is difficult for one person to handle. A second shooter can help direct people to where they’re supposed to go and take the pressure off of the primary photographer. Plus, a more streamlined process means you can get to the party sooner!

Have a big venue? A second photographer can cover more ground

If your venue is on the larger side, and your guest list is extensive, having a second shooter will help you capture more candid reception moments. Want to sneak away and take specialized photos of just you and your partner at your reception venue? A second photographer can stay and capture photos of your guests and their amazing (or hilariously terrible) dance skills.

It will add variety to your wedding photos

A second photographer will be able to capture photos at different angles and add variety to your final gallery. Having a second perspective not only adds variety, it adds photos. At the end of the day, you’ll have twice as many photos of your wedding day to choose from.

 

Having a second photographer at your wedding may seem excessive at first, but in order to ensure that all of your important moments are captured, it’s necessary! Don’t let this be one of your wedding regrets.