Lots of wedding photographers have a second photographer built into the price of their wedding packages. If that’s the case, awesome! You already have one and don’t need to worry about it. But if it’s an add-on option, here’s how to decide if you need a second photographer on your wedding day.
are you working with a wedding planner?
If you’re not, odds are there are going to be some things that have been overlooked. If you decide to forego a wedding planner, you cannot expect everything to go perfectly without your other vendors missing something. Especially your photographer.
Someone needs to pin boutonnieres on the groomsmen. Someone needs to call out the names of family members during family portraits. Someone has to run grab a plate for the cake cutting if it’s been forgotten. And if you don’t have a wedding planner who can do those things, it almost always falls on the photographer. At the very least, having a second photographer means they can be the one to do those things while your primary photographer focuses on photos.
will you be traveling to multiple locations throughout the day?
Some weddings have two or three different venues being used throughout the wedding day. For example: a hotel to get ready, a church for the ceremony, and a wedding venue for the reception. Unless everything is happening all at one location, having a second photographer ensures nothing is missed. For example, if you’re having a church ceremony and your reception somewhere else, the second photographer could leave just before the end of the ceremony to head over to the reception venue. That way they can take photos of the room finished and decorated before guests start arriving.
will the wedding party will be getting ready at different locations?
If you and your partner are getting ready at different locations* and you both want getting ready photos, you’ll almost certainly need a second photographer. That way you can each have a photographer dedicated to you and your wedding party during the first part of the day. (*By different locations I mean two separate places that you have to drive between, not two separate rooms at the same venue.)
are you expecting more than 250 guests?
This one is simply a factor because a larger wedding means more ground to cover. If you’re expecting a large number of guests, having two photographers allows more opportunity for “grip and grin” photos.
is your wedding party larger than 20 people?
Similar to the point above, a large wedding party means photos will take longer. Having a second photographer allows you to divide and conquer. The primary photographer can take pictures of one partner (typically a bride and her bridesmaids) while the second photographer takes pictures of the other (typically a groom and his groomsmen).
will having two photographers give you extra peace of mind?
Sometimes, you don’t have to have any reason at all other than you just want one. If having a second photographer will make you feel better, that’s reason enough to have one.
At the end of the day, these are just suggestions. Every wedding is different, so I highly recommend discussing these options with your photographer so you can decide what’s best for you and your partner.
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