Reasons to Hire a Second Photographer

One of the most common questions I receive from brides is whether or not they need a second photographer. This is a tricky question to answer because it really just depends! (Super helpful answer- I know.) While a second photographer is not needed to ensure a variety of beautiful images on your wedding day, there are a few specific situations I do recommend definitely having a second shooter. I always want to preface that I photograph about 50% of weddings on my own and 50% with a second photographer. There’s no reason to be AFRAID of not having one, but I also don’t think you will ever regret deciding to hire a second photographer!

First, before I make my recommendation of whether or not a second photographer is needed, I always ask about the nature of the ceremony. If the ceremony is in a large church with a balcony, a second photographer could take photos of the bride walking down the aisle from the balcony. This way, we are able to take photos of the bride’s face walking down the aisle, the groom’s reaction, AND that exact same shot really wide from the balcony. A second photographer is also helpful for church ceremonies in case the church has certain restrictions of where the photographers can stand. If there are restrictions, we can split up and capture different sides of the ceremony. Another shooter is helpful at non-church ceremonies as well- especially if you have a large wedding of over 200 people. The more guests you have, the more chairs are set up, and the longer it takes to walk from one side of the ceremony to the other.

Second, I recommend a second photographer for couples who are interested in doing a First Look before the ceremony. The First Look is such a special moment because it’s when the bride and groom see each other for the very first time on their wedding day. For moments where we want to capture each person’s reaction at the SAME time, a second photographer is crucial!

Lastly, a second photographer in general will provide you with MORE images on your wedding day! During certain parts of the wedding day, the main photographer will be posing the bridal party and taking the head-on photos. Meanwhile, the second photographer is acting as a fly on the wall and floating around to take candids of the same scene. This gives you a handful of “artsy” angles as well as traditional angles of the bridal party, bride and groom portraits, etc.

the proof is in the photos!

Here are some photo examples of the top 3 reasons I recommend adding a second photographer to your wedding collection:

1.) THE CEREMONY. Two photographers manning the ceremony ensures that you will get extra angles! Especially if you know you are having a short ceremony, two photographers can take double the amount of photos. Here are a couple of examples:

In this photo, I am standing at the front of the aisle to capture the groom’s reaction (look at his smile!!) as well as the bride’s face walking down the aisle. The second photographer is stationed in the back, so he captured the bride walking with her dad from behind. With one shooter, I always prioritize people’s faces, but seeing the bride’s dress and veil trail behind her down the aisle is a great shot to have as well.
Photo by Alex Jennings

Here is a classic balcony example!

Photo by Kaley Gross

2.) THE FIRST LOOK OR BLIND FIRST LOOK. It’s easy to float around during the first look or blind first look, but it’s extra helpful if I don’t have to worry about being in two places at once!

Photo by Marni Wishart

3.) ARTISTIC FREEDOM. Last but not least, having a second photographer adds some “artsy” images to your wedding gallery. The first photo is one of my favorites that I shot at Cassidy’s wedding. I thought this photo was filled with incredible emotion, and I love the way Cassidy and Stephen were looking at each other. When I saw the second shot that the second photographer took of the EXACT same moment, I couldn’t believe it! I loved that one just as much as the one I took! Photo by Marni Wishart