“Do you think a second shooter is necessary? Will I need one? What do you think?” 

This is EASILY one of the biggest and most frequently asked questions I get when I jump on calls with potential wedding clients, and it is a very valid one! The reality is, you don’t want to end up paying for more photo coverage than you actually need for your wedding, but also you don’t want to have certain parts of your day potentially missed. It can be hard to know what exactly you need for your wedding day, especially if this is your first time getting married! Or maybe you have been married before, but it was a much smaller event than the one you are planning now and you are feeling a little lost as to what you ACTUALLY need and don’t need. 

If you related to this- keep reading because I am going to break down four reasons and situations where you absolutely NEED an additional photographer for your wedding day (and one bonus reason you probably never thought of), and how having one will there or wont be a benefit on your wedding day. I will also talk about why second shooters are not automatically included in the wedding packages I offer, and go into more detail about that.

Reason 1: You and your partner are getting ready in separate locations. 

I (or if not me, than your photographer LOL) cannot be in two places at once. If one of you is getting ready at the venue, but the other is getting ready at an Airbnb or hotel across town, and you both want getting ready photos and have fun morning activities planned you want photographed; then you absolutely need to add a second shooter to your wedding package (or add some extra hours to your wedding package so your photographer has time to drive across town to both locations and have enough time to photograph both of you). This is especially important if you are having a bible study, or first look, or even want extra photos with your bridal party before the day really gets going.

Reason 2: You LOVE detail photos 

If you absolutely love the details of your day (which heck yes, as you should, you spent so much time choosing and curating Pinterest worthy details to make sure your wedding the wedding of your dreams), then adding a second shooter is absolutely crucial. With a second shooter they can focus on the details, such as table scapes, florals, venue shots, etc. Then I can stay with you for family or bridal photos, without having to rush through them. Having an extra set of eyes is never a bad thing, they may even catch details I may not see, this ensures that nothing is missed when you receive your gallery back. 

Reason 2: You want to focus on candid moments

Let’s be real here, the posed photos are fun and important, but the photos that will really tell you the story of your day. They are like frosting, without frosting you can’t put a cake together- the same way you can’t have a wedding gallery without those cute candid moments. If candid photos are a priority to you, then you absolutely should add a second shooter to your wedding package. The photos of you laughing with your girlfriends, or hugging your grandpa after the ceremony, or throwing back beers with your boys at the bar- these are all the moments and photos that will make you smile and will be there for you to constantly come back to for years to come. It is hard for one person to witness and capture all the special moments throughout your day, having a second shooter will help make sure that no moment gets missed. This goes back to what I mentioned in the second reason, having an extra set of eyes is never a bad thing.

Reason 4: You want to make sure every moment of your day is 100% covered

I mean come it’s your wedding day!!! You absolutely deserve to have every moment documented and preserved for you to look back on and cry over for years to come. By adding a second shooter you can truly have it all, every special moment documented for years to come. For you to pass down for generations, for your children and your children’s children. For you to look at on every anniversary and laugh and cry together. An example of this can be that they are at cocktail hour getting photos of your guests and detail photos, while I am with you guys doing bridals. Or maybe they are standing way in the back of your ceremony to get a wide shot of you and all your guests, while I am in front getting close ups of the two of you reciting your vows. Having multiple angles and perspectives to choose from while designing your wedding album, choosing prints, or even picking out photos to post on Facebook and Instagram.

Bonus reason: Their photos can act as a backup for your wedding gallery 

Excuse my language, but sh*t happens. No matter how good my back up system is, or how new my memory cards are, or how much I watch over my gear- there is always the possibility for something to happen. Hard drives burn out or corrupt, memory cards corrupt and break, gear gets stolen or ruined. I have every precaution I can possibly have against these things, but even then it can still happen. I don’t say this to scare you, but I know what an investment photos can be and I want you to know and understand the risks. Technology is not a guarantee. I mean, how many times have you had even your phone or laptop break for what seems like no reason? Having a second shooter acts as an additional back up of your photos, and ensures that even if something happens to the photos I take or my gear, you will at least get some of the photos back from your wedding day. I have seen this happen before and it is not fun for anyone involved.

Second shooters are not automatically included in any of my wedding photo packages for a couple of reasons:

1) Most of my weddings are out of state, and finding a photographer I trust with your wedding day in a unfamiliar area is not always possible. I do occasionally bring trusted second shooters with me when I travel, but that doesn’t always work out scheduling wise.

2) The majority of couples who book with me prefer smaller more intimate weddings, and may not want an additional vendor there on their wedding day. They don’t want their day to feel like it is being overrun by vendors.

If I get the feeling that a second shooter is needed for your wedding I will let you know during our consult call, and talk over with you how I think having one there will benefit your wedding. I will never try to sell you on a second shooter if I don’t think it is 100% necessary. At the end of the day all I want is for you to have your dream wedding photos, I will only recommend a second shooter if I think they will help do that. And you can trust that when an additional photographer is brought on for your wedding day, it will be someone I trust. I will never just bring on some random person to help me document that biggest day of your life, I feel as though that would be doing you a disservice. I also will never use your wedding day as a day to teach a newer photographer how to shoot a wedding. This too I feel would be a disservice to you. After all you are getting married to the love of your life, that is the priority of the day nothing else.

At the end of the day it is all about what is most important to you on your wedding day. My role, is to help you make sure you have every photo of your dreams included in your final gallery, and that you love and cherish them for years to come.

If you have specific questions about your wedding needs, or just want to chat more about what you are envisioning for your big day, I would love to chat with you! You can reach out to me by clicking HERE! I am more than happy to chat over different options and help you figure out if a second shooter is right for you and your wedding!