Do I need a second photographer for my wedding?

A question I am often asked by my couples is “do I need a second photographer for my wedding?” Well the short answer is most likely no, probably not. I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve needed to have a second photographer. The most common reason people feel they need a second photographer is to cover morning prep in two different locations. Sounds reasonable, but with forward planning, in most cases I can still cover this on my own.

What I would usually do in this case is one of two things. I would arrange to go to the groom first, and spend maybe 20 minutes with him and the guys. Then I would make my way to see the bride and spend the majority of the morning with her. Bridal prep tends to be a bit more involved than groom prep! Alternatively, I would arrange with the groom to meet me at the venue and get some shots of them there..

Obviously there are some exceptions to this when having a second is unavoidable. For example if you are two brides or two grooms and you want full coverage of both of you getting ready. Although again, this is only really necessary if you’re in entirely different locations. If you’re in the same place I can just bounce between the two of you.

If you are planning on getting ready at entirely different locations, but still want both preps covering, it’s worth considering changing this so you’re a bit closer together. You can probably get a hotel room for one of you to get ready for less than having a second photographer.

The other main reason for having a second photographer for your wedding is due to the size of the wedding. If you’re having a larger wedding (150+ guests) I would probably recommend having a second photographer. There will be a lot going on at once and I can only be in one place at a time. I don’t insist upon having a second photographer until guest numbers are 200+. To do a wedding this size justice you really need to have two photographers.

If you think you might need to have a second photographer at your wedding, the best thing to do is get in touch and we can figure it out. Should we decide that a second photographer would be best, you can rest assured it will be another experienced wedding photographer. They will have a similar shooting style to my own. The photos they take on the day will be edited by me in my own style. This will ensure you are delivered a consistent set of great images.