Do You Need A Second Photographer?
This can be a conflicting question for some couples because they just aren’t sure if it’s worth adding it on to the budget. One of the biggest regrets brides admit they have from their wedding day is not budgeting enough for their wedding photographer. It may seem like all you're hiring them to do is click a button on a camera but it is far from that. Hiring that family friend to save a few hundred dollars now, is going to feel like the biggest mistake of your life four years down the road when you realize you didn’t get what you really wanted and there is no fixing that. Your wedding day happens once, so hire the professional who knows in every way how to capture it.
As for a second photographer, do you need it? Let’s go over some things to consider and then you decide for yourself what fits you and your partner's needs.
Full Coverage. If you really want to ensure every single moment is captured, even from different angles, this may be the right fit for you. It can help ease couples' minds that there is more than one person looking around the event and capturing separate things happening at once such as at the reception hour, cocktail hour, and ceremony. For example, while you get your formal portraits done after the ceremony, your second photographer can capture your guests chatting and enjoying their first drinks of the night during cocktail hour happening simultaneously.
Time Saved. If you are looking for less photographer coverage hours, adding a second photographer can be a cheaper option to try and cover all you are wanting. For example, you can opt for an eight hour coverage package and add-on a second photographer for 2-3 hours. This would end up saving time on your timeline as two photographers can be at one place at a time. Your detail shots of decor, reception area, attire, florals, and getting ready shots can be split up amongst the two photographers.
Budget Friendly. Don’t be to intimidated by the idea of adding on a second photographer. Since photographer associates hand over their memory cards to the lead photographer before they even leave the event, they aren’t getting paid for the same reasons. On average second shooters can cost anywhere from $50-$150 an hour depending on who your lead photographer works with. When you are investing in thousands of dollars for your wedding photographer, adding just a couple hundred more isn’t going to break the bank and could be a wonderful addition to your wedding experience.
Even if you opt out of adding a second photographer, this doesn’t mean you won’t get appropriate coverage. Your lead photographer is more than capable of capturing the wedding day in its entirety. A second photographer allows for time saving, different angles, and focusing more on things like guests while your lead photographer focuses on you. This will ultimately be a decision made based on how well you feel it will fit you and your partner’s needs and wants for your wedding day.
