Do I need two photographers for my wedding?
Hi there. My ceremony is at church in the morning and my reception is at 5pm in the city. Am I better off getting two separate photographers - one for getting ready + ceremony and one for the reception - to save on my budget? Or how does that work?
Gina
Question Asked: 7/06/2022
Wedding Date: 20/10/2023
Most Helpful Response
(14) · Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, servicing all of South East Queensland.
Posted: 26/06/2026
Answered by: 12 Experts
Sort by:
Totally depends on what your plan for the day and budget, If you wans the getting ready shots of both of you and need only 1 photogarpher, allocate a bit more time for preparation and in the same location to save time & Budget.
(108) · Tamworth NSW Based - Travelling Hunter Valley, Newcastle, Central Coast, Blue Mountains and beyond
Posted: 2/01/2023
If you want both your entrance to the ceremony and the other halfs reaction it is best to have 2 photographers for that part. Then the second photogrpaher can go and capture all the details of your reception before your guests mess it up too haha usually I have a second photographer booked for 2-3 hours staring at the ceremony or at one of the couples getting ready location if they are far apart.
I don't think you do. An experienced photographer is always 2-3 steps ahead of what everyone on the day thinks/feels/happens!
Its great to have 2 photographers for any wedding over 60 people to catch all the emotion in the room the best. One or two photographers, we will always tell your story in an artisitc, timeless and beautiful way.
Hi Lovlies! Depends on a few factors,
-how the flow of the company your enquiring works,
-the layout of timelined events for the day and if you need coverage in two different locations( at the same time )mainly,
and if you want the added insurance of having a second viewpoint, of your once in a lifetime moments and cherished experience.
(1) · Melbourne | Gippsland | Yarra Valley | Mornington Peninsula
Posted: 8/06/2022
By AnthonyT Reynolds Photography
Hi Gina,that's a very good question indeed... A Perceptive photographer will be able to guide you on this and help you with it by organising shooting times throughout your adventure...You can always find time for brilliant post- ceremony photos with your Bidal Party and of course your Gorgeous Groom during the time between your Church service & your Reception I reckon...You might have special locations in mind for that hey!
You just need to arrange it so that you will have rest breaks as well for everyone, once more something to discuss with your photographer...
Personally my coverage would be an all-day one,at a pre-agreed pricing. This would mean the style would be consistent for your whole Wedding which may not be so if you hired a 2nd Professional to attend your reception-at a greater expense?
Even if it's a big wedding, the time difference there would be more than enough to get lots of family photos,even with elderly who may not be able to attend your ceremony and reception
Hello - In my opinion, try to search for your ideal photographer first. Then ask for a quote if there is a time gap or break. If it cost you more, then you should find a second one.
it will be ideal to have one photographer so that you could only communicate with one vendor. It also provide you same quality of delivery, style of photos, and execution.
I hope that helps.
Zanti :)
(31) · Southern Highlands, Canberra, Wollongong & South Coast
Posted: 8/06/2022
Great question - I have a second shooter or second photographer to work alongside me to capture different angles, separate locations and assist with the logistics that come with wedding photography.
Here’s a few of my favourite reasons to have a second photographer:
- There are lots of times that having photos from different angles comes in handy! During the ceremony and first look, Sharon can focus on the groom’s reaction, and I can capture the bride’s reaction. During the ceremony, I might be getting an epic wider shot from the back of the church and Sharon is taking more intimate, emotional images from the front.
- I have two cameras in a case so I always have a backup camera at a wedding. But a second photographer provides a backup for me. So if something epic happens while I’ve gone to grab a drink, change batteries or storage cards, you’ve still got coverage!
- With another set of hands I can get some more creative images. A second shooter can hold lights at the right angles, help hang the wedding dress in places I couldn’t reach on my own because they help hold the chair or ladder I’m standing on. One of my absolute favourite things they help me with is making the veil fly in photos as though the wind captured it. After they toss the veil in the air they literally run as fast as they can to get out of frame before it falls!
Another consideration is budget. The question of having one or two photographers is a simple question of balancing what you can afford with what you desire. A second photographer for a lot of couples is truly a luxury. At Blue Ginger Photography I pride myself on providing great value and service and that is why we include a second photographer at no extra cost. Winning all round!
Hi - as a professional wedding photographer/videographer we would absolutley recommend finding the person who's photography style and personality suit you and your wedding. You will be spending most of your day with them so its really important you feel comfortble with them. Hiring two different photographers generally wont save you money (as most work on their minium hourly coverage), and you may end up with two very different styles to put into your wedding album that might not be in harmony with each other.
At West Coat Weddings we don't work on blocks of hours. All of our Collections (Packages) tell the whole love story of your day - getting ready, ceremony, portraits (on location if wanted) and the reception - which is where our coverge changes. Do you want just the first hour of it (Classic), all the formalities (Elegant), or there all night (Luxurious)? Obviously, with more coverage you get a bigger album and longer film included in your Collection. For most of our couples we would start around 10.00am and finish at night. If we are able to drone at the location, we would be up at sunrise! So even our Classic collection genrally gives at least 11 hours coverage for our couples.
Hope this helps answer your question.
Karen
Didn't find what you were looking for? Ask your own question and we'll have our experts answer it.
Ask a question
The thing to know is that "two photographers" and "two separate photographers" are two different ideas. A second shooter is one studio sending two people who edit together, so the look stays consistent. Booking two totally separate photographers to split the day is a different thing, and it usually does not save what people hope, because most of us have a minimum booking, so two half days often adds up to more than one full day with one team.
For your run sheet, a morning church ceremony and a 5pm city reception, the real question is the gap in the middle. If you go with two separate photographers you create a hard handover, and the second one arrives cold with no feel for your people, your light or how the day has flowed. With one photographer across the day, that quiet afternoon gap is actually a gift: it is the window we use for couple portraits in good light around the city before everyone heads to the reception.
Where a genuine second shooter earns its place is the morning, if you and your partner are getting ready in separate spots and want both covered at once, or at the ceremony and reception for a second angle. You do not always need it, plenty of our couples are beautifully covered by one. If budget is tight, I would trim the hours rather than split the day between two strangers.
One last practical note: whoever you book, ask who edits the photos. With us every image is edited in-house by the people who shot it, so your getting ready, ceremony and reception all feel like one story rather than two halves stitched together.