Crozet Wedding | Charlottesville Wedding Second Shooter for April Bennett Photography
As most of you know, I don’t specialize in weddings! However, I *do* on occasion offer my services as a “second shooter”, i.e., another photographer that helps out by being there when the main photographer can’t, and catching important shots at a different angles.
My first 2nd shooting gig was with my good friend Jodi of Jodi May Photography, at the beautiful Delfosse Vineyards a couple years ago. Then, last year, my friend Christina of Christina Keddie Photography was traveling south to Washington, DC, and asked if I was available. Well, of COURSE!
However, this year I was incredibly flattered when a local Charlottesville photographer, April of April Bennett Photography, messaged me, asking if I was available on a Saturday in May as a 2nd shooter. We are in a local Facebook group of photographers, and I had mentioned once that I 2nd shoot on occasion, and well, she had an occasion! April works with just a couple other 2nd shooters, which are wedding photographers themselves, but unable to help her that date. I was honored that she reached out to me as she said she loved what she had seen of my work, and I absolutely loooove hers!
As I mentioned, weddings aren’t my norm! BUT, there is nothing more fun for a photographer than to step out of their comfort-zone on occasion and try something different. Given, I know enough about wedding photography to be dangerous…as editing for other photographers is what keeps me busy, especially as a team member of Kristen Wynn Photography. Kristen is a HUGE inspiration to me for wedding photography, as I really get to know her shooting style and the layout of a typical wedding day by editing all her weddings. That gives me a great boost in being able to come to a wedding as a 2nd shooter a bit more prepared.
However, no matter what, it still isn’t my usual gig. 😉 It’s very tough on my body (okay, maybe not as tough as a newborn shoot….a newborn shoot makes my legs more sore than ever!), and being as short as I am (again, a great boon for working with babies & children) makes for interesting challenges.
With that, I may shoot low:
But in order to get shots of the groomsman (one of my duties at April’s wedding was to go to the couple’s house to get shots of the groom & groomsman getting ready), I had to utilize furniture. Hey, these are tall guys…thank goodness for a bench nearby! 😉
(See the slideshow at the bottom of the post for more “getting ready” photos)
An hour or so later, and we all had to get to the venue. While the bride & groom had their first look (for those not in the current-wedding-lingo-know, the “first look” is a chance for the betrothed to see one another privately before the wedding), I went to the reception area to get details of the beautiful peach, pink, and cream roses throughout (flowers & wedding planning were done by Amore Events by Cody).
The favors were handmade soaps.
Even the cake was decorated with roses.
A live band set up while guests mingled outside during cocktail time prior to the ceremony.
A beautiful warm spring day, with gorgeous views, Restoration Hall of Crozet set up a beautiful scene for this wedding and reception.
Cocktails were available both before and after the ceremony, which makes for happy guests, I’m sure. 😉 
The ceremony was beautiful and the weather perfect.
Definitely a lot of love all around!
I stayed for awhile longer to photograph first dances:
And of course, the fun toasts!
Congratulations to Catherine and Kevin!
Please check out the slideshow below to see many more images.
And of course, many thanks to April Bennett Photography for the opportunity! It was truly an honor to work with SUCH an incredible talent, as well as wonderful to meet you! Go over to her page and see some of her beautiful work…and if you didn’t know, she also loves boudoir photography, which is really hard to find around the Charlottesville area. So you know, do the boudoir with April, then head on back over to me when the baby comes. 😉
