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How to Shoot Double Header Wedding Weekends without Dying | Photography Education

It’s no secret that I shoot 30+ weddings per year (I blog every wedding!) and there are multiple weekends where I shoot a double header. My friends in the business are always asking me “HOW do you do that without dying?!” (We are so dramatic 😂) so I thought I would share my insider secrets—besides the obvious “drink lots of water” not-so-secret secret 😂

1. Compression socks! This is the #1 reason I’m able to be on my feet for 8+ hours straight and still have energy for the next day. My favorites are these from 2xu!  The drawback is that you have to wear pants, but I’ve photographed all-outdoor weddings  in the middle of summer when it’s 105 and 70% humidity wearing these socks and black pants with no problems. I would suggest getting two pair, though, so you don’t have to rewear your sweat from the day before #gross 😅
2. Hydration. I’m not just talking about water here. I’m talking about coconut water and pickle juice(hear me out). One gives you salt and one gives you potassium. Water is also a must, but you really need to replenish your electrolytes so you don’t wake up with the dreaded #weddinghangover (it’s a real thing, guys). This is my favorite coconut water and this is the pickle juice I buy. No sugar! No dye! You can get both at HEB. You can find the pickle juice on amazon if you’re not in the mood to go to the grocery store. And if you want to nerd out a little bit, visit this website to figure out exactly how many ounces of water you should be drinking at a wedding.
3. Pace yourself And don’t book two (or 3) huge weddings back to back. If I shoot a double header, one of them is usually a smaller/shorter wedding day for me. Don’t shoot two twelve hour weddings back to back and expect to be fully functioning by the end of the second night.
4. Get a good night’s rest. This is also extremely important. When you aren’t rested you’re more likely to get hangry and you aren’t able to think as clearly. Sleep tip: make sure your “work shift” mode on your phone is on! It blocks the blue light from your phone between certain hours, so you sleep better(blue light stimulates your brain and can cause insomnia). This will especially be helpful for those of you (us) who check all the things on your phone before going to bed. Click here for instructions on how to turn the Work Shift mode on.
5. Speaking of hangry, bring plenty of snacks to munch on in between getting ready and ceremony photos. I’m pretty well known for pulling baby food pouches out of my bag (I swear they taste like apple sauce!) and/or bananas(more potassium!).  It’s really not good for your body to be under so much stress, anxiety, and movement all while your blood sugar is dropping and dehydration sets in. If you properly hydrate and snack, you will feel better the next day, I promise.
6. Good Feet insoles —this should really be #2 on the list, but they’re pretty pricey! If you suffer from back, knee, or hip pain, you NEED to go to the Goodfeet store. They diagnose your feet issues (for me, I have high arches that flatten out when I stand up) and fit you with arches that fix your problem. I’ve noticed a HUGE difference since I bought mine #thisisnotanad

A couple of weekends ago we celebrated David and Tamara’s wedding on Saturday (it was 92 degrees!)Then we celebrated with Madelynn and Brendan on Sunday!

 

More things to consider before shooting double wedding weekends:

how do you usually feel after one wedding day? If it feels like a MAC truck just ran you over, maybe just stick to one wedding per weekend. You can also implement all of my suggestions and see if you can feel a difference, then go from there. You can always hire more assistants to help carry your bags and do some leg work for you.

Make sure your weddings are somewhat close in proximity. If you’re having to drive 3+ hours from one destination to another, that’s something to consider.

For booking two weddings on one weekend I don’t necessarily think your brides NEED to know. But if you’re shooting three, definitely let your third bride know and make sure she’s okay with it. Because if you share on social media and your blog, she will see it anyway. No matter how in shape you are or how well you hydrate, you’re not going to be 100% on day 3. I have personally never shot a triple header and have ZERO intentions of doing so.

PS: if you don’t already know, I’m also an RN, and living my healthiest life is a top priority. I hope this helped you in some way or another! Comment below with your thoughts or if you have some tips for me!

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