Photographer? Check. Videographer? Check. Wedding content creator? Yup, really. Turns out, a growing number of brides are hiring professionals to capture, edit, and even post photos and videos of their big day on social media. To learn more, we spoke to wedding content creator and bridal influencer Lauren Ladouceur…

Q: What does a wedding day typically look like for you?

I’ll be on site for 10 to 15 hours ... My husband works with me, so I’ll go with one person and he’ll go with the other ... That’s when we start capturing those very candid, natural moments that happen as everyone is getting ready. I want to see your friends’ reactions when they show up at 8 am. I want to see if you exchange letters, if you’re crying because you’re so happy or if you’re playing cards and taking shots. That’s the side of the day that isn’t always captured ... We’ll also get detailed shots showing how [the venue] comes together. There [are] so many things on your wedding day that you don't get to see — but you’ve spent hours planning and talking about ... From there, we’re ingrained into your wedding day ... I’m not only capturing what’s going on, but I’m also live editing and posting ... And that’s just the beginning of my day. To be able to turn something around within 24 hours means we’re editing all night. [Keep in mind] that’s the bare minimum. A lot of times, we’ll do welcome parties, rehearsal dinners, after parties, and brunches.

Q: Are most of your clients already super connected to social media?

About 80% of couples do not have a social media presence at all — they are private on every platform … [For them,] I think the value is the level of immediacy. You’re getting all the photos, videos, and edited content within 24 hours of your wedding ... so it provides an intermediary while you wait for [photography and videography]. Also, you’re getting these short, digestible clips that allow you to see your wedding from a different perspective ... And I treat my clients like influencers. In all my packages, I offer Instagram takeovers. I just shot a wedding in Cabo, and afterwards, the bride was like, ’I’ve never felt more love than when you took over my stories.’ So I think for the couple, they’re spending so much time, effort, and money on their wedding day, why not showcase all of that in real time?

Q: How do you ensure that what you’re posting feels authentic to each couple?

If I’m taking over your stories, no one should know it’s me … When you’re working with a vendor, there should be a vibe there. There should be someone that feels really natural and who’s going to put their heart and soul into making your wedding the absolute best. For every couple I work with, I create a guide that delves into all sorts of questions so when I’m posting, I’m essentially a ghost poster. But even if you don’t want anything posted, that element is still there.

Q: Between guests and vendors, there are so many people trying to capture the big day. Is it hard to carve out your own space?

I always tell couples, obviously your friends want photos, and I’ll be the first to make sure they have that fire picture to post on social media. I get it — I love that. But this allows me to be the person dedicated to making sure you have all of this ... I’m not just getting photos and behind-the-scenes moments of the couple. I’m also focused on their bridal party, family members, and things like that. So this lets people 100% enjoy themselves and still know that we’re going to get those photos and videos.