In short
A banquet with two march-ins, one for the couple and a separate one for parents or another family group, needs a crew positioned to cover both entrances without missing either. This usually means repositioning quickly between the two or using a second shooter, with the running order confirmed with the emcee beforehand.
- Two march-ins usually mean the couple's entrance plus a separate one for parents or family.
- Crew positioning has to account for both entrances, not just the main one.
- A second shooter helps avoid choosing between the two segments.
- Pacing between the two march-ins depends on how much gap the emcee builds in.
- Confirming the running order with the emcee beforehand avoids surprises on the day.
Why some banquets have two separate march-ins
Larger, family-led celebrations sometimes include a second march-in in addition to the couple's own entrance, often for one or both sets of parents, particularly where the banquet is seen as an occasion for the wider family rather than the couple alone. This is a matter of family preference and programme design rather than a fixed rule every wedding follows.
Where it happens, the second march-in is usually shorter than the couple's own entrance, but it still carries weight for the families involved, so it deserves the same level of planning rather than being treated as an afterthought.
Knowing in advance that your banquet includes two march-ins, rather than discovering it on the day, gives your photography crew time to plan properly.
Positioning a crew to cover both entrances
Covering two march-ins well usually means the crew cannot stay in one spot for the whole segment. A common approach is positioning near the first entrance, capturing that walk-in, then moving quickly to the second entrance point before it begins, timed against however much gap the programme allows.
Where the gap between the two is short, a second shooter becomes more useful, since one crew member can hold position at the second entrance while the other finishes covering the first. This avoids a rushed dash across the room between segments.
Venue layout also matters here. A banquet hall with entrances on opposite sides of the room needs a different plan from one where both march-ins use the same doorway.
Keeping the pacing smooth between the two segments
The gap between the two march-ins sets the pace for how the crew works. A longer gap, perhaps while the emcee makes announcements or guests settle, gives the crew time to reposition calmly and check equipment before the second entrance begins.
A shorter gap requires a tighter, pre-agreed plan, since there is little room to improvise once the first march-in is underway. In these cases, the crew usually agrees on exact positions beforehand rather than deciding in the moment.
Either way, knowing the planned gap in advance, even roughly, changes how the crew prepares for the segment as a whole.
What to brief the emcee and photographer together on
Because both the emcee and the photography crew need to work from the same running order, it helps for them to speak directly before the banquet starts rather than relying on the couple to relay details between them. A short conversation covering the order of the two march-ins, the approximate gap, and the entrance points is usually enough.
If either march-in includes an effect such as lighting changes, confetti, or a specific song cue, mentioning this to both the emcee and photographer avoids the crew being caught off guard mid-segment.
This kind of coordination tends to matter more for two march-ins than a single entrance, simply because there is more to track and less room to recover from a missed cue.
Equipment and crew size considerations
Covering two march-ins smoothly sometimes calls for a larger crew than a single-entrance banquet would need, particularly if the two segments happen close together or on opposite sides of the room. Discuss this with your photographer when you first describe your programme, rather than assuming standard coverage will stretch to fit.
Equipment also plays a role. A crew working across a wider space may rely more on longer lenses or a second camera body ready to switch quickly, rather than repositioning with a single setup each time.
Raising these details early gives your photographer time to plan crew size and equipment around your specific banquet layout.
What guests notice when the segment runs smoothly
When two march-ins are planned well, guests generally experience the segment as two clear, well-paced moments rather than a rushed or confusing sequence. This comes down to preparation on the crew's part more than anything visible to guests directly.
Families involved in the second march-in, often parents who may feel less experienced in front of a camera than the couple, also tend to feel more at ease when the segment is clearly planned rather than improvised.
- Confirm the order of the two march-ins with your emcee in advance.
- Share the entrance points and approximate gap with your photographer.
- Mention any planned effects tied to either entrance.
- Ask whether your crew size is suited to covering both segments.
If your banquet programme includes two march-ins, get in touch and share your running order so we can plan coverage around it.