Why Two Wedding Photographers Are Better Than One

Do you actually need two photographers at your wedding?

Fair question.

Because when you're planning a wedding, suddenly everyone has an opinion about things you didn't know you were supposed to have an opinion about.

Chargers.

Napkin folds.

Late-night snacks.

And apparently…

How many photographers you need following you around.

At Cedar & Cove, you don't have to decide.

There are two of us.

We're Brandie + Rhonda — best friends, photographers, professional dress fluffers and occasional emergency problem solvers.

And while having two photographers does mean you get more photographs, that's actually not the biggest advantage.

The real win?

You get more of your wedding.

Here's what we mean.

We Can Be in Two Places at Once

Sadly, despite years of trying, neither of us has mastered teleportation.

Having two photographers is the next best thing.

While one of us is photographing you getting ready, the other can be somewhere completely different photographing your partner.

One of us can photograph the reception space before guests enter while the other stays with you.

One can photograph cocktail hour while the other handles family portraits.

You don't have to choose which part of your wedding gets documented.

We divide and conquer.

You Get Both Sides of the Moment

This might be the biggest one.

Picture yourself walking down the aisle.

There's a pretty obvious photograph to take:

You.

But there's another photograph happening at exactly the same time.

The person waiting for you.

With two photographers, one of us can photograph you coming down the aisle while the other captures your partner's reaction.

Same moment.

Two completely different photographs.

And sometimes the photograph happening around the big moment ends up being the one you love most.

One of Us Watches You. The Other Watches Everyone Else.

Weddings are full of obvious moments.

The kiss.

The first dance.

The cake.

The speeches.

But while those things are happening, there's another wedding happening around you.

Your dad trying not to cry.

Your best friend already crying.

Grandma watching your first dance.

Your flower girl under a table eating something she definitely found on the floor.

Those reactions matter too.

With two photographers, one of us can focus on the main event while the other turns around.

And honestly?

Turning around is where some of our favourite photographs happen.

Your Getting-Ready Photos Don't Have to Feel Rushed

If you're getting ready in different locations, having two photographers makes a HUGE difference.

Instead of one photographer racing from one location to another while quietly calculating travel time and parking availability, we can split up.

Brandie goes one way.

Rhonda goes the other.

We photograph both sides of the morning as they're actually happening.

Then we meet back up and carry on with the day.

Less rushing.

More storytelling.

Significantly fewer frantic parking-lot texts.

Family Photos Become a Team Sport

Ah, family photos.

The portion of the wedding where someone inevitably disappears.

Uncle Dave?

Gone.

Grandpa?

Bathroom.

Your sister?

Talking to someone at cocktail hour.

Meanwhile, 17 other people are standing there wondering what they're supposed to do with their hands.

This is where having two photographers becomes extremely useful.

While one of us photographs, the other can organize the next group, track down missing relatives, straighten dresses, move handbags and generally keep things moving.

It means you spend less time standing around taking family photographs…

…and more time actually enjoying your wedding.

Which is exactly where we want you.

We Can Give You Different Perspectives Without Making You Do Everything Twice

Brandie and Rhonda don't see things exactly the same way.

And that's a good thing.

One of us might photograph a wide scene showing the entire landscape.

The other might notice your hands.

One might see the beautiful architecture.

The other catches the tiny expression between you.

One might photograph the perfectly composed portrait.

The other catches what happens two seconds later when you both start laughing.

You don't have to recreate the moment.

You don't have to repeat anything.

We're simply seeing it from two perspectives.

Your Portrait Time Can Actually Be Shorter

This one surprises people.

You might assume two photographers means:

TWICE THE PHOTOSHOOT.

Absolutely not.

Our goal is not to kidnap you for three hours and return you to your reception just in time for dessert.

Because we're working together, we can often get more variety in less time.

While one of us takes the lead, the other can shoot from a completely different angle.

Same moment.

Two perspectives.

Less posing.

More wedding.

And that's very much our thing.

Cocktail Hour Doesn't Have to Disappear

Here's a common wedding photography problem.

You finish the ceremony.

Then you need:

Family photos.

Wedding-party photos.

Couple portraits.

Meanwhile, cocktail hour is happening somewhere else.

With two photographers, your gallery doesn't have to suddenly skip an hour.

While one of us stays with portraits, the other can photograph your guests.

The hugs.

The drinks.

The décor.

The little reunions happening everywhere.

The people you invited to your wedding are part of your story too.

We want them in it.

But Do Small Weddings Need Two Photographers?

Sometimes couples assume two photographers only makes sense for a 200-person wedding.

Not necessarily.

Some of the biggest benefits have nothing to do with guest count.

You still have two people getting ready.

You still have two reactions during the ceremony.

You still have parents and grandparents and friends experiencing the day alongside you.

You still have moments happening simultaneously.

A smaller wedding doesn't necessarily mean a smaller story.

So… Are Two Wedding Photographers Really Better Than One?

We certainly think there are some pretty big advantages.

But the biggest isn't simply:

More photographers = more photos.

It's this:

Two photographers can tell more of the story without asking you to give up more of your wedding day to photography.

And that's exactly how we want to work.

We don't want your memories of your wedding to be three straight hours of us telling you where to stand.

We want you drinking champagne.

Hugging people.

Eating the food you spent six months choosing.

Dancing terribly.

Being present.

Living your wedding.

While we're quietly making sure you get to see all the parts of it later.

Including the ones you missed.

Especially those.

Two Photographers. One Story.

At Cedar & Cove, having two photographers isn't an add-on.

It's who we are.

We're Brandie + Rhonda.

We work together.

We know how the other shoots.

We know when to split up and when to come together.

And when your wedding is over, our photographs don't become "Brandie's gallery" and "Rhonda's gallery."

They become your wedding story.

One gallery.

Two perspectives.

A whole lot of moments you didn't even know happened.

And that's the win.

→ READ NEXT: What Happens to Your Wedding Photos After We Leave?

→ EXPLORE: Cedar & Cove Weddings

Brandie + Rhonda

Cedar & Cove Photography

West Coast wedding photography for couples who want beautiful photographs without spending their wedding day posing for them.