Wedding Directory | South Africa | Eastern Cape | Perfect Day Wedding Guide

Prior to meeting with a perspective photographer, discuss your expectations, wants and needs with your fiancé and your parents. Topics to consider:

Although some photographers will shoot from the beginning of the day until the end of the reception for one flat fee, others offer a limited amount of time (seven hours, for example) with an additional cost per half hour. Decide where you want your photographer to begin (at the bride's house or the ceremony site) and how many hours you need for the day.

Do you prefer colour, black and white or both? Are you interested in sepia or hand-coloured photographs? Do you favour traditional portraits, candid shots or documentary-style?

Make a list of your needs and those of your parents. What kind of an album do you want? Do you need parent albums or enlargements? You ultimately want to find a package deal that suits your individual needs

Check with your ceremony and reception site about any photographic restrictions. Many churches, for example, ask that the photographer shoot from one place. Ask if a special flash is required to protect paintings.

Ask your photographer to recommend locations for your creative shots. He/she will have done many weddings and will know the most picturesque locations.

The wedding day will come and go, but the photos should last forever. Even the most budget-conscious couples should remember: you get what you pay for. Set aside a generous portion of your budget for photography and allow yourself a little leeway. See as many photographers as you can - it will help you get a sense of quality vs cost.