Choosing a wedding photographer is like choosing the perfect dress to a special event. The right one will make you feel and look like a superstar, the wrong one…well we’ve all been there and it wasn’t pretty. So what are some of the things you need to consider when picking the best Lagos wedding photographer for you? As someone who was once a bride and now specialises in wedding photography, allow me to make a few suggestions:
1) PERSONALITY
Ok – so personality is two-fold. First of all you need someone you get along with as you will be spending a minimum of 8 to 10 hours with this person come wedding day.
You also need someone who is confident and can take charge and direct people during key parts of the day such as the family portraits after the ceremony. A fun, laid back photographer can actually help put everyone at ease, which will make for better pictures. So choose wisely. 🙂
You need to be clear about what is important to you to ensure you get adequate coverage from your wedding photographer. Typical coverage for a wedding is 8 hours for a traditional wedding or 10 hours for a white wedding in Lagos depending on the length of your wedding programme. It is pretty much the norm now to have coverage start in the morning with getting ready and continue well into the after party at night.
Be careful though, some wedding photographers keep costs low by including only a couple of hours of coverage and you may end up having to spend a lot more money to get the coverage you want. So if comparing photographers, be sure to ask about the number of hours of coverage being offered and if they say “All day coverage”, be sure to clarify exactly how many hours that includes. Never assume; it could prove costly.
I wholeheartedly believe that every couple should get a beautiful album as a keepsake from the wedding. Think about it, when was the last time you had any of your images printed? In another 5 to 10 years, current technology will become obsolete. How will you share one of the most important days of your life with your children then? A printed wedding album becomes a beautiful heirloom, which can be passed down from generation to generation.
Most Lagos photographers offer a range of professional wedding albums, so you just need to decide what kind of album best represents you as a couple. Things to ask include: i) How many pages come in the wedding album? ii) How many images will be included? iii) What cover options are available for my wedding album?
Cost saving tip: It is definitely worth asking about the album at the initial meeting as wedding photographers often offer a significant discount for purchasing your album upfront.
The number of photographers you will need on your wedding day depends on i) the number of guests you are expecting and ii) if you would like both the bride and groom preparation covered.
A lot of photographers these days actually come as a two person team as it allows one photographer to focus on working with your group and directing the day while the second photographer can concentrate more on the wedding guests and general reactions.
As a general rule of thumb, I would say a wedding with over 400 guests should have at least two photographers documenting the event. So unless you are one of the lucky few who manage to convince your parents that the whole of Lagos does not need to be at your wedding – you will definitely need two to three wedding photographers to cover your wedding to ensure adequate coverage. 🙂
Money, money, money! While budget always has to be taken into consideration when selecting your wedding photographer, it definitely should not be the only thing that matters (unless, of course, you just need some quick snapshots of the day, in which case, please ignore everything I said above!). 🙂
I can’t count the number of horror stories from brides who made a decision on their wedding photography based purely on price and have since regretted it. When it’s all said and done, the food, drinks and cake are all gone, your beautiful flowers are dead and your designer dress will be packed away or even sold. Your wedding photography (and videography) will be all you have to remember just how amazing your wedding day actually was. I love it when my brides tell me that viewing their images is like reliving their beautiful day all over again. Photography is a learned skill and like so many other things in life, you get what you pay for, so please choose wisely.
Ok, so these are a couple of tips, which should help set you on the right track in picking the best photographer for your Lagos wedding. If you are a fun and relaxed bride totally in love with her best friend and planning to have an amazing time with friends and family, I’d love to hear you and find out how I can help create some beautiful memories for you.
Get in touch right here or via wani@waniolatunde.com, so we can chat some more about your fabulous day. In the meantime, happy wedding planning. 🙂
Want to stay in touch? Then let’s connect via Instagram right here. 🙂
