You’ve asked and we’ve answered! Welcome to your weekly column ‘Planning Your Happily Ever After’ with wedding consultant Shikima Hinds.

You have probably spent years imagining the perfect wedding.

You have a pretty good idea about your dress, you know your theme and you can visualise the décor. All brides know that their wedding photography is one of the most important parts of the wedding day.

While a wedding day is supposed to be the most beautiful day of your life, preparing for a wedding can become overwhelming. The special day comes and goes by very quickly. Let’s be honest, you will unfortunately not be able to see everything. That’s where hiring a professional photographer and videographer would come in. I am sure you want the perfect pictures, but you also want videos, which can get costly.

Many feel pressured into choosing and deciding whether they’re going to hire just a photographer or both a photographer and videographer for their wedding.

Ensuring that wedding photos and videos are captured is super important because they’ll be keepsakes for years to come. They serve as the record of your celebration whilst capturing the laughs, tears, hugs and toasts.

Some couples give up hiring a videographer for their weddings or choosing a package with a limited service offering to save costs. In some instances, couples choose to have a friend or family member responsible for capturing the moments. There really isn’t a right or wrong choice. The only thing that matters is making a decision that you are not going to regret in the future.

You should hire a videographer if…

1. You write your own vows

2. You expect an awesome dance party

3. You appreciate candid moments

4. You want to remember the speeches

5. You have special surprises planned

Having a videographer filming the wedding ceremony and celebration will never get old. Most couples are sceptical about hiring a videographer since they aren’t sure if it is worth the money. But it’s always the biggest regret for most couples who choose not to have this service. Having a professional capture the happiest day of your life is priceless and at the end of the day, you are left with hundreds of special moments that you can relive. As I mentioned, you won’t see everything on your wedding day but your video will.

Wedding videographers and photographers serve totally different purposes. Still photos provide an image of a moment in time, but videography captures both movement and sound. With a video, you’ll be able to get first-hand sights and sounds of emotions, like the moment your spouse gasps during your first look, or your dad’s toast and your mom’s laughter. You’ll be able to watch and enjoy your first kiss as newly-weds, your first dance, and your sister’s amazing dance moves.

Choosing an experienced wedding photographer and videographer are obviously a must and both must be able to work together. When they do so often, they are in sync, never in each other’s way and know how best to achieve the client’s vision.

Recalling year after year your special day, plus watching the next generation flipping through wedding photos and videos is priceless. To get comprehensive and detailed memories of your special day, I truly recommend that it’s best to hire both a wedding photographer and a videographer. These are the memories you’ll cherish forever.