Your Wedding photos is an Investment of a Moment in time. There are many things that you will remember long after your Wedding day, but photos sharpen that memory and take you back to that moment. Photographs is also a great way to share that moment. On your Wedding day time goes by so fast and before you know it the day you were planning for, for months, is all over. Choosing the right photographer would be one of the most important steps in planning your wedding -don’t rush it, take your time and view portfolios all over the web if you can. There are certain skills that can only be acquired with experience. Split second decision making when all does not go to plan – unexpected weather changes, equipment failure, accidents, delays – but for the seasoned photographer, these situations are easier dealt with, as they’ve probably experienced a similar problem previously. But it’s not only the problem solving skills that comes with experience, also the knowledge of how the behaviour of light in different locations, the familiarity of working at the top wedding venues, the luxury of knowing other service providers that might affect your ability to capture the day, the anticipation of where to be to get the best shot, and so much more.
It is important for the couple to meet the Photographer beforehand, just to get to know each other. It is important for me that my customers feel comfortable with me. I will be around you the whole day of your wedding, so it’s important that we get along.
Planning your wedding day: There are lots of tools on the internet you can use to help you and guide you, not to miss a single detail at your wedding. Here’s a very handy website you can use to help you with all your tasks https://apracticalwedding.com/spreadsheets/
A timeline for the wedding is very helpful and a good idea to discuss with the photographer how much time is needed for different photos. (Some extra time before the wedding for the “getting ready” photos and the time slot for the formal couple photos after the ceremony)
Summer weddings:
So, you are planning you wedding in Cape Town for summer (December, January or February) the Wedding is at Wine estate or the beach. There are a few things to keep in mind when planning your wedding in the summer time in the Western Cape – Summer is the windiest time in the Western Cape so doing your ceremony outside can have its challenges. (I have seen chairs blown away, couples blew of their feet and brides vails standing at a 90-degree angle in die wind. By the time you have to do the formal photographs of the bride and the groom, the bride would need another touch up by the hair stylist. So, it’s important to know if the venue has a plan B if the weather is not playing along on that day. Another drawback could be harsh sunlight and standing in direct sunlight…During the summer the sun can be very hot at 4pm in the afternoon. Look for a venue with ample shade to compensate for the harsh light. Sunset in the middle of summer is round about 8pm, that would be a bit difficult if you want those dramatic sunset photos. That is usually the time that the mains would be served at the reception.
Winter weddings:
Winter Weddings in the Western Cape can be amazing and some of best sunsets with dramatic clouds are seen during this time of the year. This is also ironically the time of the year with minimal wind and many venues can have special winter packages. It is of course then the rainy season in Cape Town, so you will definitely need to have a plan B in order for the day. The best venue to look for would be where the ceremony and reception could be held indoors. (Sunset time for winter at approx. 5:30pm)
So, what it comes down to, know your venues strength and limitations, know the seasons you want to plan your wedding day on, know the pro’s and the cons of winter versus summer weddings. Know Winter Weddings has rain, Cold weather, soft light. Winter is great for photos, you can have some of the best clouds for dramatic sunsets for your couple photos. Finally, the venues can offer fantastic pricing for winter.