Your wedding day will hold many treasured memories for years to come.

And love it or hate it, whether you’re photogenic or camerashy, your wedding album will be the reminder of your happy day.

So bite the bullet, polish up that smile, and make sure that you book a good photographer to record your wedding day frame by frame.

Once you’ve made the decision to get married, one of the first things you should do is book a photographer. Good photographers tend to get booked up months in advance, so this is especially important if you’re planning on getting hitched within several months of making your decision.

Nonetheless, take your time finding your photographer: you need to hire a professional who takes the style of pictures you like, who appreciates your particular preferences and with whom you feel you have a rapport. If you hit it off on a personal level, you will feel more relaxed on the day.

Decide on a budget straightaway – then you can decide on the package you want and shop around accordingly. Have a look at the work of several photographers if you don’t have anyone specific in mind. It might be worth asking any friends and acquaintances who’ve recently been married for recommendations.

Once you have chosen your photographer, agree on the package you want, in other words, whether you want them there pre-, during and/or postwedding. Get written quotations, ensuring that it is well within your budget.

You should also think about what style of photos you’d like. Once upon a time, the only option was to have rather formal, posed shots that, though lovely to keep, don’t necessarily capture the atmosphere of the day. These days, more and more couples tend to opt for more informal pictures rather than the set up, structured groups.

Reportage-style photos are definitely the big thing at the moment, with a photographer being almost invisible, capturing ‘action’ shots – groups of friends laughing at a throwaway comment, bridesmaids fiddling with the flowers in their bouquets, the groom sneaking a quick kiss off his new bride.

Finally, on the day itself, make sure that you appoint one of your attendants, either the best man or chief bridesmaid, to liaise with the photographer, co-ordinating groups of guests and introducing them to key people you want in the shots – that way, you will ensure that everyone that you want to be involved is captured in the memories of your happy day for a long time to come.