Weddings are once-in-a-lifetime events. Whatever your budget may be, you are spending money on the first day of your lives together—a day you will want to remember and re-visit again and again. Video is the best way to preserve and share all your wedding day memories with friends, family, and someday your children. So is a professional produced wedding video a good investment?
Q: My friend is really good with a camera and wants to shoot my wedding for free. Is there really a big difference between his video and a professional videographer?
A. Yes! How much better a singer is Beyoncé than your friend? How much better at making cakes is Cake Boss than your aunt Betty? How much better is a professional videographer than your friend/aunt/cousin, etc.? There really is no comparison. Videographers are experienced specialists using professional cameras & equipment and editing tools with an artistic eye focused on capturing all the details that you’ve so carefully coordinated for your wedding day.
Q: How do I find a professional wedding videographer?
With so many options available online from bridal directories to yelp, where should you begin? Find a wedding video online that you really like-doesn’t matter if the videographer works near you. You can share this video with a potential videographer to see if it fits their style and also to give them an idea of qualities you like and details you would want in your wedding video. Some places you can locate a wedding videographer include a specific venue’s referral list (if you already have a location selected), referrals from other vendors (DJs, photographers & event coordinators work with videographers and likely have insight into who is good to work with), or referrals from friends & family (send a facebook shoutout to ask for suggestions). You can also do a Google search for your location and “wedding videography.” Once you view their work and narrow it down to a few choices, talk to a potential videographer on the phone. Ask questions such as “have you ever filmed at our location before?” to break the ice. Your conversation should go beyond the price to find out if the videographer is a good fit for you. Price should not be the only consideration; if the quality of the work is no good, no price is a good price!
Q: Does it really matter what videography company I choose?
A: There is no right or wrong answer here, but the best advice is to look at samples of their work and talk to different videographers to find the best fit. Remember, the most unhappy brides are not the ones who tried to save on their dress or cake, they are the ones who scrimped on the wedding video coverage. When the day is over, guests gone and money spent, there is no way to recreate it. A wedding video captures those memorable moments in a candid unique way that photos alone just can’t.
Q: What is the biggest mistake brides make when deciding on a videographer?
A: Not using a professional videographer. Why leave your wedding day memories to chance in the hands of an amateur hobbyist videographer named: your friend a.k.a. I’m too cheap to buy a wedding gift so I’ll shoot some video clips and call it a present. Eek! Even the best intentioned friend and family member equipped with a video camera cannot produce a video that compares to the quality of a professionally filmed and edited video you will want to watch again and again.
Q: Is a professionally produced wedding video really worth the money?
A: Is your wedding day worth remembering? Do you want professional quality video to share with all your friends and family? Don’t forget, video is the best way to relive your wedding day and the easiest method of sharing it. With all the investment you’ve put into the day, don’t forgo documenting it.