6 Tips on booking a wedding videographer!
It all begins with an idea.
Hiring a professional matters.
With smartphones getting better and better cameras it seems like everyone has access to great looking footage at their finger tips and its easy to think “I’ll just let so-&-so do it…” or “I’ll just have all my friends send me the footage they got”. A professional videographer is so much more than that! They have the equipment (Cameras, lenses, audio equipment) and the know-how to create an emotional, memorable and beautiful video that lasts a lifetime! Much like photographers they know what the best angles are, the best lighting and best locations to create a memorable story (and to make you two look like superstars). Keep in mind you can expect to spend just as much on a professional videographer as you would a photographer so remember that when budgeting for your wedding!
Check out their portfolio!
This might seem obvious but make sure you like what you see! Does it match the style you’re looking for? Does it evoke any emotion out of you? If not, they may not be the videographer for you and you may be disappointed with the results. Don’t book someone just because they are cheap! Make sure you love their work!
Know what you want covered (Consider your entire weekend)
Plan out what you want covered. Do you want the entire day filmed or just a section? Do you want clips of you getting ready, your ceremony, and your grand exit? or just clips from the ceremony and reception? The moments you want covered will affect the hours you need to book your videographer for. Remember to consider your entire weekend, maybe you have a rehearsal dinner on Friday where there will be toasts, audio from toasts is always for putting a story together in the final video!
Understand the package deals
Many videographers (like photographers) will provide package deals for you to select from. Make sure you understand the lingo and what everything means within the packages (if you don’t know don’t be afraid to ask!) Pay attention to what they include and the hours of coverage provided make sure they hit all your boxes! You wouldn’t want to be disappointed when you receive a 3 min. film and you expected an 8 min. film nor would you want your videographer to have to leave before some big event because you didn’t book them for enough hours. Understand what’s included and understand what anything extra would cost (i.e. extra hours) Don’t see a package that fits your needs? No need to fret, many videographers (like myself) offer custom packages where you can build a package based on your exact needs. Make sure you ask!
Consider Audio
Audio (in my opinion) is one of the most important things a videographer can offer. The quality of audio (and if there is any audio at all!) can be the difference between a good video and a GREAT video. Make sure to ask about how to capture audio and find out if they know how to capture audio and if they are able to do it in a discreet way. lets face it you don’t want someone shoving a boom mic in your face for the whole day. You also don’t want to miss all your vows because something malfunctioned or the wind was blowing too hard. make sure they know what they are doing! Don’t want any audio recorded? Make sure you mention that to the videographer (it might just knock down the price)
Don’t underestimate the power of video
In my opinion a video is the BEST way to capture and remember your special day. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, a video is thousands of pictures! If my math is correct, that’s potentially MILLIONS of words! Often times the videographer is the one vendor that gets overlooked when planning a wedding but keep in mind a video is the ONLY option to be able to remember all the vows, toasts, and laughter of your wedding. Think about 50 years (or even 1 year) down the road how grateful you will be that you have a professionally made video of your wedding that brings back all the memories, vows, toasts, dances, skits, people, laughter, and tears that you never want to forget. I hear all the time from brides saying how glad they are to have gotten a video and how often they watch it, I also hear brides say they regret letting Uncle Johnny record it rather than hiring a professional (no offense Uncle Johnny) So be sure to make a videographer a priority!