How To Choose The Right Wedding Videographer For You

07/07/2018 By

Congratulations – You’ve found the love of your life and you’ve decided to tie the knot (Eeepppp EXCITING!)…now to find the perfect wedding videographer to capture your ‘I Do’s’ for you.

We’ve all heard those horror stories of the awful videographer who ruined the day and didn’t provide an awesome service.

Here’s some of our tips and advice on how to avoid the duds and land a dream videographer you’ll be raving about for decades to come.

1. Lock Your Date And Venue In First

The first question any videographer will ask you is when and where are you getting married. Obviously they want to know your date so they can let you know if they are available but the venue is important too because it will help the videographer let you know if there will be any additional travel fees.

2. Do Your Homework

Invest some time into doing some research around wedding videography – most videographers will have their packages and some FAQ’s on their website. Search wedding videographers in your area and look at what they include in their packages, do they offer one or two videographers, do they offer drones, what films do they provide in the package, how many hours coverage does each package include, do they have insurance, do they have good reviews and testimonials not only from past couples but also from other vendors and most importantly do you like their wedding videos?

A little research will quickly show you that you’re not comparing apples with apples – each videographer will have their own style, their own vibe and you want to find the one that best resonates with you.

Don’t just focus on price, read their ‘About Us’ page and find out what you can around their ethos and filming style on the day. You want someone who is organised, creative and has similar values around their approach to your day as you do.

It’s a common misconception to assume that videography and photography are basically the same thing – in reality they’re totally different – from the equipment and cameras, to the lighting requirements, the audio requirements and the end result photography and videography are different kettles of fish.

For example your videographer wants lots of movement and sound while your photographer wants you to be still. Good videographers and photographers will touch base with each other before the day, team up and work closely together on the day – like ninjas, they know how to get the shots they both need at the same time without burdening you.

Trust us – this research will help you understand not only what’s on offer from your local videographers, but it will also highlight the videographers personalities and who is and isn’t your cup of tea.

3. Know Your Budget And Non-Negotiables

One of the first things we say to every couple is follow your heart and go with your gut. Don’t pick someone because they are the cheapest. Find a videographer who creates films you love and resonate with. Choose a videographer who makes you feel comfortable and relaxed.

In saying that – you do need to know your budget, so you know what packages to enquire about or you have a conversation starter when you contact a videographer for a custom quote.

Understand what your non-negotiables are and what you’re willing to let go of to secure the best videographer for you. For example having two videographers may be a non-negotiable for you, but having drone footage might be something you can live without. If you know what you’re willing and not willing to let go of it can help you identify the best package, price and videographer for you.

4. Include All The Information You Can In Your First Enquiry

When you send an email enquiry to a videographer include as much information as you can to help them help you! As we mentioned, they’ll need to know your date and venue address, they also need to know what package/hours coverage you’re enquiring about. Do you want the full day filmed (getting ready through to that epic sparkler exit) or just the ceremony (BONUS TIP: Less filming time doesn’t always equal a smaller price – it’s all about the editing hours – often a full day coverage works out more cost effective.)

Let the videographer know a little about you – your fiancé’s name, what you’ve planned for your wedding – what you like about their style and what information you’d specifically like them to provide you with.

The more information you can include up front the easier the process will be for both of you.

5. Are They Your Perfect Match?

Out of all the vendors and suppliers you invite to be a part of your special day – your photographer and videographer will be spending the most time with you – they’ll not only be witnessing some of your most intimate moments on the day, you’re also trusting them to craft a gorgeous wedding film that reflects your story and style – in order to do that it really helps if you all like each other!

Please, please, don’t think of any of your wedding vendors and suppliers as staff – these aren’t droids that you’re hiring to do a job for you – these are experts that you’re partnering with. A good vendor will be as invested in your day being your dream wedding as you are.

Once you’ve found a videographer you like, watch as much of their previous videos as you can and let them know what you like about their style. Arrange a time to talk with your videographer on the phone or in person before you book them – ask them all your questions – if they don’t have time to chat with you, or if they don’t seem interested in your wedding or love story, they probably aren’t a great fit for you.

6. Red-Flags

The good thing about booking a videographer is that you can view their work beforehand. If their pervious work isn’t great chances are the work they do for you won’t be great either.

Steer clear from anyone who doesn’t have clear terms and conditions or seems unprofessional. Also keep in mind – as with anything, you get what you pay for with videography. Bargain basement prices may mean a bargain basement job…and is that something you really want for your wedding?

Ask your videographer what equipment they’ll be using on the day – you want someone who has a lightweight, unobtrusive set up – this is your wedding day, not a Hollywood film set.

If you are looking for someone who provides both photography and videography check that they have a person dedicated to filming while someone else takes photos – if they’re going to just throw a camera on an unmanned tripod you may not be happy with the results.

7. Communication and Confidence Is Key

If you want to be your videographers favourite couple communicate with them clearly before the day and on the day be confident in front of the camera.

Leading up to your wedding day make sure you send your final payment off to your videographer in time and let them know any last-minute changes along with all the information they’ve requested before the day.

On the day acknowledge your videographer but ignore the camera – this isn’t an episode of The Office – don’t spend the entire day kissing and then staring down the barrel of the lenses! It’s easier said than done but the more you can ignore the camera and forget you’re being filmed and focus on each other the better your wedding film will be.

Your photography and videographer have one goal in mind – to capture you both being in love and enjoying your day.

They want to capture you both laughing, kissing, loving each other and having fun with your friends and family. The more you can do that the less direction they’ll need to give you and the more relaxed you’ll feel on the day.

8. You Can’t Rush Greatness

Some videographers will brag about getting your films back to you just a few days after your wedding – that may perhaps be the biggest red flag of them all.

At the end of your wedding day your videographer will have hours and hours of footage. You want them to comb through every second of your day and extract every single magical moment – that takes time, a lot of time – so much time it would make your head spin!

Around 8-12 weeks is a standard turn around time for wedding videography – so if your videographer is promising a super quick turnaround it’s worth considering what corners they’re cutting to do that for you.

 

If you think we might be the perfect match for your wedding please get in touch – we’d love to chat more about your day and what you have planned.