Should I Hire A Wedding Videographer?

“Of course you should!” - says the wedding videography guy - “What else did you expect?” If you have been on the edge whether to hire a wedding videographer for your big day, whether it be because of budget or any other related matter, you’re not the only one. However, for the sake of this article, I’m going to be unbiased and analyze it from two different point of views: Why a bride wouldn’t hire one vs. A bride who would hire one.

Wedding Videography is often looked as an added expense or a “luxury” if the budget allows for it. Brides tend to give photography priority over video, either because of high prices, and to be honest, there is just not that many good wedding videographers out there. When it comes to wedding videography, people tend to relate it to those loooong, boring wedding videos back in the day, the ones where the camera guy would bring his big, shoulder cam, and drag his god-awful cables all over the place. But you’d be surprised that wedding videography has changed over the past few years. Just like flip phones have changed to smart phones, so have wedding films. Technology has really improved the way wedding films are created and are now more cinematic, more “story-telling” style.

So why wouldn’t a bride hire a wedding videographer? Maybe it’s too expensive, maybe cell-phone videos from guests would be sufficient, or simply she believes it’s unnecessary. That’s only half the battle. The other battle is finding a GOOD videographer. I mean, you would be spending a lot of money here, so you want to make sure the videographer’s work is worth it.

Finding the Right Wedding Videographer

So what makes a good wedding videographer? Here are some tips to help you in your search:

EMOTIONAL or STORY TELLING: The best wedding videos are going to be the ones that draw out your most, inner emotions, into a compelled, story-driven film. Take a look at some of the leading wedding filmmakers in the industry, such as Wild Oak Films, Forestry Films or White in Revery, to name a few. These type of films are the ones you want to look for. Be wary of those films that want to look cool just because of the shot.

COLOR: Another important factor of what makes a good, quality video is color. They work like filters, such as the ones used in Instagram. These colors can set the mode for a film, either dark or moody or simply give the footage more life to the film. If a wedding videographer is making videos from colors straight from the camera, chances are the film may not be high quality.

AUDIO: This is something photography can’t do. Wouldn’t you want to hear your wedding vows, the sounds of your first look with your future spouse, or the emotional moments with mom and dad? I can’t stress how important sound improves a wedding film. Although films can get away with just music alone, sound just makes the film that much better.

Should You Hire One?

So is hiring a wedding videographer worth it? Don’t take it from me. Hear from real-life couples who did not and others who did. Read the following quotes from www.brides.com, Is Hiring a Wedding Videographer Really Necessary?, Erin Celleti.

“My wedding video is my favorite artifact from our day. I absolutely love our photos, but they are still images. We watch the video every year on our anniversary, and we get to see the family members who are no longer with us and hear their voices, see them dancing and enjoying themselves, etc. Every time we watch it, we notice new things, too. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.” –Nicole, 30

“I didn’t have a videographer – It was a budgeting issue and I thought pictures would be sufficient. But I regret not having one, even just a short trailer version. I love our photos but videos are a different ballgame and I wish I had something better than clips people took on their phone.” –Tara, 28

“We were going to pass but I was told two things. First, my cousin convinced me once he told us how he has video of our Nana talking, laughing, dancing, etc. It’s nice to have those moving memories of lost loved ones. And then I was also told that when you need some peace and quiet – a 3-year-old will ALWAYS watch ‘Mommy and Daddy on TV!’” They were right!” –Nancy, 37

“I am actually devastated that I didn’t even have my engagement moment on video. Not having my wedding on video wasn’t an option. Some people couldn’t make our wedding and it’s nice to be able to share the video with them.” –Theresa, 37

“It wasn’t an option for us to not have the videographer. I wanted to be able to show my future children my wedding.” –Angela, 28