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So you're engaged - congratulations! With so many things to consider, and costs building up, planning a wedding can become a bit of a nightmare (at least so I've been told!). If videography is something you have decided on, but don't really know what to ask for or what to expect, this will hopefully provide you some helpful insight from a wedding videographer's perspective. So, here's my take on what you should be thinking about or asking potential videographers:
1. Budget. Wedding videography can be very expensive, while if you shop around you may find some far more budget friendly options - what's the difference? A more expensive videographer could be more expensive because of the package they are offering, the experience they have, the lack of availability they may have. One thing that may surprise you is it's very unlikely going to be a difference in the resolution/quality of the video you will receive. Nowadays, the vast majority of cameras used by videographers will record in 1080p HD. Some will record and be able to offer 4K resolution which is undoubtedly better quality - but you'll likely only be able to notice the difference if you have a 4K monitor to watch your video on. In the future, 4K video will likely become more of the normal standard, so that is something to consider but in reality, 1080p is the norm at the moment. So what about the other end of the scale? If they record in 1080p as well, why are they so much cheaper? It could be because they are new to videography, looking to build a portfolio. It could be that they are simply not as good and can't get recommendations and work. It could be because they don't offer as much in their package or that this is their starting price advertised to try and draw you in before adding on all the extras that most couples would want. So how do you know?! One way to find out leads me on to my second point...
2. Style. Different videographers will likely have a different style to how they film a wedding and certainly the increasingly popular highlight videos - these are where there can be enormous variation in editing styles from different videographers. To find out if the videographer you're looking at could be the one for you, ask to see some of their example videos that they have made from previous weddings. Some videographers may not record audio from the day, or may not include audio in the highlights video, while others may build the highlights video around the audio from the day and see that as an integral part to the story. When you find an edited style that you like, this could be a sign that you've found the videographer for you.
3. Team size. How many videographers will be present on the day, or more importantly, how many would you want there on the day? Typically, a videographer will either work alone or with one extra pair of hands. This may not sound like much of an issue, but the same could apply for the photographer, and before you know if you could have four professionals in and around the ceremony. Based on your venue, will this create any problems?
4. Personality. Have you spoken to or met the videographer you are considering hiring? This is someone you are going to be having at arguably the most important day of your life, will it be important to you that you find this person friendly and comfortable to be around? There's a good chance they'll be not far from you for most of the day, so it might be worth ensuring you find them comfortable to be around!
5. Music. It's highly likely there'll be music put in to several parts of your wedding video package. Do you have a specific song in mind that you really have your heart set on? Unfortunately, licensing music - especially popular music - can be very expensive. Some videographers may be willing to do this illegally, others may be willing to pay the licence for a specific song or add this price to your package, while some will insist on choosing the music themselves as part of the artistic/creative edit of the video. Each wedding is different, and some videographers will feel that the music used should be reflective of how the day went. This is definitely worth asking about if there is a particular song that is important to you.
Hopefully this list has been helpful for you! If it has, or you know someone who may benefit from it, please do share it with them!
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