Tips for Choosing A Wedding Videographer
There are so many amazing options for wedding videography/ photography out there right now, it can all get a bit confusing. You’ve got a million things to plan for your wedding, so how do you know the right one for you?
How much coverage do you want for your day? How much does it cost? Do you want a cinematic wedding video? What is cinematic anyway? Do I need a cinema to watch it? Will it be okay if I have a big TV and some popcorn? Don’t worry, I’m here to answer those questions, as best I can, and here are a things to consider when selecting the one that’s right for you.
Personality
This may seem like an odd option to put in, especially at number one, but I truly believe that the most important factor in choosing someone to tell your story, is to choose someone you like. Someone that makes you feel comfortable, that you enjoy talking to, that you would actually invite to your wedding!
Experience
This, this is a big one. Is this their first wedding? Their second? Or their hundredth? Being a wedding videographer/ photographer is very different from any other kind of photo/ video job. Their are no second takes, there may not be the perfect lighting/ sound options and there may be people who don’t want to be on camera!
A good professional will make any situation in the perfect situation, will work around those that are avoiding the camera, and will make not only you feel at ease, but everyone else at your wedding too! Having the experience to help with any small issues that crop up for themselves, or for you is essential.
I’ve even got a sewing kit in my camera bag to help fix buttons that have gone awry, or to reattach parts of the dress that the dog got a hold of somehow while you were getting your makeup done!
On a wedding day, don’t be surprised to see your photographer/ videographer helping out with more than just the telling of your story, they’re there to facilitate you having an awesome day, and that’s something that comes with experience.
How Much Coverage Do You Want
Coverage! How long do you want your videographer/ photographer around for? Do you want them there capturing the buzz and excitement as everyone gets ready for the ceremony? As the makeup is going on? As the clock is somehow going at triple speed and you could swear it was 10AM a second ago and now it’s midday? As your deciding on that third glass of prosecco or not? Is that too much? Ahh, sure you’ll only sip it, it’ll be grand?
Price
Well, I couldn’t leave this out now, could I? Weddings can be expensive! Like, really expensive! I remember all too well looking at our dreaded wedding spreadsheet as the numbers kept growing and growing and wondering when it would stop! I think I had nightmares about forgetting to price something into the ever-expanding budget and having to stop by to sell a kidney on the day of the wedding!
Discover Your Style
If you aren’t sure what videography style you want, take a few minutes to research. Styles are diverse, including traditional, video journalism, the short form, and cinematic styles. You’ll probably know the right style when you see it… your wedding video should fit your personality like a glove!
Testimonials, References and Referrals
A videographer’s website will usually have testimonials from happy clients, but if it doesn’t, feel free to call and ask for references. They should be happy to give you a few clients you can call for some personal feedback.
If you know any newlyweds who had a videographer, ask who the videographer was, how the overall experience was, and if they’d recommend that person for your wedding. If you’ve already lined up your photographer, he is sure to have a recommendation.
But do beware: Referrals from people in the industry can be commission-based, and therefore, occasionally biased. If in doubt, ask if a commission is involved. We also provide Featured listings for a small monthly fee, but we don’t comission or recommend individual videographers. It’s up to you, based on your criteria, who will be your wedding videographer.
You Should Hire a Wedding Videographer If…
Now that you know what’s included in both wedding videography and photography packages, you probably have a better idea of what service is right for you. But if you’re still on the fence, consider hiring a wedding videographer if…
You Write Your Own Vows
Whether you write your own or opt for traditional ones, the vows you make on your wedding day are extremely meaningful. And there’s no better way to encapsulate the emotions and words you and your spouse exchange than with video. The memory may grow dim in your mind, but will always be fresh and just as poignant on video.
You Appreciate Candid Moments
While your photographer will no doubt do a good job of capturing family portraits, beautiful details, and plenty of posed photos of you and your SO, they are often focused on getting “the shot.” While they are busy making sure every element of your wedding day is caught on camera, a videographer can capture everything in between. The film is almost always rolling, which means they won’t miss a tear shed here or a jaw-drop there. So, if you’re a sucker for good facial expressions and expect a lot of emotion from everyone involved, you may want to strongly consider a wedding videographer.
You Expect a Killer Dance Party
So, you like to dance? Looking back at what is sure to be an epic dance party will only bring a smile to your face. Record those favorite songs and memorable moves by hiring a videographer who will watch from the sidelines. You won’t be sorry you caught your fun aunt doing the limbo or the moment all your friends raised you both up on chairs.
You Want to Remember the Speeches
It’s a rarity to receive heartfelt sentiments and favorite memories from the people who mean the most to you. Your parents, maid of honor, and best man will spend a lot of time curating special and/or funny words and stories to share about you and your soon-to-be spouse. If you want to be able to look back on the things they said and cherish their words, be sure to hire a videographer to capture the speeches on film.
How to choose a videographer
If you’ve already booked us as your photographer (firstly, yay great choice!) and you’re thinking about also hiring a videographer, it’s really, really important that you choose a company that complements our style and the way we work. Our style is to capture what actually happens and create loving moments between the two of you, without mocking up moments.
We are wedding professionals and can work with anyone (and have) but for us to really perform the job your hired us for, we all need to be on the same team.
With this in mind, these are two questions we recommend asking a potential videographer:
- What can you do to ensure us and the bridal party looks like we’re all having a great time in the video?
Some will take this question as a cue to tell you how good they are at faking emotions and making them look real. But the answer we’d be looking for is somebody who can see that you love each other and will actually be happy anyway, and will focus on capturing that rather than faking it.
- Photography is important to us, and we’re choosing a photographer who specialises in natural images full of personality. Are you comfortable letting them take the lead during the photo shoot?
The best videographers will say that they actually prefer the shoot to go that way, and some will say that they ask that in return the photographer give them the lead during the ceremony and the reception speeches, which is fine. The most intrusive videographers will have a real problem with this.
Top Four Mistakes When Choosing a Wedding Videographer
Making the right choice of an Orlando wedding videographer can be more stressful than anticipated especially with so many talented wedding videographers in the market. One definitely has to have great insight and know exactly what she wants for her wedding before being able to choose a videographer to cover her event.
When choosing a videographer, there are quite a number of mistakes that many brides make and this often leads to bad wedding pictures in the end. In this post, we will highlight five of the most common mistakes to help you make a very informed decision on who will cover your event.
Not hiring from the same company as your photographer
Even though there are few differences between photography and videography, it is always wise to hire your Orlando wedding photographer and Orlando wedding videographer from the same company if possible. This way, there is a huge possibility that they have worked together before and they will be able to coordinate their shots easily to give you the best results. Using videographers and photographers from different companies might not yield the best overall results.
Not asking to see samples
This is your wedding and you have to take the time to ensure all details are perfect. This also comes to play when hiring an Orlando wedding videographer. A lot of brides fail to ask or specific wedding videos and just ask for samples instead. It is important that you ask your potential videographer to show you a vast array of the wedding videos he shot in the past as this will give you a very clear view of his strengths on camera and whether or not he will be able to deliver up to your standards.
You don’t have to hire just one videographer
This might seem like a lot but if your budget can accommodate an extra videographer, why not splurge? The beauty of hiring two Orlando wedding videographers is that they will work together and be able to have way more coverage of your big day. What’s more? They will merge their shots afterwards and give you a great wedding video in the end. A helpful tip is to hire them from the same company, this way, they will be able to work together perfectly to achieve great results.
Not going over the music selection
Many brides just leave the videographer to choose whatever music he deems fit to use on the wedding video and end they usually up dissatisfied. To avoid this, you should go over the choice of songs he has in mind and the ones you’d like to be sure you are both on the same page. Leaving this detail to your videographer might lead to unsatisfactory results.