Without exception hiring a professional wedding videographer matters a great deal!
Don’t take any shortcuts with this most valuable part of your day. Relying on a friend or friends to capture footage on the day is not an option and will lead to massive disappointment. They are there to enjoy the day too. A professional videographer is focused, has the equipment and the skill to capture your wedding day in a way that covers it all, and with this footage will edit the film resulting in something that evokes emotions, looks incredible and will last a lifetime. A professional videographer considers the light, and the sound quality, finds the details and behind-the-scenes moments, and then edits to create a story, and will not just provide a blow-by-blow rendition of the day.
Like photographers, they’re the experts in their craft and can truly tell a story through film. That said, you can expect to spend just as much, if not more, on a quality videographer as you would a high-end photographer, so be sure that’s factored into your budget before you begin your search. Look for videographers who focus purely on videography and the same goes for photographers. Its close to impossible to provide both services effectively on the day and the skills are not easily interchangeable.
What style of videography are you after?
A key question you should be asking yourself. Styles will vary, modern wedding films typically have some element of storytelling.
The best advice is to watch as many films on-line as possible, wedding cinematography has reached new heights and if you haven’t seen what is out there you are in for a feast of the senses. As an Italian wedding videographer we film many destination wedding films for clients from all corners of the globe, wishing for a wedding film of their special day in Italy that tells their authentic story in a unique and timeless fashion. We as Italian wedding videographers are proud to have faultlessly delivered to our clients these cinematic films for more than a decade.
Film lengths:
Trailer: 1-3 minutes highlighting the most exciting, memorable portions of your day, with very little dialogue. The perfect length for sharing on social media!
Highlight film: 3-6 minutes covering the biggest parts of the day and often just snippets of audio like vows, letter readings and speeches.
Extended Highlight film: 8-10 minutes long and allows for more complete coverage of the audio elements listed above.
Feature film: 15-25 minutes a feature film allows for the most intricate storytelling – often including voiceovers to tell backstories, audio from parts of the day not covered in other formats and a more complete, inclusive option to re-live your day. This is the version to sit down to with a glass of wine and enjoy together over and over again.
Full Documentary: 60-80 minutes this length will include more documentary style editing, and will cover the most important parts of the day, your ceremony and reception, in their entirety.
Asks questions. As many as you need to.
Once you’ve found a videographer you feel a connection with, it’s time to ask a few specific questions if you cannot readily find the answers on their website. Look thoroughly through the contract and make sure expectations are clear about turnaround time and what format(s) will they deliver your wedding film in (simply an emailed link (!), gosh, no! or on a stylish memory stick in a box, downloadable off a website, if so, will it be password protected?) and is it a format that will allow as much longevity as possible?
A good option is to find a wedding cinematographer that is able to provide some hardware and put your films on-line with a secure password which you can share with family and friends. This way you have the original stored somewhere safe and a the digital version you can save on a laptop (or two) and in the cloud. Remember laptops also fail.
Just as you would give the same heads-up to your photographer, you’ll want to let your wedding videographer know if there is anyone they should make sure to capture (eg a grandparent and importantly, an indication of who all the parents and siblings are). Its also very helpful for your videographer to know in advance if there is a particular event that you’ve planned. The lighting of a special candle or if a guest stands up to sing a solo or some other moment that is really important while at the same time, trusting them to film your day beautifully without much direction from thereafter (remember, it’s their job! They do this all the time.)
Not hiring a videographer is a regret we hear ALL the time from brides. They wish they would have allocated more of their budget to having professional wedding videographer film their day in a way that photography alone cannot achieve. So consider this, as it is not a repeatable event.
An exceptional wedding photographer and videographer should be up there with your dress and choice of venue. Remember the day after your wedding the only long term reminders of your best day ever will be your wedding film and photos.
