5 tips to choosing your perfect wedding videographer

Ok so you want to capture all the special moments and memories from your wedding and have decided to hire a wedding videographer. Then you went online and realized that there is so much information to sort through and a wide variety of styles.

So how do you narrow it down? 

Well, there are 5 simple ways to shortcut the decision process and find the perfect videographer for your special day.

1. Know the “type” of video you want

There are two main categories of wedding videos:

1. Cinematic 5-10 minute highlight video: This is the most popular type of wedding video and is primarily dedicated to showcasing the most emotional and memorable parts of your day. The videographer will shoot a lot of footage throughout the day and spend a lot of time picking the best moments to tell a comprehensive story of your wedding.

2. Long-form documentary video: This type of wedding video is focused on showing every moment of your day, typically with a less discerning lens about which shots look cinematic. It’s more about capturing the raw, unfiltered moments throughout the day and giving a full picture of all the events. These edits can be anywhere from 20 - 60 minutes and will look more like a documentary than a cinematic video.

Some wedding videographers can do both, but most videographers specialize in either one or the other and knowing your preference allows you to quickly decide “yay” or “nay”.

2. Focus on the storytelling

Regardless of style, a videographer is supposed to make you feel like you were at the wedding. They are storytellers and have the enormous responsibility of capturing and re-telling moments in a way that builds emotion and conveys a message. 

If you only watch 10 seconds of their video, it’s probably because they aren’t telling an engaging story that makes you want to watch more. Find a videographer who’s videos captivate you and draw you into the story of the wedding day.

3. Find your style 

Every videographer has a different way of capturing weddings. The only thing that matters is whether you enjoy watching and re-watching what they create. Do you prefer the slow, dreamy, romantic type of wedding video? Do you gravitate toward the fast-paced, fun, energetic types of edits? A good measure of whether you jive with someone’s style is whether you feel compelled to show their video to your fiance (typically accompanied by the phrase “babe - you have to check this out”). 

*ONE CAVEAT* Every skilled videographer can tailor their videos to a couple’s preference and wedding situation. Watching one video may not give you the full picture of their style but if you watch a few edits, you should get a good idea for the style they gravitate toward

4. Check the connection

Consider this: your photographer and videographer will be with you during your wedding nearly as much as your fiance.

Let that sink in … pretty crazy huh?

So before you rush to call up that distant cousin who took a film class in college, consider whether your videographer can do the following:

• Help you feel comfortable in front of a camera: Most people aren’t in front of a camera every day and it can feel a bit awkward at first. You want someone who’s comfortable to be around, makes you laugh, and helps you feel beautiful or handsome. 

• Work well with your photographer: You’ve hired both the photographer and videographer to make your day special and memorable. It’s not a competition and they both should have the same objective and work together to create an enjoyable experience.

• Keep calm in the midst of a stressful environment: Every wedding has complications and if your videographer starts panicking it’s hard for you to relax and enjoy the day. Their job is to worry about video, your job is to get married. You shouldn’t have to worry about whether they are getting the right shots or capturing the special moments.

Whether it’s over the phone or in-person, if you’re having trouble connecting on a personal level with your videographer, you may want to reconsider whether they are a good fit.

5. Examine the questions, not the monologue

Remember, you are hiring the videographer for their skill and expertise. They should ask you a lot of questions and offer suggestions to make sure your wedding day goes smoothly. No wedding is the same (although the format may be similar) and you want to work with someone who wants to understand how to tell your unique story beautifully. 

During a phone or coffee consultation, take note of how many questions they ask you and how much they seek to understand what’s special about your wedding. If they spend all the time talking and never ask you any questions, they’ve already put you in a box with all their other videos.

6. Determine your price range

This one’s a gimme. If you can’t afford a high-end videographer then you probably shouldn’t hire one, but that doesn’t mean you need to have an exact number. Just knowing a ballpark figure (eg. “around $3,500”) will help you narrow down the candidates pretty quickly and sort out videographers who are way above or way below your threshold.

If you’re going down the free or cheap route, here are a few things we HIGHLY recommend:

• Always pay something: Even if it’s your best friend, brother, or cousin, always pay them something for their time. Here why: PEOPLE TAKE STUFF MORE SERIOUSLY WHEN THEY GET PAID! Free gifts usually fall to the bottom of people’s to-do lists, especially when it takes a lot of time and effort.

• Accept the risk: Lower cost typically accompanies lower quality or lower reliability. If you ask your distant cousin to capture the most special day of your life, you need to accept that it may not turn out exactly how you’d like. Hiring a professional provides you with a quality result and gives you one less thing to worry about.

AND FINALLY ...

Videographers have a special job: to tell the story of your day. We feel honored whenever couples ask us to be part of their special moments and we take that job very seriously.

If you’re planning a wedding and want to learn more, send us an email at connect@marriedlivestream.com. We would love to hear about your wedding and find how to tell the story of your day beautifully.

Blessings,

Dale + Lydia Wilson