During this week’s episode of 52 ’Til I Do, we’re talking about all things wedding videography! Whether you’re already sold on the idea of hiring a videographer, or still on the fence, this episode will help you figure out if this is a “must-have” or a “maybe later” for your own celebration!
It’s just what it sounds like! Instead of capturing still moments like photography, videography is all about filming your big day and creating beautiful videos that you can watch over and over again.
This is a totally fair question, and one that a lot of couples ask themselves during the planning process! For a lot of us, photography seems like the obvious choice to capture the big day. But, videos capture your wedding day in a completely different way. With videography, you have the opportunity to be unique and creative. Whether it's through voiceovers, music, and capturing behind the scene moments that you might not have been able to capture with just photography. For some couples, photos are enough. But for others, having a video lets you relive your wedding day. It's like getting to press “play” on one of the best days of your life, whenever you want!
By Episode 21, we're already a few weeks into Phase 2 of the planning process. So why bring up videography now? The short answer is because of budgeting!
Videography is usually one of those items in the planning process that couples tend to put on pause until they’ve had a chance to see how their overall budget is working out. It’s often a “let’s circle back to this later” kind of decision.
Some couples come into the planning process knowing right away that they want a videographer. It's a top priority and something they’re ready to invest in! But more often than not, the decision to hire a videographer happens a bit later in the process, once the top priorities are accounted for, and there's a clearer picture of what’s financially possible.
If you’re following along with our Marryment Planning Guide, you’ll see that the national average for “Photo and Video” is somewhere between 8% and 16% of your wedding budget. At this spot in Phase 2, you may have already booked your photographer, which makes it a great time to take a look at your budget and see if videography is an option for you two. And from there, you can determine what you’re able (and willing!) to spend on videography and start taking a look at companies and options that fit your vision and price point.
If you’ve decided that you want to hire a videographer for your wedding day, awesome! But now you may be thinking… “ What am I even looking for when I begin to search for a videographer?”
One of our biggest tips is to think about what you and your loved one want to remember most about your big day. When you press “ play” on that video what are the things that you want to be able to relive? Do you want a highlight reel? Do you want behind the scenes of how your wedding day was able to happen? Do you want your guests to be involved? Once you make these decisions and decide on what matters most to you, it becomes a lot easier to find a videographer whose style, approach, and overall vibe, aligns with your wants and needs.
Let’s talk about deliverables for a minute, or what you’ll actually receive from your videographer.
Highlight Reel: A highlight reel is a 5-10 minute highlight of all the moments of your wedding day. There will be behind the scenes moments, moments from your ceremony, cocktail and reception all blended into one. Typically there will be music and voiceovers attached to this.
Documentary Style: A full documentary of your day will be anywhere up to one hour of footage, chronologically playing back the details of your day.
Raw Footage: The raw footage of your speeches, ceremony or dances is the actual footage captured by your videographer with no editing.
We all tend to have the belief that “more expensive” automatically means better, while “cheaper” must mean lower quality. But that is not always true. Just because someone has a higher pricing, doesn't always mean that their quality is the best! And just because someone has a lower price, doesn't mean that their quality isn't top notch.
Pro Tip: Be sure to talk with your videographer about what their setup will look like on the big day. Will certain shots require extra time for setup, and should that be factored into your timeline? Do they need transportation between locations? How much space will they need for their equipment? Asking questions like these before hiring your videographer ensures that their workflow will work with your day of plans, that everything will run smoothly and run just how you envisioned.
Videography may not be something that every couple decides to have on their wedding day, and for others, it's non-negotiable! The most important thing is that you go with whatever's right for you. If you decide to move forward with hiring a videographer, let this episode be your guide! Whether your wedding video ends up just being a highlights reel, or practically an entire documentary of your big day, the best part is that it gives you and your partner a chance to relive your wedding day for years to come.
For more tips and tricks, tune into the full episode of 52 ‘Til I Do on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Have more videography related questions? Send us a message at hello@marryment.com or get in touch on our social media—we love helping couples navigate this part of wedding planning!
Photo Credit to JNA Visuals
Marryment proudly serves couples all across Chicago and the surrounding Chicago Suburbs including popular areas such as Schaumburg, Elmhurst, Naperville, Evanston, Joliet, Oak Park, Skokie, Barrington, Downers Grove and Northbrook, to name a few. We also love destination weddings. We'd love to be a part of your wedding day! Schedule your free planning call with us today.
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