Wedding Videographer- 6 Tips on How to Choose the Best One
One of the best ways to ensure you’ll get all of your favorite wedding moments on record is by hiring a professional wedding videographer. By doing so, you’ll not only have your photos to look back on, but you’ll also have a video to watch and treasure for the rest of your life.
Videos are able to capture moments that photos can’t, like your maid of honor’s speech and your mother’s tears. It’s the emotion that shows up on video and helps you relive those precious moments over and over again.
Because getting the right videographer is essential to capturing your memories successfully, you’ll want to keep some things in mind. Here are six tips for hiring a wedding videographer.
Photo via B&H Photo
1. Clarify Your Style
When you start shopping for wedding videographers one of the first things you’ll want to note is what filming style the videographer uses and if it is in alignment with the style you want. Are you going for a romantic look, cinematic, documentary? Are you looking for a traditional documentary style video or a modern, music driven presentation? It’s important to know what your vision is and make it known to the videographers you meet with. Ask for samples of their work to get a sense of their style. Having your artistic vision meet up with theirs lessens the chance you’ll purchase a video you’re not crazy about.
2. Know Their Experience and Back-up Plan
Typically, someone who categorizes himself as a wedding videographer has filmed his fair share of weddings, but don’t let this little detail sneak past you. Find out how long or how many weddings your videographer has filmed, as it will help you get a sense of his or her level of experience. Having a backup plan for weddings is also key. Know up front what the videographers does in case of a camera malfunction or if they become ill and can’t make it to your wedding.
3. Have They Filmed Your Location?
On that same note, you can also ask the videographer if he or she has filmed at your specific wedding location. If so, there’s a better chance the videographer knows the layout of the area and is familiar with how to get the best shots. The more experience, the better!
4. Provide Timelines
Provide your videographer with a basic ceremony outline, one that shows the order of events and what you absolutely must have covered. Communicate what your expectations are so the videographer knows exactly what he or she needs to get on film and when. It’s also good practice to provide a reception timeline, especially if you want your video to span several hours. Videographers are only human and will need to take breaks, so providing them with timelines gives them the opportunity to map out when they can do so without missing anything important.
5. Get Info on Pricing and Services
Most videographers charge a flat rate based on the amount of time they’ll be filming, but it’s important to know what packages they offer, the price, and what’s included in the price. Does the package include pre-wedding filming, same-day edits, raw footage? There are a lot of different options, so know what you’re purchasing. Also, inquire about how soon you’ll get the video after your wedding. It can be anywhere from two to eight weeks, but some videographers provide trailer clips beforehand so you have something to share with family. Just ask.
6. Hire Early
Like most wedding vendors, it’s best to hire a videographer as early as possible. Doing so will better your chances of booking the person you want. No matter what stage in the planning process you hire the videographer, make sure you’re the only wedding they have planned for that day. Otherwise, he or she might be in a rush to get to the next client and won’t focus on getting the best video possible.
Hiring a videographer to film your wedding is one of the best decisions you can make. You definitely won’t regret sitting down with your sweetie to watch the film and relive the moments. So meet with a few videographers, ask questions, and keep these tips in mind to find the best videographer in no time.
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