Where do you start when searching for the perfect a wedding videographer? Check out these essential questions and take them with you to your first meeting.
Having your wedding day recorded by a professional videographer, and being able to re-watch it time and time again, is such a great investment. You can relive your walk down the aisle, see moments you might have missed the first time around, and share the maid of honour’s hilarious speech with anyone who couldn’t make it. Special moments like these just don't have the same effect in a photo.
When planning a wedding, it would be totally fair to think a professional wedding videographer is outside your budget. But there are so many different ways to film and various packages available, it might be much more affordable than you think. Besides, when you see what an investment a wedding video can be, you might want to readjust your budget to fit it in any way.
From shooting style, to how they’ll work with the photographer, these 10 essential questions to ask your wedding videographer will help you find the right one for your big day.
If you need a helping hand of what to ask before you book to get the best price and the perfect style for your day, make sure to take this list with you.
Essential Questions to Ask Your Wedding Videographer
1. Are You Available on My Wedding Date?
Good videographers can get booked up on popular days 12 months in advance. Always check this first, even if it seems obvious. And avoid any heartbreak further down the line.
2. How Would You Describe Your Wedding Videography Style?
Is it cinematic, documentary, traditional, a mix of all of the above? Do your research on what style you'd like, and make sure you and the videographer share the same vision. If you like their general vibe, but want something a little different, ask – they might not have an example in their show reel, but will likely be able to create what you want on the day.
3. Have You Ever Worked With My Photographer?
Both your videographer and photographer will both be trying to capture the same moments, so they’ll need to work well together, and avoid getting in each other’s way. If they haven’t had experience working together before, be sure to connect them before the big day, so they can co-ordinate themselves.
Often a photographer or videographer will be able to recommend someone they’ve worked with and trust in the past. So do ask whichever one you book first for recommendations of the other.
4. Have You Shot at My Wedding Venue Before?
Your wedding videographer will need to know the layout of the venue, whether they can plug into the PA system, and where microphones can be placed. If they haven’t been there before, make sure they plan to visit beforehand and speak to the venue’s co-ordinator.
5. What Exactly Do I Get For My Money?
Get a full breakdown of what your wedding videography package includes. The final product (is there a guaranteed length, will you get a USB, what quality will it be recorded in) and the videographer themselves (how many hours will they be there, will there be an assistant). Get everything you want in writing before you sign any type of contract.
6. What Parts of the Wedding Day Will You Capture?
Establish early on what parts of the day will end up in the final film. Ask how many hours they expect to be there (8-10 hours is a typical full day) and see what that includes. The bride getting ready at home? The walk down aisle? The entire ceremony and speeches, or just highlights? The first dance? Think ahead about the bits you want captured, and get in writing the parts that have to be captured.
7. Will the Video Use Dialogue from the Day or Just Music?
Some wedding videos are shot like a music video, while others will include some or all of your ceremony and the speeches. Almost all will use music in some capacity, so ask if you can select this and what licence the videographer has for popular songs. If dialogue will be used, you’ll need to be mic’d up or plugged into the venue’s PA system, so bear that in mind.
8. Will You Use a Drone?
Aerial filming using a drone is a really popular way to get expansive shots over your venue and capture views not possible on the ground. Drone videography is something your videographer will need to be skilled in, so don’t just expect them to be able to do it without prior experience! If drone photography or videography is important to you, factor it in to your supplier search.
9. How Long Will It Take You to Edit the Wedding Video?
No-one wants to be waiting over 6 months to watch their wedding video. Most videographers will deliver one long-edit video, but can send you shorter highlight video too, which are great for social media. These highlight videos are normally made available a little earlier than the full cut, so find out what can be delivered when and what’s included.
10. Can I Make Changes to the First Time?
It can take days to edit a 2-3 hour video, so it's not fair to expect your videographer to make considerable edits after the final cut. It’s best to ask to see a rough draft of the wedding video beforehand, so you can make suggestions. After it’s finished, most will give you a period of say 30 days to ask for minor re-edits.
Comments