Tips for Hiring a Wedding Videographer
Written by Ryan Vander Ploeg, founder of VP Video Productions, a Chicagoland-based videography company that specializes in weddings, event coverage, non-profit, and corporate video production.
When it comes to planning your perfect wedding, there is a long list of vendors to book and to-do’s to check off. One of the most technical and potentially confusing is a videographer, which is why our friend Ryan at VP Video Productions offered us these helpful tips:
Hire a Videographer!
There are three things from every wedding that will last beyond the wedding day: the rings, the photos, and the video. Almost zero couples skip the rings or the photographer, but only about two-thirds of couples hire a videographer for their big day (according to The Wedding Report).
Photos are fantastic, but there’s something about watching your day unfold with all of the small moments and sounds that truly bring you back to that place. My wife, Megan, and I watch ours on every anniversary, and it’s something that only gets more special as time goes on - our kids, nieces, nephews, and eventually grandkids will all get to watch our wedding video.
Now you might be thinking, “Ryan, I’ve watched my parents' wedding video and trust me, it wasn’t overly impressive.” I can certainly understand that, but we are in a unique time - 30 years ago, wedding videos were just someone holding a shaky camera and the final product was three hours of raw footage on a VHS tape. Nowadays, we have the ability to turn the biggest day of your life into a beautiful and professionally edited mini-movie that you can watch for years to come!
What you should look for
So maybe now you’re onboard with the importance of a wedding video, but don’t know what to look for. This list can get a bit technical, so make sure to have a conversation with a potential videographer and ask about these elements!
First, if they are experienced, try to find some of their previous work on Instagram or their website. You can also ask to see a portfolio reel (most of us have them!). This will give you an idea of their style.
Second, there is some gear that is non-negotiable, meaning you should steer away from any videographer that doesn’t have these items:
A gimbal, steadicam, or shoulder rig stabilizer - this will make sure that the footage is smooth and has little to no shakiness or movement.
Audio equipment - They should have at least one way to capture audio that isn’t the camera. Most of us have “lavalier” microphones that clip onto a jacket, and many of us have equipment that plugs into a soundboard to record audio from the DJ’s microphones or the house speakers. Audio is so important, so make sure they have a dedicated way to capture it!
Third, there is additional gear that isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker, but is strongly recommended. If you’re talking with a videographer, see how many of these items they check off as well!
Multiple Cameras - even if you don’t hire a second shooter, most videographers have two or even three cameras, which helps during the ceremony and speeches at the reception. Ask how many cameras the videographer intends to bring!
Drone - drones are hugely helpful for getting beautiful establishing shots of your venue or church and add a more professional look to your final video
Camera(s) that shoot in 4K Resolution - 4K is quickly becoming the industry standard and is four times clearer than full high-definition footage (1080p). Full HD footage is good, but 4K is better!
How to Book
So now you know what to look for, but maybe could use some advice on where to look and how to navigate those conversations. Here are a few tips on how to book your videographer:
Start with your network - Ask friends and family members who they used and see if they would recommend their videographer. Check out their websites and social media accounts to build a list of four or five videographers to talk with
Talk to at least two videographers, and tell them your style and expectations - Talking to your vendors before you book with them is what allows you to get to know them as people rather than an Instagram account or photo on a website. And I love when couples come in with their expectations, such as, “We are big golfers and are getting married at a golf course. Can you capture us doing a putting contest?” The answer is yes!
Decide on a budget and include it when you reach out! - there’s this idea that if you tell them you’re budget upfront, you somehow lose in the “pricing battle”, and that couldn’t be further from the truth! We want to work with you to provide a package or variety of packages that meet your needs, and if we know your budget ahead of time, we can provide a more personalized recommendation when it comes to our services.
How to save some money
So maybe now you’re thinking, “I know what to look for, got it. And I know where to start and what to talk about.. But wedding videographers can be expensive! Any ideas on how to save some money?” Yes, plenty of ideas, but take all of these suggestions with this statement in mind: like anything in life, you get what you pay for! Now that we have that out of the way, here are some ideas on how to save a bit of money:
Look for someone young who might just be starting out. My first five weddings were all under $1,000.00, and even though I’ve grown a lot since then, those couples still received a solid final product that they were happy with! Keep in mind: these videographers will obviously be more difficult to find since they don’t have the referral network or portfolio that an established videographer or company would.
Think about what you truly want captured and cut hours. Most videographers shoot for 8, 10, or even 12 hours, but some will do a 6-hour rate where they arrive 30-60 minutes before the ceremony and stay until after the first dance wraps up. Keep in mind: Getting ready, first looks, and sparkler send-offs are still part of the story of the day, so some videographers might be reluctant to cut time because these parts are still special to capture.
Delay the editing. Some videographers will offer a shooting-only rate and simply give a harddrive or dropbox link to the raw footage. Then down the road (maybe even a one or five year anniversary gift), you can hire an editor to edit the footage for you. Keep in mind: the likelihood that your shooter and editor will be the same person in this scenario are slim, and if there were any small but special moments from the day, an editor who wasn’t there won’t know to include those moments. Furthermore, this might end up costing slightly more in the long-run since it turns one project into two, but will certainly save money on the front end!
If you made it all the way to this point, you’re a rockstar! Good luck with your vendor hunt, especially when it comes to video. Remember, your wedding video is one of only three things that will last well beyond the wedding day, and is one of the most special ways to look back on those fond memories. I wish you and your fiance the best of luck, and if you have any additional questions or need more recommendations, feel free to reach out at any time!