As a wedding photographer, I see a lot of comments from couples who are on the fence about hiring a wedding videographer. Often, it seems like one of those things they don’t need or want to spend money on, and then at the last minute, they realize they might be missing out! So they scramble to find a videographer. So, should you get a videographer for your wedding?
There is no right or wrong answer to whether or not you should hire a videographer for your wedding.
I personally love wedding videos, and think they are beautiful and emotional. They can capture movement, emotions and sounds that photography can’t capture. However, I do not think it is essential to everyone. There are definitely some wedding videos out there that go unwatched!
I will walk you through some thoughts to help you decide if you want to hire a videographer for your wedding.
Check your wedding priorities
This goes back to your wedding day priorities.
If preserving your memories is a high priority, you’ll probably want to consider a videographer. It’s another way to capture parts of your day in a way that photos can’t – with movement, audio, etc.
- What would be your priority to have captured on video?
- Do you really want your ceremony captured to send to absent family members, or to watch on your anniversary?
- Do you want your speeches captured, or first dances?
- Or do you want a highlight film that you can watch on your anniversary, and share on social media?
Many videographers include all of this in a package, or you can hire them for individual portions.
Check out professional examples first
If you’re not sure, watch some wedding videos online by searching for professional wedding videos.
At this point, it would be helpful to know how much you have in your budget to spend on a videographer. Find some videographers that fit within that budget, and see if you like the quality of their videos.
We have a videography add-on for our photography clients! This is a nice way for our couples to keep the job of capturing their wedding day memories to the same team. Here is one of our wedding videos from a wedding in Madison, Wisconsin:
Ask your photographer for recommendations
Keep in mind that videographers work closely with photographers on the wedding day. You’ll want to make sure both parties would be compatible (of course, you can’t necessarily know this, but you can definitely ask your photographer for recommendations, or vice versa – they’ll only recommend people they love working with!).
Consider video alternatives
If professional video isn’t a high priority, but you want some of your wedding captured, you could consider using a phone. We’ve had some couples set up a phone on a tripod (assign a family or friend to this) at the ceremony, or have a friend record their first dances. Just make sure you check with your photographer, so they can advise you on the best places to put this, without disrupting your photos.
This option definitely runs a higher risk of something (like user error) disrupting the recording!
And don’t ask everyone at your wedding to record things – that will get in the way of your photos, guaranteed!
We have a videography add-on for our photography clients! This is a nice way for our couples to keep the job of capturing their wedding day memories to the same team. Your photographer might offer this too! If you have questions about videography, or our photography and videography packages, please contact me here!
