The question “should I hire a videographer for my wedding?” is one that has popped up a lot recently. Obviously as a wedding photographer, as a person interested in media, as a person who adores weddings, I have some thoughts on the topic.

Rank Your Priorities

As you begin booking your dream team for your wedding day, the first thing I want you to do is rank your priorities. What are the most important things for you to experience on your wedding day and what keepsakes do you want to have once the wedding is over. Really consider your lifestyle and how often you might do something like watching a wedding highlight video. 

For my husband and I, our top three priorities for our wedding were the location, the guest list, and of course beautiful photography so we could relive the day over and over. Having a wedding video was lower on our list of priorities, so we didn’t spend much money on our videographer, though we still chose to hire one. 

After being married for nearly 6 years now, I can tell you honestly that I’m glad we hired them. That said, I fully expected to be obsessed with my 5 minute highlight video and even though I do love it and think it turned out great, we rarely watch it. Instead, what I’m so glad we have coverage of is our full wedding ceremony. Chris and I watch the uncut version of our wedding ceremony each year on our anniversary and we get to hear those vows we made to each other again and again, which is so incredibly special and isn’t something you can capture in a photo!

Options and Approach to Videography

As you interview video teams, I recommend you ask about all of the different coverage options as services range greatly from team to team. I’d also ask them what happens if they miss a moment. Do they try to stage it again or simply move on? Personally, I don’t love when videographers try to re-stage a moment that has already passed. Most of you aren’t actors, so it’s awkward to fake an emotion, even one you just experienced. 

Videography + Photography

The last thing to consider when you invest in a videographer is how they will mesh with your photographer. I always do my best to create a quick friendship with my clients’ videographers so we can establish a good communication pattern and work well together throughout the day. I can say that this works … most of the time. 

Time to spill just a lil’ tea — Working with a video team is a “you get what you pay for” kind of thing to be honest. If you invest good money in a solid team, it’s more likely that they’ll be a good team player. On the other hand, I’ve had clients hire less expensive teams, college students, or just someone last minute and those teams tend to be more difficult to work with. Issues have included videographers leaving gear in the middle of the aisle (tripping hazard) to stepping in front of my camera during major moments like the first look or the dip on your first dance. These are moments we cannot authentically recreate, so we want to avoid them at all costs. These issues can all be avoided with good communication skills, so assess your video team’s EQ before hiring. 

If you need recommendations for excellent videographers in California, shoot me an email because I’ve worked with some incredibly talented people!