Congratulations! You just got engaged, picked a date and venue, and now it’s time for — vendors! Let’s see. DJ, photographer, florist, caterer…

Videographer?

Videography is relatively new when it comes to vendors to hire for your wedding day. I mean, a majority of our parents and family members didn’t have video or it was a 2+ hour long video of the day, usually filmed on Uncle Joe’s camcorder on a VHS. But times have definitely changed and now Uncle Joe’s wedding VHS’s have become high quality wedding films.

But how do you pick a videographer for your big day? What questions should you be asking? Well, you’ve asked the perfect person! I’ve compiled a little list of 5 things you should be looking out for when you pick your wedding videographer.

1. What do you deliver?

When starting out to look for a wedding videographer, you’ll want to figure out what kind of video you’re looking for. Wedding videography has really progressed and has gone from long, 60+ minute films to around 6 minutes average. That’s a huge jump, right?! Well, in this day and age of social media — couples are looking for shorter films to share with their family and friends. Most videographers today, including myself, offer highlight style films. These include many parts of your day, typically set to music and will include audio from your day as well. Now I offer three (3) different length of highlight films (6-7 minutes, 8-10, and 12-15). It’s really up to you and what you’re having on your wedding day to figure out what length you’ll want. Couples who have lots of speeches, maybe personal vows, and a lot of special events during the day may want to go with a longer film. Couples who are having a short and sweet ceremony may want to go with a 6-7 minutes.

But not all videographers deliver the same things. Some may also include a full ceremony film with their highlight, while I have it as an add-on. Some videographers do not offer raw footage, while I do (as an add-on option). So that’s definitely a great way to start looking for your videographer. Figure out what the videographer offers and what you want for your wedding film.

2. How long will you be there?

This is super important when picking out your videographer. How many hours will they be at your wedding? When will they start their day? And when do they leave? Honestly, I’ve seen a good mix of what videographers offer in my area. But, you either will have a videographer offering hourly rates or full day rates. So make sure you pick a videographer that will be able to capture all the moments that you’re wanting. Most videographers offer an 8 hour package, which is plenty of time to get the most key moments of the day. Though if you’re having a first look or special exit, maybe look into a longer package or going with a full day videographer. I offer full coverage with my packages, which means I am there when you need me before the ceremony until after ceremonial events at the reception (or until your special exit).

3. Will you capture audio?

I get this question a lot! And it really will help determine which videographer you go with. Some videographers only offer videos set to music and some offer videos with audio from the day. Make sure you understand what your videographer will be delivering in your final film. If you have personal vows, letters, or heartfelt speeches on your wedding day, you’ll want to have these captured. So make sure your videographer has the equipment necessary to capture that.

4. Do you work well with photographers?

Your vendors should be working as a team on your wedding day. And while, of course, any videographer would say, “yes!” they would work well with photographers — maybe ask about their style of videography. Do they work closely with the photographer to get the shots they need? Or do they need some time alone to capture what they need? Also find out if they reach out to the photographer ahead of time. When I get my vendor list from my couples, I email the photographer introducing myself and explaining how I work. This is really important because both of us know what to expect on the wedding day. It’s super important that your videographer and your photographer mesh well together — or at least work together to get the shots they both need.

5. How many videographers will be there on my day?

This is especially important to know if you plan on getting ready in two locations that aren’t the closest to one another. There are a lot of videographers out there that shoot solo, so they don’t have a lot of time to go to both locations. While if you have a second shooter, you can have someone in both places. But having a second videographer isn’t always necessary. Going back to the first question, ask what is delivered. If you are looking for a shorter film, and the videographer shoots solo that is 100% doable. Or even if they deliver a longer film. Just know that maybe not everything will be captured or that maybe there will be less footage of the groom getting ready over the bride. Or the fact that you won’t have any footage of cocktail hour because the videographer is getting footage of the two of you. It comes down to what you want. If you absolutely want more footage of the cocktail hour or more of the groom getting ready — perhaps a second videographer is necessary.

No matter who you go with to film your wedding — make sure you go with your gut and pick one that will capture your day and love story beautifully. Make sure to meet with them, get to know their personalities, and make sure that you all will work well together on your big day. Ask questions! Read reviews! And definitely watch their past work.

If you have any questions about picking a videographer or would love to discuss having us film your wedding, please feel free to reach out to me at tori@toridanielleweddings.com.

–xoxo, Tori