Wedding Videographers:
Everything You Need to Know
The most talented wedding videographers will transform live footage from your big day into an exceptional wedding video that captures the eternal love you and your partner share. While finding the right wedding videographer can seem overwhelming, you’ll be happy to learn that there are plenty of talented videographers available. The best wedding videographer for your big day will sit down with you to discuss exactly how you want your wedding video to depict your celebration of love. To avoid any surprises, make sure you and your videographer are on the same page about the style of your wedding videos and what the wedding video packages they offer include.
Once you find the best wedding videographer for you, it’s time to book. Remember: your wedding videographer will create the video for one of the most memorable days of your life, so choose wisely!
If you’re unsure of where to start, our library of weddings is here to help. Browse real couples’ weddings and learn more about their wedding vendors, including the wedding videographers they loved. With examples of work from real-life weddings across the country, selecting the right wedding videographer is made so much easier. Our selection of photos, videos, and information on weddings and vendors also allows you to navigate directly to the wedding videographers’ websites.But before you start, it helps to arm yourself with some information. Consider this your ultimate guide to all things wedding videographers. We’re here to help you learn the basic information you need to evaluate wedding videographers, get an inside look at some of the added services that these professionals can provide, and even get an idea of the average cost for wedding videographers. With this information in hand, you can make the most appropriate choices for your wedding. Once you’ve settled on your wedding videographer, we can help you curate the rest of your vendor team, too. By searching our library of real weddings, you can find the wedding vendors whose style is cohesive with your wedding theme, aesthetic, and look.
Why should you hire a wedding videographer?
Wondering if wedding videos are worth the investment? In short, the answer is yes. Wedding videos bring your event to life in a way that still photography can’t, and allow you to share these moments with friends and family members for many years into the future. Your wedding videography will allow you to relive every second of your wedding again and again. In addition, a wedding ceremony video can become a prized family heirloom for you and your children or extended family to enjoy.
Wedding videos have also become increasingly popular for couples who like to post them to social media platforms to extend the number of people who can enjoy your wedding. This is an ideal solution for guests who cannot otherwise attend to take part in your ceremony and reception. Your wedding videographer may even be able to make it possible to live-stream your ceremony to ensure that all of your loved ones have an opportunity to experience the event for themselves. Not surprisingly, virtual or live-streamed weddings increased in popularity during the pandemic, and are expected to become a mainstay in the wedding industry.
Additionally, your wedding video offers audio to accompany the visual images of your ceremony and reception. This can ensure that your wedding video songs and other wedding video music are captured and memorialized in your wedding video. By including wedding video songs as part of your mementos for your wedding, you can relive every element of your wedding day any time you click play. The right wedding photographer and videographer can create images and videos that will capture little moments among friends and family as well as the highlights of the ceremony and the venue. This allows you to focus on your wedding day, your partner, and the commitment you are making—instead of worrying about ensuring the whole event is adequately captured.
How do you find wedding videographers?
One of the best resources for finding the best wedding videographers for your event is your wedding planner. They may be able to recommend a wedding videographer whose work they are familiar with from previous weddings. Alternatively, if you’ve already selected a wedding photographer for your event, you may be able to find a talented wedding videographer who works well with your photographer. These professionals can work together to create a wedding ceremony video that will reflect the magic of your special day.You can also ask friends for references when choosing a provider for wedding videography.
Our directory of the best wedding videographers is another excellent resource, and is searchable by location. Whether you’re looking for wedding videographer packages or drone wedding videography, you can find a vendor who fits the bill in our directory.
How much do wedding videographers and wedding videography packages cost?
In general, wedding videography and photography costs usually account for about 10% of your wedding budget. Recent figures indicate that the average cost for wedding videographers ranges between $1,000 and $2,500, which can vary depending on the types of services included in your wedding videography contract. For example, if you request drone wedding videography, you can expect to spend more than if you agree to standard wedding videography packages. Wedding drones require a certain level of expertise to operate and can often require the services of more than one wedding videographer to achieve the desired results. If this is something you’re interested in, consider asking your wedding videographer if their wedding videography packages include wedding drone videos.
The average cost of a wedding videographer will also vary depending on the amount of travel required and the region in which you plan to wed. For instance, if you are looking for a wedding videographer in New York City, it will cost more than if you were looking for a wedding videographer in a state with a lower cost of living. That’s why in general, the average cost for wedding videography will depend on location, the number of extra services you need, the type of wedding video packages you choose, and the number of hours for which you require coverage. When planning for your wedding videographer cost, take these factors into consideration.
When considering the average cost for wedding videographers, it’s helpful to know that wedding videographer prices can be quoted as per hour, per day, or per package. Many of the best wedding videographers offer all three options to ensure that you receive the wedding video you want with all the extras you need, but in a way that accommodates your wedding budget.
In general, you will usually get what you spend when it comes to wedding videography prices. You may be able to save money by selecting one of the standard wedding videography packages offered by your chosen wedding videographer, as opposed to adding extra service that comes with supplementary charges. If you are concerned about wedding videographer cost, you may want to consider that the average cost of a wedding dress is over $1,300, which is more than the cost of many basic wedding videography prices.
Because wedding videographer prices can vary, it is a good idea to request a sample wedding video contract during the early stages of your wedding planning process. If you are interested in wedding drone photography or videography, be sure to ask about these services before signing a wedding videography contract. Your wedding video contract should clearly spell out exactly what is included and at what cost.
What is included in wedding videography packages?
While each wedding videographer is different, you can expect a few basic similarities in the packages they offer for wedding videography. In general, your wedding videography options will include tiered packages and add-ons that are listed in your contract. Some of the basics typically included in your wedding videographer cost include:
- Your wedding videography cost usually includes between eight and 10 hours of filming with one or two wedding videographers. You may be able to add more time to your contract, but that may require an additional shooter and/or lead to a higher total wedding videographer cost.
- A wedding highlight video is usually included, which consists of four to seven minutes or so of the most meaningful moments from your ceremony and reception. Your highlight film might include some of your wedding music and showcase special moments between you and your partner.
- The best wedding videographer will be sure to get all the raw footage needed to capture your ceremony and reception, including toasts and speeches by those close to you and your partner. Often this raw footage is available to you as part of a basic package, but some photographers charge an additional fee for raw cuts of the ceremony and speeches (and some will not provide raw footage at all.)
You may also be able to request additional services that will be added to your contract. Some of the most common a la carte items that can be added to your wedding videography include the following:
- Drone wedding videography
- A longer highlight film that covers 15 to 25 minutes of your ceremony and reception
- Filming of your rehearsal dinner
- A custom wedding iPad that is pre-loaded with your wedding photographs and videos
- Travel to and from the venue for the wedding videographer and his or her team
- Any additional personnel required for your wedding and reception
You may be able to book your photographer and wedding videographer from the same company, and some companies offer significant discounts for wedding videos in these cases. It may be worthwhile to check with a few wedding videographers to determine if they are part of a large company or collective, and what wedding videography packages are available. Investing in wedding videographer packages is an excellent way to ensure that you have all of the special moments of your big day caught on camera.
How many wedding videographers do you need?
In many cases, you will need more than one wedding videographer to capture all the moments you want to remember. Many of the best wedding videographers opt to bring one or two extra wedding videographers with them to ensure that there are multiple angles captured in your wedding video. Opting for multiple wedding videographers has its benefits and drawbacks:
Pro: Improved Coverage
Two or more wedding videographers can cover different aspects of your wedding at the same time. This can allow you to create a more complete wedding video that includes your family and friends. Enlisting two professionals for your wedding videography will also enable them to capture an inside look into your wedding day as you and your partner are getting ready.
Pro: Drone Capability
If you would like an aerial view as part of your wedding videography, a second or even third wedding videographer is often a must.
Pro: Time Efficiency
Working with two wedding videographers will allow them to split the wedding videography shot list necessary for your desired wedding video. This can save time on creating the perfect wedding video for your ceremony, reception, and other events.
Con: Higher Costs
The only real drawback to opting for multiple people to shoot your wedding videos is the cost associated with travel and fees for two or more wedding videographers. If you can afford the added cost of additional videographers, however, you can often create a wedding video that is a real work of art.
Discussing your priorities for your wedding video with your videographer from the onset helps ensure that you will end up with lasting memories that can be shared with your loved ones. Wedding videography is plenty of fun to look back on, and you can enjoy your special day knowing it’s all captured on camera.
What should be included in wedding videos?
The best wedding videographers have extensive experience capturing the most important moments of ceremonies and receptions. Their wedding videography will remind you of all the special details you put into creating your wedding day. Some of the things most commonly included in wedding videography are the following elements:
- The exchange of wedding rings is typically a moment that will be captured by your wedding videography professional. Your wedding videographer might get an up-close look at the rings. The wedding ceremony is a sentimental moment to watch on video, especially when paired with the right wedding video music.
- You can also ask your videographer to include specific songs for wedding videos to create the perfect audio backdrop for your highlight video. Incorporating songs for wedding video production can ensure the most beautiful wedding videos for you and your family and friends to enjoy in the future. Your wedding video music is a reflection of your big day—so choose accordingly!
- Along with still photos, your wedding video will almost certainly include a look at the wedding dress and tuxedo as you and your partner make your way down the aisle. Your wedding is typically the only time you’ll wear your wedding dress, so the best wedding videographer will ensure some beautiful fashion shots are captured.
- Your wedding flowers will often be a wedding videography focal point, as wedding videographers know how much time and energy goes into curating the flowers for your big day, and they’re a nice decorative detail to add some color to the video. The best wedding videographers will ensure that your wedding highlight video captures the beauty of your blooms.
- The wedding cake is often the centerpiece of the reception and dinner. Professional wedding videographers will typically include a few shots of the cake as well as the first cut.
Making sure that the person responsible for your wedding videography is aware of your priorities will ensure the best results. Your videographer can often provide you with helpful suggestions that can make your wedding video even more special and personalized to your tastes and style.
What is drone wedding videography?
Whether or not you’ve heard of drone wedding videography, it is an option you should familiarize yourself with as you select the best wedding videographers for your big day. The popularity of drones has made it much more common for wedding videographers to offer drone wedding videography. Drone operators must have a pilot's license to fly these aircraft and must comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing the use of small, unmanned aircraft. If your videographer offers drone videography for weddings, be sure to view some examples of their work to determine if they have the skills and experience necessary to capture every moment of your wedding from above (without wiggles and crashes).
Wedding drones are usually reserved for outdoor weddings for obvious reasons. For barn wedding venues and other indoor-outdoor locations, however, you may be able to request indoor drone wedding videography services with the permission of the event space managers. Even some outdoor areas, like large, busy cities, may not permit drones, so it is important to check with your wedding venue before planning for drone photography or videography for your wedding, reception, or other events. If you are curious to learn more about drone wedding videography and how your wedding videographer could use it to capture your big day, be sure to ask about the option during your initial outreach.
Does your wedding videographer need to be local?
If you’re having a destination wedding, you might be wondering if your wedding videographer needs to be local to that area, or if you can fly a wedding videographer in. There are several things to take into account in this scenario. Most of the time your photographer and wedding videographer will be happy to travel to your wedding venue from their location. If you are planning a destination wedding, however, travel costs may be more than you wish to spend. Be sure to find out in advance if your wedding videographer is willing and able to travel to your venue and, if so, what costs will be associated with that travel.
In general, you will be expected to cover the costs of travel and accommodations for your wedding videographers. Even if you have your heart set on a top videographer who’s based across the country, the added confidence you will feel in their work can far outweigh any additional costs. Of course, if you work with a wedding videographer who is local to the area, you might find that they have a better understanding of the venue, as they’ve created wedding videos there before. It’s ultimately your decision whether you’d rather have a wedding videographer who’s local or not, but it’s best to check out any potential wedding videographers’ sample videos first to ensure their style is cohesive with yours.
How do you get in touch with wedding videographers?
Our directory is a great resource that allows you to see the real weddings created by the videographers on our site. We make it easy for you to find top wedding videographers by location, style, and venue, and to choose the perfect videographer for your special day. From world-famous event cinematographers to local talent with outstanding credentials, you can find the right videographer for your ceremony, rehearsal dinner, and reception. Once you find wedding videographers who you are interested in connecting with, navigate to their vendor profile and contact them by visiting their website (accessible directly from our directory). It’s that easy! Sometimes, curating the best vendor team for your wedding can be tricky. That’s why we are here to help you find the perfect wedding videographer and all the other vendors who will suit your wedding day needs. Our website offers spotlight articles, a selection of exclusive and exquisite venues all over the world, and a look at real-life weddings and the vendors who helped to make them possible. This can often provide you with the information you need to plan your wedding and to find the perfect dress, makeup artist, hairstylist—and videographer—to make your day something special. Once you’ve found the perfect wedding videographer, sign that wedding videographer contract and make it official for the big day!
