Deciding on who is going to capture your wedding day, whether photography or videography, can be one of the most stressful decisions you will make.

 

I’m hoping to help make the process a little easier so you can focus on the details that make the wedding day beautiful, and not worrying about whether the photos and video turn out the way you envision them.

 

The first thing to consider is that your job is to get married. That’s all. It’s the coordinator’s job to make it run smoothly, the caterer’s job to feed you, the florist’s job to bring flowers, and the videographer’s job to shoot and edit the video. Please try your best to enjoy your day. Live in the moment and make memories. Trust your videographer to capture the details of your day. If you don’t fully trust them to do their job – Do not hire them.

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With that being said, here are my 3 tips for selecting the right videographer. Do these things before ever making a deposit or booking them.

 

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When you contact the videographer the first time, ask them what their entire process is from start to finish. If it doesn’t include a sit down conversation, either in person or Facetime/phone call, don’t hire them. (Texting and emails don’t count because too much can get lost in translation). The reason for this is every wedding has at least a few details that are very special to the bride and groom. Something makes the wedding unique and special. If the photographer or videographer doesn’t plan on communicating with you before the wedding day (except to collect money) you can assume they will have little to no idea of the personal, inside details you want highlighted. You will either be stressed all day about whether they captured them or not, or worse, you will get the final video and be a little disappointed that there are no close-up shots of your late grandmother’s diamond ring. You will have much more trust in them if their normal process involves getting clarity before the big day.

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In the ever-increasing digital age, pro-level camera gear is more readily available than ever. Which means everyone and their mom owns a camera… which means “everyone” is a photographer. Less people claim to be a videographer than a photographer but the numbers are still growing. Let me clear something up. A professional with an iPhone is better than an amateur with a $5,000 camera. Owning expensive gear is cool, but knowing how to get the right shot is far more valuable. I have a good time laughing at some of my old work from when I first started. So instead of choosing the cheapest videographer that owns a decent camera, find someone with a few years under their belt.

When it comes to videography and photography, you get what you pay for. There are only 3 reasons someone would ever be free or really cheap: They are friends or family, they are brand new to video, or they have no confidence in their work. If it’s the first option – never let your friends or family do it for free. Tell them you won’t book them without paying them something. Despite what we all want to believe about ourselves, when money is involved we take things a little more seriously. It’s very difficult to boss around a volunteer. If they are new to video or have no confidence, your wedding day is not the time to be a guinea pig. So find someone you can trust with capturing your wedding day.

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Here is the fun part. Everyone has a specific style. The key is to match your style to the videographer’s style. Find someone whose style is already what you’re looking for. You’re really taking a risk when you try to convince the videographer or photographer to change his or her style to match yours, and again, your wedding day isn’t the time for risks. This will only add stress on your side. Instead find someone who already has a style that you like, and work with them to create the perfect video that represents you. I’m fully aware that my style isn’t for everyone. I would describe my style as modern and cinematic. I use music and shots to tell a story and pull on the emotions of the day. This may be a completely different direction than you are thinking for your video, and if that is the case, don’t hire me. Although I feel like I’m capable of shifting my style to match a different idea, you’d be better off to find someone already in range of what you’re looking for.

 

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If you consider these 3 things I feel like you can be stress-free on your wedding day in regards to your video production. If you don’t have to worry about your photographer and videographer it will help you be able to just be present and enjoy the day.

 

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Thank you for reading this and congratulations on your big day! If you have any questions feel free to contact me.

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