This is part 2 of a 2 part post and it could be helpful to couples looking for advice on wedding videography style and information on pricing.
If you missed part 1, you can find it here
What style of wedding videography should I go for?
The short answer is: whatever you fancy. Keep in mind that, although fun, trends come and go relatively quickly. Even if you are tempted to do something outrageous like “Trash the dress” for example, your future self could judge you harshly for not giving it to charity or selling it and booking that magical weekend away. You know yourself better than anybody and you should be the one to make the call on the direction and style of you wedding video. If you have an idea of something crazy or quirky that you’d like to do – go for it, but do not let anybody talk you into something you instinctively dislike. Following your gut feeling is probably better than overthinking, because in most cases the instinct wins. A good idea is to find a couple of wedding videos that you really like and show them to your videographer as a reference. Not to rip it off, just a reference, because you would like your wedding to be unique and reflect your personality.
You come across the term “cinematic” quite often, and if you hear it thrown around as a sales pitch from your potential videographer, ask them to clarify. It could mean few things and you should know which one they they are referring to. It could mean “film look” and refer to how the footage is acquired as a technicality (e.g. cinematic frame rate, cinematic aspect ratio, cinematic motion blur etc.), or it could mean that your video has a strong narrative structure and feels like film. The latter also means that you will be involved in acting out staged scenarios, or a session with a good dose of “walk this way” and “look this way” at the least. Whether that’s what you want will be up to you, but if you prefer on the day to spend more time with family and friends, or simply put your feet up, you should avoid staged video shoots. In my opinion, it is a better option to have the videographer film your photo shoot (styled or not) and capture the moments of fun and natural interaction in between shots. Even if you’re posing here and there, it could be made to look natural during the editing process.
In my experience so far, most couples prefer natural approach, with minimal interaction with the videographer and there is a really good reason for it. It’s great to watch your wedding video knowing that whenever you kissed, smiled or laughed, it’s because you felt like it, not because someone told you to.
How much should I pay for wedding videography?
You don’t see often wedding videography prices online, but when you do they range from $1000 to $5000. That excludes traditional ethnic weddings that last 3 days and cost in excess of $10000. Well, since there is an artistic element in the process, it is up to the wedding videographer to price their work according to their self-assessed standard. Based on a 2016 survey, the general wisdom suggests that somewhere in the middle ($2500 – $3500) you’ll find great value for money packages from many videographers, but ultimately, it is up to you to determine what suits you. When hiring a wedding videographer, before you part with your hard earned cash, you should try to find out some or all of the following things:
What equipment is used. If you see or hear a HD palmcorder – run away. If you see or hear a broadcast HD camera, think twice – it could be old and quite large. The last thing you’d want is someone with a fridge-sized unit on their shoulder scaring your guests. Nowadays high-end still cameras (DSLR) and mirrorless hybrid cameras are the preferred way of recording quality video. They are considered a de facto standard by the majority of wedding videographers.
The decisive factor for the cost will be the number of hours you’ll need the videographer for. The number of videographers you’ll get on the day will be a factor too. One will do the job, two will do a much better job. Why? Well, multiple camera angles will make your wedding video much more enjoyable and interesting to watch. Also, If you have large number of guests you’ll have better coverage. Basically the production value of the video, practically doubles, but the cost doesn’t, which is a good bang for the buck. It will work out in your favour to see what’s on offer and pull out the calculator. If the cost is similar, it is definitely better to choose 2 videographers for less hours, than a single videographer for a whole day.
Find out what final product you’ll get – number of videos, length of videos etc. Look for videographers who offer at least two edited videos – a feature film and a short film (highlight reel). One thing to remember is that longer is not better, and if you are offered a 2-hour video, chances are that it won’t be well edited. You’ll end up riding the remote control, constantly skipping bits and wondering why you paid so much money. We are conditioned to the length of a TV show – 26min (without the add breaks), so a well edited video of 30-40min would hit the mark. The short films are usually around 3-6min long (the length of a song or two), no mystery there. It would be nice to get edited videos of the entire ceremony and speeches. Although it’s not likely that you will be watching them often (if at all) in the first few years, your parents and other older family members will enjoy them for sure.
Cost is usually the factor that makes or breaks a deal. If you really, really like someone’s work, might pay off to haggle a bit. Like all artists, videographers are a bit vain and if you pay them a compliment and ask for a discount, it may work. Flattery goes a long way and may sway the deal in your favour.
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