For all the wonderful brides and grooms to be out there wondering: "Is wedding videography worth it?" you're not alone. Wedding videography has been seen as a luxury item in the wedding industry and for so many reasons, it’s about time that changes.
In my experience as a professional wedding videographer and in my personal life, I’ve come to see videography as one of the most indispensable pieces of a wedding day, as you hire each of your other vendors to live your day only once. Through your wedding video, you can relive your wedding day and key pieces of your unique love story for the rest of your lives, as well as share those moments with loved ones and future generations.
For those considering hiring a professional wedding videographer, here are a few things to consider.
Our Loves Ones Not Present
No matter how well we plan, there is always someone we love who can’t make it for the big day. For elopements and intimate weddings, this is even more true.
Whether you are keeping your wedding small by choice, or you have dear friends far away who can’t make it for whatever reason, a wedding video is the best way for them to feel like they were really there. Not only can they see those sweet moments captured in the photo, but they can see the movement, hear the laughs, and hear your promises to one another recounted word for word.
Note: The only thing a video cannot capture is smell. If only I could deliver videos with a scratch and sniff!
Wedding Day Regrets
Did you know that statistically speaking, one of the biggest regrets that past brides and grooms have is not hiring a professional wedding videographer?
According to the Wedding Report, approximately 63% of couples hired a wedding videographer or videography service in 2018. Out of the 37% of couples who did not, nearly 94% of those couples said they regretted not having any video of their wedding day.
After working with brides who wished they had booked videography services, or who booked someone new who lost their wedding video, videography became my top priority when booking my own wedding.
The Human Side of Things
If you’re someone who loves candid moments, videography is for you.
As a professional with years of experience in both photography and videography, I know that a photo can be staged. “Can we get that hug again?” or “let’s come over here for the lighting” are common things to hear from wedding photographers, and I’ve definitely said the same things. But in videography, it’s very obvious when a laugh is faked. The moment is there, captured or not captured, and then it’s gone.
As a wedding videographer, I’ve learned to be a fly on the wall. I’ve had couples tell me that they didn’t even know I was there for moments they later saw on their finished wedding film. The moments you see on my wedding films are the real moments of couples being fully immersed in their days, their joys, and each other, exactly as they should be.
Your Day Will Fly By, Your Video Is There to Stay
If only I could count the number of couples who told me their wedding days went by in a flash! After I deliver wedding videos, even a week or two after the wedding day, couples have told me they had already forgotten so many of those moments! In a day of so much joy surrounded by your loved ones, a wedding video allows you to experience those moments again in slow motion, or in a time where you aren’t rushing from activity to activity and from guest to guest.
More Than Just Your Wedding Day
Your wedding video should be more than a documentary of your day: it’s a glimpse into your love story and the life you’ve built together.
When I record and edit my wedding films, I constantly look for the little things that set each couple apart — their unique story, the details of the first time they met, the way he looks at her, the way her dad describes her childhood during toasts, and the little touches and glances between the couple that are so uniquely their own. When two people truly fall in love, their connection is a miracle to me.
It’s not just smooth shots of a wedding cake and slow motion video of a bride gliding down the aisle that make a wedding video worth having. It’s the moments that encapsulate their love story beyond the day.
I always ask couples how I can best represent their story, whether that’s through their vows, letters, personal messages to each other, their family’s toasts, or all of the above. This is more than just a wedding video: this is a documentary of your relationship, a day-in-the-life of your love, all within a few hours’ chapter.
Generations to Come
It doesn’t end with you. If you choose to have children, can you imagine showing them your wedding video as they get older? If you do not have your own children, share it with those who look up to you years down the road.
I truly believe every true love story is an inspiration. Let your wedding video be a memento for years to come!
Relive the Moments
Your wedding video allows you to relive the magical moments of your wedding at any time.
While your photos capture the ideal of your day and hang beautifully over the mantel, videography is the only way to capture what was said and felt in real time, the closest thing you have to experiencing those unrepeatable moments again as they truly were.
Down the road, when a tough day comes, I hope you see your wedding video and remember why you two are together, and why your love story is worth the rainy days.
Why Hire a Professional Wedding Videographer? Can’t I Use a Tripod or Ask a Relative?
A tripod or a relative who has a good eye is simply not the same as hiring someone who specializes in wedding day videography.
Even after spending years in promotional and documentary filmmaking, it took me dozens of weddings before I could confidently guarantee that I could capture everything necessary in the chaos of a wedding day. From technical aspects such as choosing which mics to use and locating where to plug into the sound system, to understanding the flow of the day and helping others to manage the stress of it, there is a learning curve to wedding videography that I never anticipated when I first entered the industry.
That’s why when I started out, I charged hardly anything for my wedding videos. I booked my first weddings at $500, $650, and $750 for entire film packages and a bonus photoshoot! Even though I already had a decent portfolio of other films, my first brides and grooms accepted that they were taking a chance on me as a beginning wedding filmmaker. If you’re booking your videographer on a tight budget, remember that you are taking the same risks.
After three crazy seasons and almost 100 weddings, my couples can now expect the professional experience from me that I have learned to provide and guarantee to the best of my human ability. No matter who you choose to be your wedding videographer, be sure that they can be counted on to do the same for you. :)
For the Romance, the Real Laughs, and the Moments in Between, Get in Touch for Wedding Videography!
You hire each of your other vendors to create your perfect day. You hire your videographer to relive that day for a lifetime. If you’re looking for someone to capture the heart of your day and document your love story at this pivotal point in your lives, reach out today to set up a free consultation and create a custom wedding videography package for your unique love story! You can reach me through my contact form or send me an email elizacurl.filmsandphotography@gmail.com! Let’s create some magic! ^^