Why Hire a Wedding Videographer?
It’s a valid question you’ve probably asked yourself while sitting down at the dining room table with your partner going over the wedding budget. You’ve probably thought to yourself, “Well, everyone has a smartphone these days; I’ll just ask some of the guests to document it and send me the footage afterwards.” And while yes, that’s a totally viable option and a great way to relive the day from your guests’ perspectives, here are some reasons why hiring a professional is one of the best decisions you can make. After all, your photos and videos are what you’re going to look back on years from now to help you remember this special moment. They’re what gets passed down from generation to generation. The modern day version of a family heirloom.
WE’VE DONE THIS BEFORE
You know those Farmers Insurance commercials with Oscar-winning actor J.K. Simmons, where at the end right before the jingle and logo appear he says, “We know a thing or two, because we’ve seen a thing or two.” Well, the same is true for us wedding videographers when it comes to weddings. We’ve done this before, we know a thing or two. We know where to position ourselves to get the best shots without getting in anyone’s way. We’ve had multiple conversations with the planner so we know what to expect and when. We’ve already talked with (and in many cases worked with) the photographers to make sure we’re not in each other’s shots. And our cameras and audio recording equipment are just better than your friend’s iPhone. Wedding videography is so much more than just pointing a camera at the action and pressing record. We’re storytellers, filming with the intention of telling the best possible story. Your story. The majority of our time is spent in the edit, choosing the absolute most perfect shots, seamlessly piecing together footage from multiple camera angles with high quality audio, and making sure the music selections are just right. To put it simply, we know what we’re doing, and we love what we do. Your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime moment where there are no second chances to get the shot. This is something you’re going to want to remember for the rest of your lives. Why chance it?
PRESERVATION OF HISTORY
When I started my videography career many years ago, I was editing video montages for memorial services of family friends who had passed. I was amazed that so many of them had old footage from when they used to make home movies on 8mm film from the 1950s and 1960s. I even have my parents’ wedding video on VHS from 1980! Seeing all this old footage really helps paint the picture of what the past was like and who these people were. A backyard Fourth of July pool party. An anniversary dinner at a restaurant. Camping in Yosemite. A wedding. We see them dancing, singing, laughing, and living life. We hear their voices, the music, and the ambient sounds of nature. It tells stories in a way that a photograph can not. Both photo and video are necessary for the preservation of history, but a video helps us relive the moment and tell the full story.
MOVEMENT AND SOUND
The ability to observe movement and sound is the obvious distinction between a photo and a video, but not something we think about all the time. Video helps bring memories back to life. It allows you to capture people’s movements, the sound of their voice, and can be the perfect medium to help remember a moment, or even a person. I’ve seen one too many posts on social media after a loved one has passed of people asking their friends if anyone has video of their father’s speech, or video of their first dance together. Or that they wish they had more video of their grandparents. I hear it again and again from prospective clients that they want to have video to show to future generations so they can better know their history. Video can be a very powerful medium. Even just a short clip of your grandfather laughing or your sister dancing can help bring back a lifetime of memories of who they were.
Photo credit: Jenna Mahr
A SMART INVESTMENT
According to WeddingWire’s 2019 Newlywed Report, the average cost of a wedding in the United States in 2018 was $38,700 ($33,000 in Los Angeles). On average, couples underestimate their wedding ceremony and reception budget by nearly 45%. And while it’s not my place to tell you how to budget for your wedding, in my humble and totally unbiased opinion ☺️, I feel that photography and videography are the smartest investment a couple can make. Don’t get me wrong, personalized napkins with your initials, or gift bags for your out of town guests are a nice gesture, but I just want to help bring to light the benefits of having a video and why not hiring a wedding videographer is the number one regret brides have after their wedding. There are countless articles and blog posts about post-wedding regrets and almost all of them include not hiring a videographer. There’s no comparison when it comes to something that will last generations.
At the end of the day, we know in many cases it just comes down to budget. Wedding costs can add up fast and you want to ensure you throw a memorable party and everyone has fun. What better way to remember the day, relive all that fun, and stretch your dollar than with a video. Hire a wedding videographer. You won’t regret it.
