Finding the Right Videographer for You
Last week, we went over tips on how to find the perfect wedding photographer for your big day. Equally important, is finding a wedding videographer. You don't want to wait until the last minute to try to find your videographer - Because just like photographers, they book out their entire days for a client and fill their calendar fast. I've done some research, and below are just a few tips that will help you get the most out of your wedding experience.
1. HIRE A PROFESSIONAL
Oftentimes, I'll hear brides and other couples who opted to do no videography regret their decision. They would have loved to see the reactions of each other for their first look, or the smiles of their loved ones as they sealed their love in front of everyone, or even to just capture the intricate details that they spent months fretting about. I hear all the time, "I wish we would have hired someone to do video!".
Take this as your sign - Add video to your wedding experience!
Just like with any other wedding vendor, find someone within your budget that has experience. I've seen too many couples hire a family friend's cousin, and they don't have the correct gear to provide the full cinematic experience that you're probably looking for. When interviewing videographers, ask for references and a few different video samples to really get an idea of what you should expect from that videographer.
2. HIRE LOCALLY
Hiring a videographer that has to travel to your location from a few states - or even hours away, isn't ideal. They will not know the weather patterns as well, and they won't know when the best time would be for sunset coverage. They could look it up, or even ask someone - but it really pays off having someone local working your big day becase you'll know that they know what they're doing.
3. HIRE SOMEONE LICENSED
A big trend right now is having drone coverage. You'll want to decide before you book your videographer if drone coverage is on your "must-have" list. If it is, you'll want to ensure your videographer offers drone coverage, and is licensed. They are required to be licensed for drone photography / videography no matter the situation. You'll also want to check with your venue to make sure drone coverage is allowed, as some venues have a strict no-drone policy.
Additionally, be prepared to have music tied to your video that you might not recognize. Videographers have to use legally licensed music. Typically, videographers will purchase licensed music to use on their galleries, and will recycle those songs. (some videographers I know still have 20 songs to go through, but it's still worth noting that most of the time they will not buy additional music unless the couple requests and pays for the additional music). Popular songs have very high lincense costs - which is why you won't find a lot of popular songs in videos. This is something you'll want to check with your videographer, but ultimately, know that you'll probably not have Ed Sheeran's "Perfect" playing in your video. Personally, I think having unknown music makes it more personable, because you'll end up associating that song with your wedding video if you hear it anywhere else.
4. KNOW THE TURN AROUND TIME
One of the biggest questions you'll want to ask your videographer is what their turn around time is for the final delivery of your video. Some videographers take a year for the final video to be completed and sent back to the couple. Typically, industry standard is 6 months. You should also pay attention to how responsive your potential videographer is. If it's taking you multiple attempts to reach out, consider that as a potential red flag. If you're wanting someone who will answer promptly and efficiently, then you may want to consider someone who doesn't take 72+ hours to respond to your first inquiry.
