Choosing A Videographer

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Introduction
Using A Friend
Using A Professional
When To Book
What To Ask
Other Considerations
Introduction
It has become increasingly popular for couples to have a video made of their wedding and reception celebrations, often to complement the photographer's record. A video provides a way to look back on the events of your ceremony and reception, and gives an opportunity to view the celebrations from a different perspective.

Most couples feel that their wedding day goes by in a blur and that they do not remember the finer details of the celebrations. Things like guests' outfits, the bridesmaid's giggles and the way the guests laughed at the groom's speech can get missed in the excitement. Also, the bride and groom are often in one place for a long time, while having photographs taken for example, and may miss some lovely moments elsewhere. A video is an excellent way of capturing these details, allowing the couple and their guests to relive the event in quieter moments for years to come.A couple that would like a video of their wedding can decide to ask a friend to help or employ a professional. But before making any of these decisions, ensure that your wedding venues allows videography. If videography is permitted, find out if there will be any additional charge levied by the venue.

Using A Friend
If your budget is limited or if a video of your day is desirable but not essential, you may consider having a competent and willing friend shoot your video. These days, many people own hand held video cameras, and some are reasonably competent with the equipment. However, do not have high expectations of the final result. If your wedding is the first that your friend will shoot, it will almost certainly look like it when you view the video!

Using A Professional
If having a high quality video of your wedding is important to you and you have the budget, you should employ a professional videographer. Each videographer has their own particular style and no two wedding videos will be the same. As well as styles varying, so do prices.

Using A Professional

There is no standard charge for professional videographers. You will find that prices range from a few hundred pounds, for part-time professionals using semi-professional equipment, to a few thousand pounds for the most experienced videographers that use broadcast quality equipment and employ several camera operators and crew. Like most things in life, you usually get what you pay for, although you should expect to get a good final product by paying in the range £500 to £,000.

Before you visit or speak to a videographer, give some thought to the style you would like. Perhaps you would be happy with the standard wedding video style or maybe you'd prefer a fly-on-the-wall, documentary style production using more than one camera (it is usually very evident if a video has been made using just one or more than one camera). You may like to have a video of just your reception, just the ceremony or a record of the whole day, including the bride and groom preparing and ending with the last dance.

When To Book
As wedding videography is seasonal, the most popular and experienced videographers will be booked many months or more ahead, especially during the busy months of May to September. Therefore, it is advisable to make enquiries as soon as you have booked your venues to avoid disappointment.

Please visit our video category of our Products and Services section to see a selection of professional videographers.

What To Ask
Speak with, or better still, visit two or three videographers and have some questions and requirements to hand. Here are our suggestions:

	Ask to see some examples of their work. Make sure that some of these examples are weddings of a similar size to the one you are planning. Make sure that the quality of the videos you see matches up to your expectations for your own. Does the picture wobble? Is everything clearly in focus? Can you clearly understand the speech that has been recorded? If you are not happy with the quality of the video you see, it is likely you will not be happy with your own video.
	Find out the style of video the videographer is known for. Do they make formal productions, or are they more in the 'fly-on-the-wall', hand held style. Make sure the videographer's style suits the one you would like.
	Make sure that you are speaking to the person who will actually record your wedding. If not, ask to have a meeting with the person who will attend and make sure that your requirements are passed on.
	Make sure you feel you get on with the person who will record your celebrations. He or she will be present throughout your wedding day, so personality clashes should be avoided. Try to decide whether the person you are meeting will be sensitive to the way you are getting married and the types of people you are inviting.
	Ask how many cameras will be used to film the service and reception. One camera is usually not enough to capture everything in a wedding ceremony, but it will be the cheapest and most unobtrusive option. Any more than three cameras and there is a risk that your wedding will look more like a film set! Also find out what sort of camera equipment will be used. Will the videograpaher use semi-professional equipment or will they use high quality broadcast quality equipment such as steadycams (cameras that produce very steady results whilst in motion). The quality of the camera equipment will also determine whether artificial lighting is required for indoor recording, which you may consider obtrusive.
	Find out if your videographer has videoed at your venues before. If not, will they visit your venues beforehand as part of their preparations.
	Ask exactly what is included in the price of the video. Expect editing, music and titles to be included, although complicated graphics and commentary may not be. Get these details on paper as part of your quote.
	Ask about the type of music that your video will have as background music. Can you have contemporary music or music of your choice or will the videographer use copyright free 'musak'.
	Establish if the videographer has the appropriate copyright licences to record any copyright material that will be captured on the video during recording, for example, contemporary music played during your service and reception.
	Find out how many original videos are included in the price and ask how much further copies will cost. Consider ordering the number of copies your require when you place your order as they will usually be cheaper than ordering copies after your wedding.
	Ask how the final video will be presented and ask to see a sample. You may be able to have a personalised cover, or be able to choose the colour, design and quality of the cover.
	Find out which of the two professional videographer organisation the videographer belongs to. They will either be members of the Institute of Videographers (IOV) or the Association of Professional Videomakers (APV). Although not strictly essential, membership does imply a degree of professionalism and the organisation may prove useful should you have a dispute with your videographer once you see the final result!

Be sure to ask the same questions to each videographer you consult. This way you will be getting comparable quotes for the job you would like done. Also make sure you are clear about any extras that are not included in the price you are quoted. Find out how much these extras are going to cost. Get as many details as possible on paper, to help with comparing quotes. It is worth noting that it is not advisable to hire a videographer on price alone. Choose the company that will offer you the service and style you require at a price you are happy with.

Other Considerations
A complaint that is common in relation to videographers is that they scuttle around during the ceremony and cause a distraction. For this reason, many are put off having a video altogether. This need not be the case. It is important to clarify from the start the amount of intrusion you are prepared to tolerate within your wedding service. This is especially important if your wedding ceremony is to be held in church. Many ministers are not very indulgent of videographers, especially those that make a nuisance of themselves.

Make clear from the start whether you would prefer the recording of the ceremony to be entirely static, or whether you are happy with an amount of movement. A good videographer should appreciate that a wedding ceremony is a solemn occasion, whether religious or civil, and that their presence should be unobtrusive, and not detract from the couple or the ceremony. Neither should they consider themselves as or more important than the couple and their guests. The videographer should be an expert at hiding in corners to capture special moments of your day.

If you are employing a photographer as well as a videographer, it is advisable to ask them to talk to each other. Suggest that they discuss the way in which they see the ceremony and reception recording going, and make sure that their interests and the positions they plan to take up are not going to clash. The two records of your day should complement each other.

By planning the way the videographer records your celebrations, you will have a varied and complete record of your special day.

Click here to find videographers in our Products and Services Directory.

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