5 things to ask before booking a wedding videographer (and other things to consider)

If you're reading this, CONGRATULATIONS! I'm assuming you're engaged and considering hiring a wedding videographer. And just to show you this isn't a completely biased post. I DO NOT THINK EVERY COUPLE NEEDS A WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHER (more on that later). But let's assume you do want a wedding videographer and you're trying to find one that fits your style and budget. Where do you start? Well, hopefully the following will help you!

1. Who do I get with the package you quoted me?

It might surprise you but often when you book a videographer, you're actually just booking the company name and they outsource the work. (This can include the editing too!) This isn't necessarily bad, however, it does throw up a red flag.

Sometimes a company has a team of only 4-6 people that constantly work with one another. Other companies hire recent college grads or find subcontractors from Craigslist, sometimes even hiring two people who have never met. It's important to hire an experienced wedding videographer who will be in sync with their second shooter, especially when surprises happen (which they will!)

Also, you might mesh really well with the person you book, but not-so-much with the person they hire. This might not matter to you but it's worth at least knowing that some companies do outsource the work.

2. How backlogged are you? (How long will it be before I see my wedding video(s)?

From what I've seen most companies take three to four months to produce a short highlight and a full-length feature. Companies that film 40+ weddings a year, however, can take six to twelve months. A company that films fewer weddings a year will typically be able to produce a more detailed and well-crafted video that cater's to each couple vs. being forced to make cookie cutter films just to keep up with demand.

3. What steps do you take to ensure you don't interfere with the photographer and wedding guests?

Hiring a videographer who is not only talented but courteous and conscience of your photographer will help ensure both vendors are capturing what you hired them to do: Capture your wedding day!

Although not all of your vendors need to be best friends, it is important to hire someone who will be a team player and know when to yield to another vendor.

To ensure your guests are able to enjoy your wedding day (ceremony, toasts, first dances, etc.), make sure your videographer has the proper equipment to film from across the room (i.e. a long, telephoto lens) instead of setting up camp two feet in front of the action, which isn't good for anyone.

4. What's your shooting style?

There are several different shooting styles but I'm going to focus on three which I'll call Long-form oriented, highlight oriented (cinematic), and story telling.

a) Long-form oriented is geared towards filming and showing the full wedding day. For example. During the ceremony the videographer might have three cameras which they'll later sync to show your ceremony from the best angle. This is great for vows, the kiss, etc. and when you want to watch your whole ceremony video. The problem with this approach is videographers won't typically move their cameras. They play it safe, which isn't bad, but they might not follow the bride down the aisle on a Glidecam, or use a slider from the back that shows all of your guests and wedding party. These shots are great for the Love Story (highlight reel) but aren't very practical for a long-form.

b) Highlight oriented (cinematic) is geared towards the highlight video (3-7 minute video). Again, thinking about the ceremony, the videographer is able to record, stop, set-up their next shot, and record again without worrying about filming the entirety of the ceremony. This allows them to create a more cinematic highlight video but this might cause problems if you decide you want the full ceremony video.

c) Fly-on-the-wall (documentary) videographers try to blend in as much as possible, opposed to videographers that stage every shot and often sit in the middle of the ceremony aisle the entire time. The great thing about documentary videographers is that they'll more than likely be out of your photographer's shot and won't interfere with your guests' view. These videographers are especially great if you have a photographer who knows how to pose you and your wedding party (for the bridal shots, golden hour, pre-ceremony prep, etc.) and they can simply shadow them. However, it can become problematic if you're looking for some guidance from the videographer on how to pose, what to do, etc. and they're not used to directing or making everyone feel comfortable.

I highly recommend figuring out what kind of video(s) you want before you hire a videographer to help ensure you choose someone that fits your style!

5. How do you ensure you capture all of the audio throughout the day?

Again, audio is fifty percent of your video so it's important to hire a videographer with the right equipment and knowledge on how to use it!

For the ceremony I mic the officiant and groom (both of which have a safety recording track), I pull audio from the DJ/board (again with a safety track), and use field recorders for the quartet/readers/etc.

For the toasts, I pull audio from the DJ/board. If I don't trust the DJ's microphone/system, I mic the toasters as well. (Better safe than sorry!)

I typically don't mic the bride (though I do have a white lav just in case), but if this is important to you then make sure your videographer has the right equipment.

BONUS: Please don't go into major debt for your wedding.

Marriage is hard. There's absolutely no reason to make it harder by entering into a ton of debt. Although there's nothing better than reliving your wedding day through video with your spouse (and showing your kids and grandkids!) I do not believe every couple needs a wedding videographer.

That being said don't hire someone cheap to save a few bucks, especially if you spent a lot of money on your photographer! There's nothing worse for a photographer than having to capture your wedding day while working around someone who's always in their way (and your photos!)

Alternatively, ask your videographer if they offer a payment plan or better yet, let your family/friends buy your videographer as a present! Trust me, this is more timeless and sentimental than the spoon rest on your registry!

Again, congratulations on getting married! I hope this was informative and useful for you. Let me know what your favorite tip was in the comments below and let me know if you have any other tips/questions that I can include in part 2!