Planning a wedding is hard. Like really hard! So many decisions to make and a strict budget to follow. Plus, for most couples, this is their first time planning a wedding (and hopefully their last!) so they usually have no idea where to even start!

 

We’ve taken some time to write out the most important questions that we get asked as wedding videographers.

 

Each of these questions are important to guaranteeing that your day goes smoothly and that you get an amazing wedding film to look back on for years to come.

 

 

1. Do you have experience filming weddings?

Yes, this seems obvious, but we always see couples make the mistake of hiring someone just because they own a camera that happens to shoot video. Weddings are so different from other events. To properly film them requires a lot of experience. It is a LIVE EVENT which means that most of the important events will be unrehearsed and will only happen once. There are no “cuts” or “take 2’s” in wedding videography! You need to make sure that your videographer will be going into the day with complete confidence that they can handle all of the twists and turns of a wedding. Ensure they can roll with schedule changes and unexpected instances. This confidence can only come from years or previous wedding experience.

 

2. Do you work well with photographers and other vendors?

This one is important. On a wedding day, the vendors should all be working together with one common goal: making the couple’s day perfect! It is important to have a videographer and photographer who work well together. For most the of the day, they’ll be right next to each other trying to get the same shots at the same times. So you can see how butting-heads might be an issue! But, if you hire a videographer who knows how to work well with photographers (and vice versa!) then there should never be an issue. It’s also always a great idea to send each vendor the other’s contact info so that your videographer and photographer can touch base even before the wedding day – especially if they haven’t worked together before.

 

3. What end products will I be receiving?

When a couple reaches out to a wedding videographer, they usually have an idea in their head of what they’re looking for in terms of a final product. Some only want raw footage, some just want a highlight film, most want the highlight, full ceremony, and toasts. It’s important to go over all of this with your videographer before agreeing to anything. Make sure that they’re able to deliver everything you’re wanting. Some video companies just offer highlights, while other just do full length films. It’s usually best to find a wedding videographer that offers both or one that is able to make a package that includes everything you’re looking for.

 

4. Are you able to capture the audio from the day as well?

This might seem like an odd question, but I’ve seen quite a few wedding videography companies that only offer video. Just video, and no audio. Some couples are totally fine with this. But most want to be able to hear their vows, toasts, etc. as part of the final film. It’s important to make sure that your wedding videographer has the proper equipment to record audio from the day, rather than just video. **TIP** If they say they use ‘in-camera audio,’ RUN!

 

5. Are you licensed/insured? Are you a legal business?

Honestly, this might be the most important. And usually you can tell without even asking, but it’s important to make sure you are hiring a wedding videographer who operated their business in a professional and legal manner. This means that they have the proper business licensing, they are insured, they legally license their music, and overall they just act professionally. Ultimately this will be reflected in the work they produce, and also in your entire experience with them. They will have a proper contract, reliable communication, and the systems in place for a successful wedding film.

 

Hopefully these help give you an idea of what to discuss with your potential wedding videographers. If you have any questions or want more info on wedding videography/wedding planning in general, send us a message at our website: HERE. We’d love to hear from you!

 

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