Wedding Videography vs. Cinematography: What’s the Difference? Skip to main content
bride and groom

As a bride searching for a way to preserve the memories of your wedding day, you have probably seen the terminology ‘videography’ and ‘cinematography’ thrown around almost interchangeably. And while both document your wedding day, the terms are not interchangeable — or even similar.

Videography Overview

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines videography as “the practice or art of recording images with a video camera.”

Usually chronological, videography is simply meant to record an entire event from beginning to end without the need for artistry. A videographer does not need to be creative or tell a story through the video; they are there to document the day as it unfolds. Videography equipment is limited since the purpose is to film the day only. A simple video camera is typically used with a wide lens to try to catch everything.

Wedding videographers also tend to include all or most of the dialogue of the wedding day instead of allowing the images to speak for themselves. The wedding video editing style is also very different since there is no need to piece the footage together to tell the couple’s story. The story chronologically tells itself and focuses more on the wedding day and less on the couple and their story.

Cinematography Overview

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines cinematography as “the art or science of motion-picture photography.”

Cinematography is the art of designing a film that is movie quality. Even the word “cinema” or “cinematic” immediately brings to mind Hollywood movies on the big screen, TV shows, and music videos. It blends shooting creativity with storytelling and focuses on the bride and groom and their love story.

Cinematographers provide more than just film production of your wedding; they strive to deliver an experience! This means that we try to connect with the couple on a personal level and often communicate before the wedding day to grow that relationship. They also draw much of their inspiration from the couple, their story, their style, and the venue where the wedding is taking place.

Example of Wedding Cinematography vs. Videography

Differences Between Wedding Videography and Cinematography

The differences between wedding videography and cinematography come down to the level of creativity, equipment, and technical expertise used to capture and edit footage.

Style and Approach

Traditional wedding videography is typically a longer, more comprehensive video that captures the day’s events. Videographers specializing in this type of work do not necessarily need to be creative or tell a story through the video.

In contrast, cinematic wedding films are filmed and edited more like a movie, emphasizing capturing the emotion and drama of the day. Cinematographers bring a more artistic and creative perspective to filmmaking, resulting in a more polished and visually stunning final product.

Equipment and Technical Aspects

Videographers typically use simple video cameras with wide lenses to capture everything that happens during the day. They may work alone or with a small group of people. In contrast, cinematographers often work with a team of film production professionals and use more advanced equipment, such as high-end cameras, drones, and stabilizers, to capture more dynamic and visually stunning footage. They also focus more on lighting and composition, resulting in a more cinematic look and feel to the final product.

Post-Production and Editing Techniques

Traditional wedding videography is typically edited in a straightforward manner, with minimal post-production work. In contrast, cinematographers spend more time in post-production, using advanced editing techniques to create a more polished and visually stunning final product.

They may also incorporate elements such as music, sound effects, and voiceovers to enhance the film’s emotional impact.

Wedding Videography vs. Cinematography: Which Is Right For You?

Videography records your wedding day, and cinematography tells your love story your way.  I’m not saying there is no place in the wedding industry for videography, but it is quickly becoming outdated as technology and filming styles constantly evolve. Each moment only happens once; why not have it captured in a cinematic way?

Why Reverent Wedding Films?

Reverent Wedding Films specializes in high-quality cinematic wedding films to document your event and remind you of the love, excitement, and emotions you felt on your wedding day!

We use ultra-HD capable Sony A7SII cameras with lenses, monopods, and tripods to get multiple angles and shots. We also use gimbal stabilizers and cranes to completely erase any shakiness, aerial drones to capture your venue, lavalier microphones to perfectly record your vows, and high-quality lighting kits!

bride and groom tropical

Our cinematographers film with almost no color saturation, and here’s why: digital cameras cannot capture colors as brilliantly as film cameras. So instead of working with film, they digitally capture the footage in muted colors and add them in with color grading to give the images the same vibrancy as if it was captured using film.

Our editors also incorporate slow-motion integration to focus on the day’s emotions. The finished video is edited and arranged in a cinematic way to depict you and the person you love as the central characters in your own romantic film.

If you want to see more of our cinematic wedding films, visit our portfolio!