Budgeting for your wedding day is essential for most couples, but you don’t want to skimp on the items that matter most to you. When you’re looking for ways to cut wedding costs, you may find yourself wondering how much you should budget for your wedding videographer.
Capturing your big day on film can be a significant expense, but the average videographer cost for your wedding will vary depending on what services you need. Here’s what you need to know about the cost of a wedding videographer (and how you can save money).
What’s the Average Cost for a Wedding Videographer?
Most couples planning their big day don’t have unlimited funds and have to decide how best to spend on the items that matter most to them. Videography captures every detail of your wedding day, but you need to know what you can expect to pay.
Based on The Knot’s 2023 Real Wedding Study, the average wedding videographer costs around $2,300.
However, that doesn’t mean that services will cap out at this price. Hiring a friend or neighbor to bring their camcorder will be much cheaper, while something fully edited and produced at a cinematic quality will likely be more expensive.
What Affects the Cost of a Wedding Videographer?
If you know you want to capture the day on film but want to make sure you get the most value for your money, take some time to explore how you can save or splurge on a skilled videographer. Here are some factors that might affect the cost of your services.
Cinematographer vs Videographer
First and foremost, you’ll want to consider whether you’re hiring a cinematographer or a videographer. While some may consider these terms interchangeable, there’s a significant difference between the two.
Videographers focus on simply capturing the event from beginning to end. They are there to document the day and record as much as possible.
Cinematographers, on the other hand, focus on telling a story. Their goal is to capture the emotion and experience of the wedding in a way that uniquely expresses the couple, their story, and their personalities. This style of shooting requires creativity and dramatic storytelling to create a movie-quality film.
Since cinematography is more artistic and creative, it requires a more thoughtful approach to filming and editing. This will end up costing more – after all, you’ll be receiving a more polished and stylized final product.
Experience and Expertise
Another significant impact on the cost will be the decision between DIY wedding videography or hiring a professional.
Someone just starting out with wedding videography will often charge less, as they won’t have thorough experience or an extensive portfolio of samples to show you. This is a way to save money if you know someone who has raw talent. However, you risk getting sub-par quality since they may not have the experience or know-how to capture the setting or story in the way you want.
While experience will add to the price, consider it an investment to make sure you get the result you want. After all, you only get one chance to capture these moments on film forever. Experience and expertise help guide a cinematographer on how to get the shots you want.
Hours of Coverage
One of the biggest factors in the price of videography is how long they will spend at your wedding. If you want them to be present while you get ready, during the first look, through the ceremony, and into the reception, then you might pay more than average.
The longer they spend with you, the higher the final bill will ultimately be.
Wedding videographers need to offset the costs of their equipment. In addition to cameras, they may make a significant investment in lenses, audio equipment, and even lighting to make a film the best it can be. The more expensive equipment they have, the higher the price tag will often be to offset those costs.
It’s important to note that higher-end equipment may yield better results in the final images that your videographer captures. Equipment can enhance the video quality and create higher-quality images, so you don’t want to go with someone who has subpar equipment just because it saves you a little bit of cash.
Number of Videographers
Sometimes, a wedding can’t be accurately captured by one person alone. A videographer may choose to bring a second shooter or an assistant who can help them set up the shots you want to capture on your big day.
Of course, you’ll see a higher price tag when there are more videographers in attendance, especially if they will be there all day.
However, keep in mind that more people can help you get the exact angles and images you want from your day. An extra set of hands doubles the number of cameras and shots that can be taken so that you get the perfect result.
Location
The location of your wedding factors into the price of your videography. You may be required to pay them by the mile to your destination, cover their accommodations such as hotel or airfare, or cover the price of their gas.
You may also be charged more if your videographer has to set up in multiple locations – for example, if your ceremony and reception will be held in different places.
Final Deliverable
What will you have to show for your videography when the big day is over?
Some companies will supply you with all of the raw footage from your wedding day which may be less expensive but harder to parse through to get to the best moments.
Instead, you might want to opt for a fully edited film alongside extra cuts like teasers or social clips you can share with friends and family. Editing is often one of the most time-consuming parts of production, so these polished final deliverables will add to the cost versus raw film.
Add-ons
Some couples may opt for special add-ons, which will impact the cost of your wedding videographer. One of the latest trends is drone footage that captures your wedding from an eagle-eye view instead of the more traditional angles. This gives you a great view of the entire venue and gets shots that simply aren’t possible without technology.
Other add-ons that might cost you extra include video albums, keepsake USBs, and extra DVDs.
Tips for Reducing Wedding Videographer Costs
When cost is your primary concern with hiring a videographer, there are a few ways you can make sure you stick with your budget.
The first tip is to understand what you’re paying for so that you can opt out of add-ons that you don’t want or need. At every stage of the process, transparent communication is key. It sets the stage for a relationship of trust with your videographer. More than that, it frees them up to focus on what you want instead of simply trying to upsell you.
You should also have a very clear plan of what you want from a videographer. If the bride, groom, and videography team are all on the same page, there will be fewer revisions required. This also minimizes last-minute changes that could tack on extra fees at the end of the day.
Stunning, Unforgettable Wedding Films from Reverent
With so much emotion and activity packed into a single day, your wedding will fly by! The day will be over before you know it, leaving you with only memories of the laughs, smiles, and dances you shared with your new spouse and all your loved ones.
Your cinematographer doesn’t just capture the events of your wedding day – they capture the joy, love, and memories of those special moments. With only one opportunity to get these moments on film, we know it can be stressful to find someone you can trust to handle the details while you enjoy your big day.
At Reverent Wedding Films, we’re here for you every step of the way – and we’re committed to exceeding your expectations! By providing personal attention and clear communication during every stage, we’ll make sure you feel confident in your choice.
We’ve created high-quality cinematic wedding films for thousands of couples, and we invite you to explore our reviews to hear it from them!
Contact us today to learn more. We can’t wait for you to tell us all about your big day!
