For many couples, hiring a wedding videographer is about more than simply capturing the events of your ceremony and the party that follows. The right wedding cinematographer can capture and create a film that expresses your love story!
That said, not all wedding videographer packages will include the same options and services. Simply opting for an inexpensive or simple package may not include all that you’re envisioning, so it’s essential to break down what’s included before you sign on the dotted line.
If you want to make the most of your love story, here are a few highlights you should consider as you look to hire a wedding videographer or cinematographer for your big day.
Hours of Coverage
The first and often most influential part of your wedding videography package is how many hours of filming are included. In advance of the big day, think about how long you expect your wedding to be or how long you have booked the venue. This can serve as a starting point to decide how many hours you need.
Keep in mind that you don’t necessarily need strict video coverage for the entire duration of the event. That said, you will want to plan around capturing the highlights and must-have shots on film.
If you want wedding videography on a budget, you can always plan staged wedding exits to save both time and money. This enables you to get those memorable moments without paying for the professionals to be there until the wee hours of the morning when the couple finally heads off to their honeymoon.
Number of Cinematographers
For many couples, weddings are grand, sprawling events filled with family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues. You may be planning multiple activities, live music events, and even locations.
To capture all of the best moments, larger weddings may need multiple videographers who can capture a wide variety of voices, faces, and interactions in the crowd. While a single cinematographer may work perfectly well for smaller, more intimate gatherings, one individual simply can’t be everywhere at once and may miss some footage of your favorite people.
Multiple cinematographers can also add more depth and a cinematic feel to your wedding film. With a wider variety of perspectives and camera angles, the film can be edited to look and feel like a Hollywood production!
Of course, there are also technical ways to manufacture additional coverage such as the use of a drone. Drones provide yet another angle to your story and can act almost as a third cinematographer. Ask whether this might be an option with your videography service and what the charge would be to add coverage using these tech tools.
Number of Locations
How many locations are part of your wedding plan, and how many are included in the wedding videography package?
Different settings can set the scene and mood for your wedding film. Much like changing settings in a Hollywood film or novel, a new environment can create emotional shifts between each scene! For example, you may make the shift between the romance and beauty of a wedding chapel followed by the energy and silliness of the reception hall.
Keep in mind that you may have two locations if your ceremony and reception are in different venues. Some location changes might be less obvious, depending on which sweet moments you want to capture on film. You could also capture dressing rooms, courtyards, and grand staircases for a first look or wedding exit.
You may even want to explore scenic areas nearby, such as walking in a field of fresh flowers, side by side with your new spouse.
Music
Will your wedding film be set to music? Unfortunately, licensing popular songs is quite expensive and can be a major part of the cost of some wedding videography packages. If you want to use a song that you heard on the radio as background music, be aware that it may be cost-prohibitive.
On the other hand, you may be able to use some of this music in your video for private use. In other words, you can include the song you danced to for the first time as long as you do not intend to post it online or in a public forum.
The wedding videography package may also include a library of public domain or licensed songs to choose from. At Reverent Wedding Films, all our wedding packages include music from MusicBed’s extensive, high-quality library.
Add-ons
What add-ons are available to include in your wedding videography package? Depending on what’s offered, certain extras can make the process smoother and ensure that you get everything you want out of your wedding footage. For example, they may be able to offer you a wedding video album or social clips that you can post on Instagram and other social media.
They might also offer to deliver your files on a USB flash drive. This can be especially important if you’d otherwise only receive a link to a shared online folder. Keeping hard copies and backups (ideally more than one!) of your film minimizes the chance that it will be lost or deleted over the years ahead.
Final Deliverable
One of the most crucial questions to ask when deciding on a wedding videographer package is what the final deliverable will be at the end of the day. How long is the wedding film they plan to shoot for you? Can you request revisions to the finished piece (and how many times will they allow you to make modifications)?
It should also be clear whether they will provide you with raw footage. This may be good if you plan to do more with the film or want to capture as many moments as possible. However, many couples find that it may not be necessary if they’re already getting a polished, edited full film.
Ask what the expected turnaround time is for your final deliverable as well. You will be eager to see the finished product when you get back from your honeymoon!
Capture Every Moment with Reverent
Reverent is the largest wedding videographer in Texas, and we specialize in cinematic storytelling that captures the highlights of your big day. Because we know that your wedding day is unique, we also have several packages to suit your style and ceremony. Explore our packages here to see what the perfect fit might be.
Don’t forget to check availability to make sure our team can deliver for your wedding day!
