9 Reasons to Hire a Videographer

Written by Christina Oddo | Photography by Marc & Mindy

Let’s be honest for a second — you’re probably realizing that weddings are expensive. Once you’ve finished booking all your vendors and get brave enough to take a peek at the grand total, you’ll see that final number, and it’s enough to set your head spinning. At that point, it’s natural to start making cuts: scale back the flowers, change the string quartet to a solo violinist, maybe scrap the butterfly release because it’s probably inhumane anyway. You keep going down your list and trimming things, and then you get to your videographer and you pause. Well, you think to yourself, a video would be amazing, but I already have a photographer… is a videographer really necessary? The answer is “yes,” and here are nine reasons why no wedding is complete without one.

1. WEDDING VIDEOS HAVE COME A LONG WAY.
   Your parents’ wedding video might have a security tape vibe, but wedding videos today are practically works of art. Think beautiful shots of you gliding down the aisle and slow motion panoramas of your guests’ hair whipping at the reception, all to the tune of your favorite songs. It’s like starring in your very own movie trailer, and we promise you won’t be able to stop watching it.
2. FILM CAPTURES EMOTIONAL MOMENTS IN THEIR ENTIRETY.
   Looking your best friend in the eyes and saying “I do” is one of the most beautiful things you’ll ever get to experience, so why wouldn’t you want to watch it again and again? Sure, you’ll have pictures of the moment — a shot of you both smiling, a shot of you leaning toward each other, a shot of you kissing — but being able to relive your “I do” exactly as it happened, instead of in fragments, is priceless. Same thing goes for your first look. Getting to watch all the excitement and emotion play across your faces when you see each other for the first time is something only a video can deliver. If your entire day seemed to fly by in a blur, don’t feel bad—you can watch it from start to finish and treasure all the great moments.
3. VIDEOGRAPHY PRESERVES THE SOUNDS OF YOUR CELEBRATION.
   The vows. The music. The toasts. The laughter. When it comes to weddings, the sights and the sounds are equally important, and capturing the day on video makes sure all that amazing auditory content goes down in history just for you. Great videographers are wizards when it comes to the editing process, so expect your video to be chock-full of beautiful sound bites directly from you, your new spouse and your loved ones.

4. WEDDING VIDEOS ARE A DIGITAL GUEST BOOK.
   Which is better: Watching a five-second clip of your younger brother doing the worm in the middle of the dance floor at your reception, or reading “Congrats on your wedding, big sis!” in your guestbook? Unless he splits his pants during the dance, most people would choose option A. Nobody ever really knows what to write in a guestbook, but they do know how to get down on the dance floor. Your videographer can pair shots of your guests letting loose with short, heartfelt quotes from them and voila, you have well-wishes that actually mean something, and a visual reminder of the friends and family who shared your special day.
5. YOUR VIDEOGRAPHER AND PHOTOGRAPHER WORK TOGETHER TO CATCH ALL THE MOMENTS YOU MISS.
   It’s impossible to see everything that happens at your wedding because you’re busy, you know, getting married. You might be too wrapped up in sealing your “I do” with a kiss to see your grandma tearing up in the crowd, but it’s your videographer’s job to grab those beautiful little moments. Having professionals there is like hiring an all-seeing eye, and between your videographer and photographer, you’ll be able to experience all the moments you missed while you were floating on cloud nine.

6. IT’S GREAT FOR GUESTS WHO COULDN’T MAKE IT.
   In a perfect world, everyone you invite to your wedding would be able to make it, but unfortunately, that’s just not the case. Kids get sick, flights get canceled and some of your loved ones aren’t able to show up for your big day. You can have them Skype or Zoom during the ceremony and you can send out a bunch of pictures after the fact, but there’s no way for them to really experience your wedding. Unless, of course, you’ve captured the day on video. With one quick click, guests who couldn’t celebrate in person can relive the highlights and feel a little less left out. It’s so simple to share a video link with anyone and so fun for them to watch.
7. IT’S PERFECT FOR ANNIVERSARY TRADITIONS.
   Curling up on your couch with your spouse and flipping through your photo album is cozy and sweet, but pulling up your wedding video and watching yourselves say “I do” is next-level romantic. Whether it’s something that you watch whenever you feel like it or it becomes your anniversary tradition, your wedding video is something that will have you falling in love over and over again. And it’s so much easier than the ‘old days’ of firing up the VCR or popping in a DVD — your video can live in the cloud or on your laptop for easy access.
8. GET YOUR MONEY’S WORTH.
   Like we said at the beginning, weddings can be pricey. If you’re going to shell out thousands of dollars to make your big day picture perfect, why wouldn’t you want to document it as much as you possibly can? Imagine getting an expensive mani-pedi and not sending snapchats to your friends. It’s practically unthinkable. The same concept applies to hiring a videographer for your wedding, only on a much larger scale. Capturing your wedding on film is making the most of your wedding investment.
9. YOU DON’T WANT ANY REGRETS.
   There are definitely wedding elements that you can live without, but a videographer isn’t one of them. It might feel like an extra cost, but we promise that paying for a wedding video is worth every penny. We’ve talked to many brides who decided to skip hiring a videographer and ended up regretting it a few weeks after the fact. So, if you’re on the fence about wedding videos, try and think long term. It’ll be the closest thing to reliving one of the most special days in your life.

WEDDING DAY GENERAL TIMELINE

For both your videographer and photographer, you absolutely need to have a clear and reasonable timeline detailing what you are doing from the time you wake up until you leave your reception. You also need someone who will help you stick to your timeline and make sure everything else is moving along. Our experts love when couples have a wedding planner or event coordinator because the day inevitably runs more smoothly and is more enjoyable for everyone. Furthermore, decide far ahead of time if you want to do a first look because having one (or not) can dramatically affect your day-of schedule.

Your wedding day should never feel like an eight-hour photoshoot, but without a clear schedule and an event planner to keep everything on track, it very well may feel like you are scrambling all day to get all the photo and video you hoped for in. If you do not have a clear point person, your vendors usually end up trying to direct everyone and fielding questions they don’t have the answers to. You are paying to capture your big day, so make sure they aren’t distracted with trying to also act as a day-of coordinator. They aren’t going to do a good job at that, and your photos and video will not be the product you hoped and paid for.

In addition to your first look, make sure your photographer and videographer capture these moments:

• Getting ready: The candid nature of this special time makes for some of the best pictures of the day. Make sure the space you use is clean of clutter and trash. Ask someone in your bridal party to be in charge of ensuring the room is photo-ready.
• Bride and groom portraits: Whether you opt for a first look or not, bride and groom portraits are an opportunity for you to spend some one-on-one time with your partner. Taking these shots alone can also help you feel more relaxed and willing to engage in the intimate moments that often make. for the sweetest footage.
• Details: Think about your centerpieces, table numbers, any special signage and all the other small details you want to remember for years to come. Don’t forget to bring an extra invitation suite with you so your videographer can get sweeping shots of your stationery as well. Detail shots are perfect for the start of your wedding video.
• Ceremony: Let your videographer know how long the ceremony is going to last, to be in place for each moment accordingly.
• First kiss: Hold that sweet kiss a bit so that it can be captured on film.
• Family and friends: Give your wedding coordinator a list of family members’ names, and their relationship to you or your partner, so he or she can make sure everyone is accounted for.
• Reception: Give your videographer a timeline of anything special happening during the reception — from first dances to toasts to bouquet tosses — so he or she can make sure to be in the right place at the right time to capture all those meaningful moments.

Start the search: find your Chicago area videographer here.