In this post we are going to discuss EXACTLY what you need to be on the lookout for when hiring your perfect wedding videographer.
Whether you choose to work with us or anyone else, you need to know how to determine you’re making the right choice with the person that you choose to film and capture your big day.
But what exactly should you be looking out for?
You may have seen some of their videography work online and been impressed by it (which is definitely a good start), or perhaps a friend has recommended someone that they absolutely swear by.
Since this is such a passionate topic of ours, we could quite literally write about this for DAYS!
From discussing the best camera equipment, to lenses and whether the DJI Ronin is actually worth the money. And yes, it is.
But what we wanted to do here is take away all the fluff and complex terminology, and instead break down in simple terms what you should actually be looking out for and key points to consider.
As it so happens, it’s a lot simpler than you think!
How do you know your videographer is right for your wedding?
Picking the right videographer for you day really doesn’t have to be hard, and comprises of your ability to judge their ability to do two very important things:
1. Perfectly capture the story that unfolds on your wedding day
We’re talking about how they film the story of your big day. Their ability to capture all the perfect shots, the ones that make your heart melt, the magical shots that you didn’t even notice on the day.
The smiles no one thought were filmed, and the cries that people hoped to keep to themselves.
They should be filming all the right moments, and doing so with a certain flair too.
2. Their skills with editing the video
Filming your wedding properly is only one piece of the puzzle, the next thing they need to be able to do at an extremely high standard is edit and compile together the footage that they’ve captured.
This is vital, as the edit of the video, the timing of the right shots with the right music, and the selection of the different scenes is really what can turn a ‘ok’ wedding video into something that is nothing short of a masterpiece.
Being able to piece together all the moments that matter into a film that tugs on your heartstrings every time you watch it.
So how do you know if they have these skills?
Well, it’s actually not that hard.
Now that we’ve covered what they need to be able to do and the skills they need to have, lets talk about how you determine that they have these skills.
And no, it doesn’t involve spending weeks learning about the complex different components of filmmaking and critiquing each of the videographers you look at.
Our top tips to help you determine if they’re the right fit
How do their videos make you feel?
The importance of watching their previous wedding films shouldn’t be swept under the rug, and is in our opinion the #1 most important thing to do!
How did you feel when watching their videos?
This should really answer the majority of your questions!
If you’ve watched some of their previous wedding films and you’ve felt something, whether it’s a bit giddy, or perhaps found your self gleaming with a smile from ear to ear, then you know you are onto something.
If they’re able to capture another wedding so well that you get completely drawn into the video, finding yourself lost in the magical events that took place at another couples wedding, just imagine how you’ll feel when you are watching the magnificent footage of your wedding with all of your loved ones, dearest friends and family.
This is why it’s key to take the time to sit down, relax and watch the footage of your prospective videographer.
Does watching their footage put a smile on your face, or even more so, bring a tear to your eye?
Their final product is ultimately all that you’ll have to bring you back to your wedding day, and if you find yourself overly impressed with their footage then they should really be someone to consider.
Consider the style of their wedding films
If you want to take the above point a step further, then take the time to consider their style of filming and if it matches any idea of what you had imagined in your head.
‘Raw’ vs ‘edited’
Yes we know, there are many more ‘styles’ of cinematography, but remember we said we are keeping this nice and simple for you!
Some videographers place more emphasis on the editing by creating an array of epic and cinematic scenes, shots that truly ‘wow’ the viewer.
These shots look great, often like something out of a movie (if done right), and work exceptionally well in wedding trailers.
On the other end of the spectrum is a much more raw style of video capture, where the videographer has tried to capture end edit the day in a very authentic way, preserving the ‘realness’ of all the events that’ve occurred.
This style of edit is far less flashy and is preferred by some people, it can really bring you back deeper into those beautiful moments you shared together on the day.
Personally we love to go for a mix of both the above styles of editing.
We love to capture the raw elements of a wedding day, the authentic sounds, the noises, laughter and smiles, contrasted with small snippets of highly edited film and faster compilations to tie together the scenes.
We feel this provides great feedback and a magnificent recipe for a beautiful & timeless wedding video.
Also consider whether you had something in mind when thinking about your wedding video.
An idea of how you wished it would be or perhaps certain shots you’d love to have taken?
As we’ll discuss later, make sure you write this down and ask your wedding videographer about whether this can be done.
This is your day after all!
Communicate with your Videographer
So you’ve now seen how good your videographer is and are happy with the stunning work they have created.
You are sure that they’re the one for the job based on the films you’ve seen, you’re already imagining in your mind re-watching all the beautiful shots and footage from your wedding day.
But before we move ahead and sail off into the sunset, lets review another very important component of hiring your perfect wedding videographer.
Communication!
Proper communication with your wedding videographer is an absolute must!
Not only will it ensure that you’ll get the result that you want, but this is necessary to feel them out and see if you are actually compatible.
Is there level of customer care and service as good quality as the videography skills?
Before your wedding of course you’ll want to have long chat with your potential cinematographer.
Whilst it is not entirely necessary to meet with them and many of you may prefer not to go through that hassle, definitely have several lengthy chats with them over the phone, or even better, facetime or skype with them to discuss all of your needs and to properly explain to them the details of your day.
You’re going to want to get several things out of this:
Feel them out
Feel them out and see if you like their general vibe. Again, often the simplest advice is best, so just by speaking with them for a period of time you’ll get to know from the vibe of the interaction whether or not he or she is the right fit for the job.
Ask Question
This is the perfect time to ask any and all questions you’ll most likely have.
It could be about their packages, or any particular ideas you had in mind that you’d like them to try to capture, and overall you should use this opportunity to solve any uncertainties that you may have.
Give details about your day
Lastly, you are going to want to properly explain the events of your day, what is going on, where it’ll be happening etc..
Some of this information you may not know so far in advance, which is why constant communication is key leading up to your day.
Here at The Perfect Wedding Video, we love conversing with our couples and hearing about all about the details of your wedding day.
If you have any particular ideas for your video we love hearing about those too, or if you are happy for us to take the reigns as most couples choose then we’ll absolutely promise not to disappoint.
In our humble beginnings, we offered in-person meetings before the wedding, but surprisingly few people actually took us up on this and preferred to video chat instead, which is why we still maintain that to this day; a free skype chat to get to know each other, and feel free to call us or text us whenever you’d like to ask any question that may come up.
We put the quality of your experience and your wedding day above all else to make sure your entire experience is as good as it deserves to be.
So there you have it – a complex topic tackled for the absolutely anyone to understand.
Like we keep saying again and again, this is your day and you’re going to want to make sure that everything meets the standard that you expect, and meets the fairytale vision that you have in your mind.
Yours Truly,
The Perfect Wedding Video Team
P.S We are currently covering London and many surrounding areas, and soon to be covering all major cities across the UK as we expand our team.
Stay tuned!