How Much Does A Wedding Videographer Cost?
Finding a great wedding photographer is like finding the perfect pair of jeans- you know they’re expensive, but you just can’t stop looking! The same goes for finding the right wedding videography company. They may cost slightly more than still photographers, but their services are so spectacular that it’s worth the investment.
As with any professional service provider, wedding photography and video vendors have very specific, quality products that make them stand out from the rest. Just as important, however, is their level of customer satisfaction. A poorly photographed event or an inexperienced shooter will likely hurt the overall look and feel of your day.
With this article, I will be talking about some costs related to having a wedding photo session and/or wedding video made. I will include both average price ranges and estimates for major expense types such as photos, videos, and gifts.
Find a photographer or videographer that you feel comfortable with
As wedding day logistics can get pretty hectic, it is important to know who your main vendors will be! Having good relationships with your vendors is an integral part of having a beautiful celebration.
As you begin looking into hiring professionals for the event, try to find ones that you connect with. This will help promote trust in the business and individuals working for them.
It is also very important to look into their past work and what services they offer. A professional vendor should have great quality photos and videos, as well as a variety of additional features designed to enhance his or her service.
Price is always a major factor when buying anything related to weddings, so make sure you check out both vendors and compare prices before making a decision.
Ask for a list of your preferences
As mentioned earlier, wedding videography is a very in-demand service! If you are looking to have someone document some important moments of your day, then making sure that you know what products they use is an integral part of hiring them.
As such, before agreeing to work with anyone, ask to see their product lists. This should include both internal and external vendors that they will be using during the event. It is also a good idea to do this even if you are not quite ready to hire people yet!
By having this information already, you will know whether or not these professionals overlabel their services and which ones are trustworthy. In general, it is best to avoid vendors who cannot provide proof of their skills unless you really trust them.
Not only does this help determine whether or not the person taking pictures and filming videos is professional, but it also helps you evaluate how much value their services add to yours.
Decide how much you want to spend
As with any other wedding related service, price is a major factor in determining the success of your wedding day. The cost of a wedding videography company can vary greatly depending on several factors, such as length of engagement, number of photos needed, amount of footage wanted, etc.
Most vendors will offer volume discounts for weddings that they are invited to assist with filming or recording events, so be sure to ask about those! They may also have additional packages or collaborations that they are more than willing to share.
By being aware of the costs involved, you will know what to expect budget-wise and if there are any hidden fees.
Ask for a quote
As mentioned before, wedding videography is a very expensive service! While some vendors will try to include this cost as part of their “wedding package” or “videography services”, it is important to know what extra costs are not included in your final price.
Most major vendor sites have a contact form where you can ask questions about their services and find out how much money you should spend with them.
Using these forms allows you to connect with the most recent person who works for the company so that you get an accurate picture of the services they provide and how professional they seem.
Make a plan based on the quote
There is no standard price for wedding videos. Different vendors have different prices depending on what you are looking to get out of their service. Some only offer filming services, while others also coordinate with other providers such as photographers or music companies.
Some of these professionals will be able to provide you with your dream video for free if you’re willing to do some of the work yourself. For example, many couples edit their own photos themselves before hiring someone else to put it all together.
But in most cases, this isn’t possible so they may ask for a monthly subscription fee or a one time payment.
Prepare your wedding party
As mentioned before, as a photographer there is an initial cost for being hired as a wedding photographer. But aside from that, you will need to organize your bridal party!
This includes finding out who is willing to help with the planning of the event (and paying them back!), arranging their shifts at the reception, helping with transportation, etc.
Wedding photogs are usually paid per person in the wedding party so this can add up quickly if you have a large number of participants. It’s best to start organizing your group early to avoid any last minute money worries.
Some couples prefer to do some of the work themselves to save money but we always recommend getting professional help when possible. Having someone take care of all the little things will make your day much smoother and stress-free.
Organize your wedding day
As with any other professional service, you can get higher-end services that cost more money. The best videographers have extended warranties, use of their equipment for business purposes, and require time to create a quality work stream that they protect consistently.
Videography is an expensive profession! But don’t worry, it’s not necessarily the camera, computer, or even the number of hours that make up the price. It’s actually the people behind the scenes who keep this career afloat.
The vendors you invite into your special event may be willing to help you cover parts of the expense or all of it if you give them adequate compensation. More than likely, though, they expect to be paid for their efforts.
Making sure that everyone gets along and has fun is what makes a great photographer, so try to recruit some friendly faces before asking for their help in paying bills.
Have fun
As wedding professionals, we spend our days having lots of fun. We make sure to have fun with you as the couple, we laugh together during events, and we always keep each other informed so that we do not get stressed out.
We also enjoy going out for drinks or dinner after work so that it does not feel like every night we are facing each other across the table from a hungry bride and groom!
As professional vendors, we strive to connect with our couples in the beginning to show them what we offer and who we are as people. This helps them to trust us more as vendors and individuals.