Wedding videography is about capturing all the beautiful moments at your wedding so you can view it and enjoy it when your special day is over. Videography itself has traveled a long way from the time when the moving pictures camera recorders were invented, where only 4-minute video could be made at a time. However, since the camcorder was launched in the 1980s, they have made their own mark in the world.

Wedding videography has therefore also developed over time from being criticized for being a hard task in itself, i.e. renting of heavy lights for perfect shots. However, now it is widely accepted and has become a norm of almost every culture and society to capture their wedding affair in a form of a video.

Wedding videography

A video of your wedding will allow you and your family to relive your wedding day years from now. You’ll actually get to hear the best man’s toast, see your first dance and see all your guests as they were on your wedding day.

Video recording of the wedding event offers a much different perspective then that of a wedding photo or wedding photography does. Video recording an event such as a wedding captures so many movements and communication then that of a photo. A video allows you to see a wedding without actually experiencing the wedding first hand. It allows you to hear the bride and groom speak, allows you to feel the energy that the party is offering and also allows you to get the full vibe of how the party is going.

There are many videographers around to choose from so filtering through the bunch could be a very difficult task. Videographers are not only assigned to record weddings, though they are best known for that, they are also capable of recording baptisms, bar mitzvahs and but mitzvahs as well as school proms and private functions.

To personalize your video, you should consider adding one or more of the following:

  • Baby photos
  • Current photos
  • Footage from parent’s weddings
  • Interviews with bride, groom, parents, children, etc.

Some videographers create a highlight video, which is approximately 5 minutes long and only includes key moments.

If you decide not to hire a professional Videographer, you should consider asking a friend or friends to capture specific moments during the day.

Wedding Video Styles

Wedding videos now contain music, photo montages etc., which gives a more heartfelt touch for the bride and groom to enjoy and cherish. A professional videographer making wedding video has become an essential part of the wedding tradition for years now.

There are a few styles of wedding videography adopted when making a wedding video such as:

Documentary style

This style is basically capturing the video as if it was a documentary and the editing style will result in an extremely polished documentation of the day.

Cinematic style

It is a type of video that is inspired by the film making and tends to give a “wow” effect on the videos produced. It also tends to be more of a storytelling than a documentary. This is a cinematic style wedding video production, showcased by this Manchester based wedding videographer Julian Voigt.

Traditional style

Traditional style wedding videos do not contain a lot of editing. These videos are typically 2-3 hours long. Such video type covers all the moments of the events which include, before wedding sessions, during the wedding events, after the wedding photoshoots, the toasts and everything that happens in between. Traditional style video is always in a chronological order. However many different styles have emerged in the modern times; hence, the possibilities with traditional style wedding videos are now endless.

Short form wedding

This a unique style employed by the videographers as these types of videos contain all the material of a traditional video style wedding video. However, these videos are minimum 15 and maximum 60 mins long. They also are in not a chronological order like the traditional style videos and may be edited. They also have voiceovers or commentary either by the videographer themselves of by making use of the speeches and the comments made by the relatives during the wedding.

Storytelling

This style contains audio voice-over by the bride and the groom. It plays in a sequence as the wedding video continues it gives the videos a very sweet and dramatic effect.

All in all, there are many styles of video making that a couple can choose from. It all comes down to their individual choice when it comes to finalizing the wedding videography style.

Selecting a Wedding Videographer

Many couples have their wedding recorded to capture all the excitement and emotions of their special day. It’s a great memento to share with your family and friends. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to show your children one day? I’m sure they will enjoy watching it as much as you will! The price for a video package can range. The fee will depend upon many factors such as:

  • Quality of the equipment
  • Number of cameras used
  • Amount of editing needed
  • Time spent by the videographer at the wedding

Whether you search for a videographer through the yellow pages or the internet, be sure to check their reviews. Of course, the best reference is by word of mouth. Ask friends and relatives if they know or used someone before. Also, view their demonstration videos carefully. Look for the following details:

  • Be sure the lighting looks natural
  • Is the camera held steady?
  • Make sure the sound is clear
  • Also be sure that there is not too much background noise
  • Be sure that the picture is sharp and clear
  • The video should look seamless as it fades from one shot to the next
  • Make sure the video doesn’t jump from one subject to the next without finishing the story
  • Most importantly, the video should capture all the major events of the wedding

A good videographer can work magic for you. For example if you are having a vintage wedding it is possible for the videographer to add special effects to create a vintage look to your wedding footage so you can really capture that vintage look. A skilled wedding videographer also has a knack of capturing those special moments which the bride and groom do not see. It’s a good idea to see previously shoot footage to see if the videographers style matches your expectations.

Naturally it is worth looking around locally for your wedding videographer but many will travel (for an additional cost, in some cases). It’s a good idea to have a chat with prospective videographers to clarify your expectations, it is common for video to be shoot on the morning of the wedding you prepare for the ceremony itself. Footage is taken throughout the day (and evening to an agreed time), the videographer will then edit the footage and present you with the “highlights” of your wedding.

Questions to ask a Wedding Videographer

  • How many years have you been taking wedding videos?
  • What will you be wearing?
  • Any backup in case of an emergency?
  • What does your package include?
  • How many hours of coverage will we have?
  • How many people will be taking video?
  • Are you familiar with both our ceremony and reception sites?
  • Do you do any special effects? If so, what?
  • What type of microphone do you use?
  • What type of flash/lighting do you use?
  • What type of editing do you provide?
  • Will you include footage and/or photos we give you? For example, baby photos and current photos, footage of parent’s weddings.

Again if you have specific requests, always ask before booking to ensure you requests can be carried out. Book early, almost everyone has a wedding video created and if your wedding is at a busy time of year you may find it difficult to get hold of company to shoot your wedding video.

You may also want to check this guide on what to look for in your wedding videography package.