By: Helen Clark
You’ve got a lot on your plate as you begin to plan your wedding. The guest list, the venue, the menu, the service – there’s a lot to plan and many decisions to make. One important decision that shouldn’t be put off is choosing the right wedding videographer Remember, you’re only going to get one chance to do this right, and it’s important to put together a tangible reminder of your special day that you can share with your family, your friends, and with, most importantly, each other over the years to come.
Choosing the right professional wedding video editing service is key to capturing the day as you want to remember it. So don’t leave this important selection to chance – follow these steps and tips, and you’ll get the kind of wedding video you’ve dreamed of.
Pick a style that works for you
A video is a video, right? Well, no. Go to your local multiplex next weekend and look at the wide variety of films you can see – there’s one for every taste, in a variety of styles. It’s the same with wedding videos. Sure the storyline may be similar, but the way it’s presented will reflect both your taste and the skills of the professional wedding video editing people you’ve hired. Your first job in choosing a wedding videographer is to start examining wedding videos and decide on the style that suits you. You’ll find wedding videos on YouTube, Vimeo, and on the websites of professional wedding video editing services. Take the time to watch them, and take notes on what you like and don’t like, from the overall pace and style of the video to the special effects you may see in the videos.
Start narrowing down the field
Now it’s time to do your homework. Wedding videos are a reliable source of income for professional wedding video editing businesses, so you’ll have plenty of options when it comes time to choose a wedding videographer. Search online for popular videographers in your area, and do your homework at bridal fairs as well. These will give you a great opportunity to talk first-hand with videographers and see how well the professional wedding video editing services may match up to your desires.
Check out reviews and referrals
Don’t hesitate to ask friends or family who’ve had a wedding lately which they used for their wedding videographer. The first-hand experience with a professional wedding video editing business can tell you a lot about what to expect from the person you’re considering hiring. If you don’t have the opportunity to follow this path, check out online reviews of videographers you’re considering. Even better, ask for references from videographers you’re interested in hiring. It’s a great way to really learn about what you can expect when hiring a wedding videographer.
Decide on your budget
You’ve checked off two important boxes on your checklist to select your wedding videographer – deciding on the style and examining the options on who you may want to hire. But like just about everything else associated with a wedding, now you need to see how your options fit your budget.
One important fact to consider when examining the prices charged by professional wedding video editors is that there’s often a good degree of flexibility in how their packages are constructed. It’s worth examining these in detail if you find a videographer you like whose price seems a bit high. Their package may include extras you’re not interested in, like online posting of your video or high costs for making extra DVD copies of the video. If you’re not interested in these services or can do some of the tasks yourself, you may be able to negotiate a better price.
Remember, too, that the earlier you look to hire a professional wedding video editing service, the more leverage you’ll have to negotiate on the price. Most videographers won’t mind taking a small hit on the price they charge if they can line up your job well ahead of time.
Talk through what you’d like to see in your wedding video
If you’ve got your choice narrowed down to a candidate or two you’ve done well. Now take the final step and sit down to talk to your potential videographer and run your ideas for the video by them and see if they can work with you to realize your vision. If possible, meet them at the venue where you’re planning on having the wedding. A first-class videographer will be able to give you some great suggestions and feedback on how to turn your ideas into reality.
Your time and planning will pay off
The time you take up front to plan and execute this important part of your wedding will pay off when you get exactly what you’re looking for in your wedding video. Don’t leave it to chance – get started early and you’ll get the results you want from your wedding videographer.