How do I Choose a Wedding Videographer?

They’re not all the same!

You’re convinced. You want a wedding video. It’s gonna be great, and you’re gonna show it to everyone.

…Now what?

First of all, think about the type of video coverage you want. Do you prefer a more artistic, movie/cinema style of coverage? Or maybe you’re not all keen on the arty stuff and you’re okay with a documentary-style, just a camera to follow you and capture what’r going on. Most people we meet will want something in-between the two opposites.

Videographers who opt for a more artistic fashion of coverage will aim to produce visually pleasing videos with different angles, perspectives and with different equipment. Videographers who shoot with an artistic flair might label themselves with the word ‘cinematography’ Sometimes cinematographers who focus too much on getting ‘the shot’ might miss the small details and little moments that go on because they have to prepare the equipment and get a creative angle. The final product could very well look awesome, but people watching the video might not have a complete picture of the whole wedding.

Documentary-style videographers are the opposite. Their videos won’t always look like a Hollywood production, but be sure that they’ll capture all the events that they need to. The aim of a documentary style is function over form.

At BeyondPictures, our goal is to marry (no pun intended) the best of artistic cinematography and journalistic documentary to craft a wedding film that tells both the story and visual poetry of your perfect day.

Wedding budgets do vary, but as a general guideline, the cost of your videography should be about 5%-10% of the total wedding budget.

Once you’ve decided on the type of coverage you prefer, it’s important to take a look at wedding videographer portfolios. It’s very important that you feel good about the style that a particular videographer produces. Some companies prefer to pose their couples more, other companies less so. There are companies whose style is to give their videos a fun and exciting vibe while others might opt for a more elegant, poised feel. We try to match the feel our videos to the couple’s personality and to the wedding event as a whole, so the BeyondPictures style is always versatile and tailor-made to your wedding.

Liking the videographer’s work is very crucial to choosing who you want to film your wedding. Remember, you’re not just hiring someone for a day, you’re entrusting your videographer with capturing memories that will be with you for a lifetime.

Just as important as liking their work, you should make sure that you’re comfortable with the videographer as a person. You’re going to work closely with them to co-ordinate the filming of your wedding and you want to be sure that the videographer understands your preferences and direction. If you don’t get along with the videographer or don’t feel comfortable around him then you’ll be uncomfortable around the camera and that will put a dampener on your precious wedding day. Always try to set a meeting with your videographer. If the videographer isn’t keen on meeting you, or says that a meeting isn’t necessary, that should raise some flags. If he’s unwilling to meet with you to understand what you’re looking for, how much will he care about your wedding? You’ll want a videographer who’s passionate about weddings, and not just the videos.