There are so many things to consider when booking your dream suppliers that it’s hard to know what you should be asking!
With that in mind and using my experience as a Suffolk based wedding videographer, here are my top 10 questions you need to ask your potential videographer before booking them. Hopefully, these will be helpful to you when planning your perfect wedding day!
1. HOW LONG ARE YOU THERE ON THE DAY?
To me, this is one of the most important questions to ask your wedding videographer. The amount of time a videographer works on the day can vary greatly depending on the videographer, so you need to ensure that they are there for as long as you need them to be, taking care to document everything you would like. Depending on the package, some will only film from the ceremony onward, while others will film from the bride's prep to until the dance floor fills. Ask your videographer how long they'll stay, and make sure there won't be any surprise charges for staying longer!
2. HOW DO YOU OPERATE DURING THE DAY?
This is a simple but crucial question. There's a good chance you have no idea how a wedding videographer works. You may have a completely different idea of how they capture everything, which is why it's absolutely essential to ask this for your peace of mind, so you know what they'll be doing on the day as well as where they'll be filmed.
For Instance: Do they have big cameras? Do they have bright lights? Will they be moving around a lot, or be static and shooting from a distance? Will it be obvious they are there or do they tend to blend in and be more unobtrusive? Will they interact with your guests? What are they going to wear?
These are just a few questions to consider, but ultimately you’re going to want reassurance from the videographer/s that you have nothing to worry about. Then you can just relax and get on with enjoying your day without having to think about or even notice being filmed.
3. HAVE YOU WORKED WITH MY PHOTOGRAPHER?
A great and simple question, if you have already booked your photographer, find out if they have worked together before. Photographers and Videographers work very closely alongside each other throughout your wedding day, so if your videographer has worked with your photographer before this is a big bonus. They will each already know about each others style and how they operate, making it a smoother and easier day. Not only this but if they have worked together before, you can get some first-hand feedback on your chosen videographer! Please don’t worry if they haven’t though. Within the industry, both wedding videographers and photographers are constantly working alongside each other. As professionals, they will aim to get on very well and work around each other to allow both parties to get the best shots of the couple they can. It’s your special day and so by working well together they can both get the best shots for you, the couple.
4. WHAT PARTS OF THE DAY DO YOU CAPTURE?
There would be nothing worse than receiving your wedding video back and realising that the speeches hadn’t been filmed, or that you have no shots of you and your guests dancing at the end of the night. Always make sure you know exactly what will be captured by your wedding videographer. A wedding day has lots of special moments from the morning preparations, to the guests arriving at the church/venue, the ceremony, the confetti shot, the drinks reception, the speeches, the cake cutting, the first dance, the dancing, all of it! Make sure you know what’s being captured and that you’re happy with it.
5. ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COSTS?
You need to make sure to check that there is nothing extra on top of the package price you’ve been given for your wedding films. Will you have to pay for extra hours? Do you have to pay for refinements if you don’t like the edit? Don’t be afraid to ask as this simple question should get your videographer to tell you of anything you might not be aware of.
6. CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR FILM STYLE?
Believe it or not, there are quite a few different styles of videography out there and it’s good to know what theirs is. Some opt for a lot of movement and quick cuts in the edit to give more of a lively feel, others are more subtle with emphasis on natural/static camera movements. Do they use fast-paced music, or something more slow and emotional? Are their films story-driven, or more of a montage of clips from the day? It’s crucial that you check out their portfolio to give you a feel for their style as well and make sure it is one you like.
7. WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU ARE ILL ON OUR WEDDING DAY?
There’s always a very small chance that your wedding videographer could be ill on the day of your wedding, something we never hope happens but could. If this is the case, you want to make sure your videographer has a back-up in place. Lot’s of videographers within the industry work with others and can help cover each other should the worst happen. Just make sure the videographer who is replacing them has a similar style to the one you’ve booked, this will guarantee you still end up with a great film after your original videographer has edited it for you.
8. WHEN WE WILL RECEIVE OUR WEDDING FILM AFTER OUR WEDDING?
Edit times, like packages, can vary a lot between videographers. Be sure to ask how long it is before you will be able to see your film/s. You may be happy to wait, or you may want something much quicker. Either way, it’s important you know how long to expect to wait so that you are not disappointed or constantly chasing your videographer for updates.
9. HAVE YOU FILMED A WEDDING AT MY VENUE BEFORE?
Always a good thing to know! If they have filmed at your venue before this gives instant peace of mind to you and your fiancé. You can be confident that they will know the venue, what to film there, and the little things, like where to position themselves for the ceremony/speeches. This can also give you a great opportunity to ask to see any of their wedding films from your venue, as this will give you a feel of how your film might come alive.Of course, don’t worry if they haven’t filmed there before, videographers always have a set method and approach to filming at any venue so never let this put you off.
10. WHAT HAPPENS IF WE NEED TO MOVE OUR WEDDING DATE? (COVID BEING AN EXAMPLE)
If for any reason you need to move your wedding from the day you’ve booked your videographer for, it is important to check what the procedures are. Some might be able to just move the date over (provided they have it available of course) but there could also be a fee involved, or you could even lose your deposit if they can’t make it. Just be aware of this and make sure it is stated in any contracts you sign when paying the deposit. Well there you go! 10 of my top questions to ask any videographers that you are considering booking for your wedding. I hope these questions will help you and your partner when planning your wedding day, giving you a bit more to think about and check over. If you have read through these tips and have not yet booked your videographer, please do have a look around my site. Find out a bit more about me and look at my films. Of course, if you would like to have a chat about your wedding with me please do get in touch!