Videography Recommendations

Videography adds another layer of movement and sound when remembering your wedding day. It’s important to find a videographer who not only complements a documentary approach to capturing your wedding, but also knows your motivation for wanting video to help look back on the day.

Couples who resonate with my documentary style want minimal intrusion to their day and so that they don’t feel like actors on a set or have to spend lots of time doing things “for the camera.” So as someone who has photographed weddings for 11 years and have worked with a variety of videographers and styles, here are a few things to keep in mind!

Videography when you’ve got a photographer who doesn’t stage moments.

Wedding videography by nature tells a story through moving images. In order to achieve their signature style, videographers need to balance storytelling with sound, B-roll, and transition shots. Sometimes this means needing to stage a shot or asking you to repeat a motion in order to get that smooth transition between edits.

What do you want out of your wedding video?

Do you want something highly stylized like you’re watching a theatrical trailer (with lots of slow-motion, sweeping movements through the use of a slider or jib), or do you mostly just want your ceremony / speeches / important moments recorded well with different angles? Perhaps something in between? Do you want it to remind you of a home video with the feeling of a handheld camera from a loved one? The more you can be open and honest about what you want out of the video, the better!

I once heard someone say “I wish I could hear my grandpa’s voice one more time.” Photography is not something that can capture that, but video can, if they’re looking for those types of moments.

An Individual vs a Company

Seek an independent videographer who operates their own business, rather than a videography company that outsources its projects. Your wedding deserves to have someone who cares about you, your people, and how you want to experience the day. I have seen facebook posts from those looking for any available videographer 2 weeks out from the wedding date. Oftentimes those folks are just starting out and looking to pad their portfolio, looking to fill an extra weekend with some cash, and/or won’t be invested in your experience from beginning to end.

Ask who will be showing up to your wedding. Will they be familiar with the timeline, the names of your family members, and what’s important to document?

How Much Involvement From You is Needed on the Wedding Day

Ask the videographer how much involvement they need from you to get their signature style. Are you okay with being mic’ed up for your first look, or do you prefer it to be a simple, unfussy moment? Do they need to put you in a corner for you to read your vows into their microphone to use as a voice-over in the final video? Will they craft your moments for you (a set up groomsmen toast or pretend fixing the dress) or do they record the day as it happens?

The Media Footprint

Adding video means adding more people that will be around you and your family and guests throughout the day. Consider the media footprint this brings, especially if this is a team that consists of more than 2 people. It’s more gear, lighting, and bodies for me to work around to capture those fast moments I like to get close for, and limits how close I can be to a moment because I need to be aware of how I’m impacting the videographer’s shot as well. I’ve also seen a pretty spectacular scene of five tripods surrounding the couple’s sweetheart table, completely blocking the guests’ view during the speeches. While I’m sure the resulting film was lovely, I can’t help but always think of the guests’ experience as well.

For this reason, I have folks I have worked with personally multiple times and can vouch for their ability to communicate with me, plan strategically with me to get certain shots, and work in a way that doesn’t negatively impact the experience of the people at your wedding.