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Your wedding day is one of life's most treasured moments. You can make it memorable forever by recording the entire event on videotape. Gone are the days of poorly lit, inaudible, and out-of-focus wedding videos. With advancements in equipment and more experienced videographers, today's brides and grooms should settle for nothing less than a sophisticated high-quality product that will retain its excitement long after the wedding day. A wedding video offers the most authentic memory of your wedding.
After many months of planning and preparations, memories and details of the ceremony are often lost due to nervousness and stress of the moment. A video allows you to sit with family and friends at a more relaxed time to view the wedding, sharing the many wonderful moments together. After the cake has been eaten, the wedding gown stored away, the video will allow you to relive your special day again, as well as leave a legacy for your future.
Just as you rely on a bridal salon for your gown, a florist in assisting with flowers and a professional photographer to take your pictures, it is necessary to contract with someone that is in the business of professional wedding videography.
Some couples 'hire' a friend or relative with a camcorder to be their wedding videographer. depending on his experience and 'grace under fire,' this may be acceptable to you. The cost will be very low (maybe free). However, the quality will be greatly diminished. Will your friend have extra equipment if the camera or lighting fails? Will he know what to capture (and when) without having to interrupt you to ask? Will your friend, under extreme pressures of a once-in-a-lifetime wedding, be able to operate his equipment flawlessly? And what if the video doesn't turn out? Will you lose a friend?
For many couples, the decision is obvious: hire a professional. They know that the calm assurance a professional can provide is worth the investment. You will assuredly get a better quality video, as well as one with more flair, imagination, and focus. In addition, with the professional's experience at many weddings, he will know what to expect at your event and will be in the right position at the right time to capture everything as unobtrusively as possible. A professional videographer will also be familiar with the rules of the church and will conduct himself accordingly.
Price
What should you look for in hiring a videographer? The most important criteria for many couples is price, and this is normal. But don't make the mistake of shopping for the lowest price you can find without first asking yourself 'why?' What is it about ABC Studios that makes them so much less? Perhaps the budget-priced studio is offering fewer options. Or maybe there are extra, or 'a la carte' charges that must be added to the prices you're shown initially. Also, ask what type of equipment will be used and what format will the recording be made in? VHS? Super VHS? Most videographers use single chip (the image sensor which 'captures' the picture) camcorders to record your day;
However, high-end producers use 3-chip television cameras shooting on SuperVHS or Betacam SP. These cameras produce crystal-clear, high resolution pictures. But quality has its price. Studios with advanced equipment and training typically charge more for the finished product. However they can put more into the videotape and provide for a more beautiful and cherished keepsake. Don't just look at the bottom line. Find out what you get for your money. The saying . . . "You get what you pay for" is very true when it comes to wedding videography.
Scripting the Wedding
In the production of a wedding video, there are three phases to be considered: the rehearsal, the actual taping and the final editing. During the scripting, or subsequent rehearsal which most videographers attend, the videographer learns the family structure, the 'key players' and who and what the bride and groom want captured on tape. From the first anxious moments, to the family tears, and finally to the smiles of happiness (and relief) at the end of the wedding . . it's all there in sight and sound.
Once the raw footage is collected, the editing process begins. Editing does not necessarily delete material, but rather combines the best footage from multiple tapes into one feature-length tape, which is done in the two-or-more camera production, standard with some studios. Editing the reception footage eliminates flaws, such as people walking in front of the lens, poor lighting and sometimes distasteful language or gestures by a guest who's had to much to drink. During the editing process, the professional videographer, with the aid of the latest electronic equipment, will use various effects to creatively arrange your tape in a way that you can repeatedly view it with pride.
Before you decide on a particular studio, ask to see a wedding demo tape. Is it in focus? Does it have clear and decisive audio? Does it have good color and picture? Don't believe videographers who say, "I'm doing better work than this now . . . this is an old demo." Chances are, their sample reflects their very best (current) work. Ask to see the entire wedding/reception from a recent wedding. This will give you an idea of how the videographer covers a wedding from start to finish. Ask to meet the videographer who will be videotaping your wedding. Some studios will send a 'part-time,' 'Saturday-only' videographer to cover your wedding. Ask yourself, "Will we be able to work with this individual?" You will be seeing your wedding through the eyes, heart, and talent of your videographer. If his personality isn't compatible with yours, it could diminish the enjoyment of your wedding day.
There are other things to consider. What is the delivery time for the edited tape? How much are additional sub-masters (duplications) made from the master? Is the master tape VHS or SuperVHS? SuperVHS produces more lines of resolution and makes for a superior 'photograph negative.' Do you have the option to include photographs in the video, such as your baby pictures or honeymoon shots? Are music, graphics, and titling included? What about special effects (dissolves, slow-motion, etc.)?
In the end, your choice of a wedding videographer should be based on several factors: referrals, a review of past work, personality and appearance, editing style and price. Your wedding should be a truly unique experience. As you consider all the possibilities that go into planning it, don't forget the three remnants that will be lasting reminders of your wedding day: the rings, the photographs and the videotape. Just as your rings are cast by a professional jeweler and photographs are taken by a professional photographer, your video should be produced by a professional videographer. It's important to remember that your wedding happens only once - there are no second takes. An experienced wedding videographer knows how to capture the day's incredible range of feelings in pictures, words and music. Some say, "A picture is worth a thousand words." I say, "A videotape is worth a thousand pictures."
Remember . . . professionalism speaks for itself. When the wedding is over, you will be happy the professionals were behind the cameras.
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