Now Playing: Your Love Story — What You Need to Know About Hiring a Wedding Videographer

If a picture is worth 1,000 words, what is a video worth? When it comes to capturing your wedding day on film, many couples would agree that it’s priceless.

“Photography is a great keepsake, but nothing captures your emotions like film,” says B.J. Schulz, videographer with Capture Studios in St. Louis Park. “Through video, you capture each moment of a couple’s wedding day and create a story for them to relive for the rest of their lives.” Whether videography is on your must-have or your maybe list, read on for everything you need to know about filming your love story.

Deciding to Document
When she was planning her wedding last year, newlywed Kelsey Vaith knew she wanted to hire a videographer.

“Being able to relive our vows, the wedding speeches, our first dance—that was something I wanted to have forever.”

What’s a must-have for some isn’t always a necessity for others, however. Wedding videography can take up a big chunk of your budget, so it’s important to decide what your priorities are. For some, a home video may be the right choice to preserve your memories. If a professionally edited video is a must-have for your big day, set a budget for how much you’d like to spend. With that in mind, you’ll be able to confidently choose a videographer you can afford.

While prices vary by company, packages typically begin around $3,000 and can go upward of $9,000. Most packages include an edited wedding video featuring the highlights of your big day, which can be anywhere from three to 30 minutes. Many companies also offer additional add-on videos highlighting specific parts of your wedding day, including the ceremony, speeches or even the rehearsal dinner.

The Perfect Match
You’ve got your heart set on hiring a videographer. Now, how to find the right one? Research will be
your best friend. Most companies publish full-length wedding videos on their websites, making it easy
for couples to get a feel for their work and style of videography.

“If you have an emotional response to a video [about]a couple you don’t know, that says something about how you connect with the videographer’s work,” says Hannah Baias, co-owner of Snowshoe Productions in Minneapolis. “With that emotional connection, it’s likely they’ll be a great fit to help capture your wedding day.”

Your newly married friends will be another great resource. If they hired a videographer, ask them whether they enjoyed their experience and the finished product.

The Details
Once you’ve hired your videographer, prepare to spend some time together. Most videographers will want to meet with you several times before your big day to discuss the logistics of your wedding and the story you want to tell. Not to mention they’ll be by your side during every moment of your big day, so it’s important to build a relationship with them from the start.Your videographer will also want to know which style of videography you prefer. Do you want a cinematic video, with the look and feel of a Hollywood movie? Or does a documentary-style video with a linear timeline and realistic feel appeal to you? You’ll also want to discuss whether you want to incorporate special effects into your video, such as black-and-white or sepia tinting, Super 8 style (vintage look and feel) or slow motion.This is also a great time to let your videographer know if you have any other requests. Is there a certain song you’d like to incorporate? Are there specific shots you’d like them to capture? Would you like to include interviews with your friends and family? By giving your videographer as much insight ahead of time, you can help ensure the final product is everything you imagined it to be (and more!).After you’ve said your “I do’s,” your videographer will be busy reviewing hours of wedding footage, securing music licensing and working their editing magic. Expect to wait a few weeks to a few months after you return from your honeymoon for your video to be completed.Most videographers offer many different formats for you to receive your final video, including DVD, Blu-Ray, video sites like Vimeo or YouTube, or .mov files on a thumb drive. In addition to your wedding video, many videographers will provide the raw footage that wasn’t included in your final cut.After seeing her video, Kelsey Vaith knew hiring a videographer was one of the best wedding investments she made. “Every time I watch it, I’m so thankful we hired a videographer,” she says. “We’ll relive this important day for years to come.”“Your wedding day is a once-in-a-lifetime event,” says Robert Kopp, owner and lead cinematographer of in Minneapolis. “Your wedding story is something that should be cherished for the rest of your life, from your first anniversary to your fiftieth.”