3 Thing To Keep In Mind When Booking a Wedding Videographer and Photographer

Are you trying to decide which photographer or videographer to have capture your wedding day? It's not an easy decision, or cheap. The average cost of a photographer in Salt Lake City right now is $2,215, compared to the national average of $2,814 (via snapknot.com). For videographers the average cost in Utah is $800-1000 (via Thumbtack). As you narrow down your list of pros and cons of each person or company, here are 3 things that I would suggest to keep in mind:

1. Know What's Included in Your Wedding Photo/Video Package - I married the love of my life 11 years ago and we went through the same process many couples are today. We looked at a lot of different photographers and found one that worked within our budget. However, we didn't ask all the right questions. After our wedding we found out that we did not get digital copies of all the edited pictures and had to pay to get only a printed copy of any photos we wanted. Being newly married, both in school, we couldn't afford to purchase a ton of pictures so we were only able to purchase a few printed pictures to hang in our house. Today there should be no reason that your photographer doesn't give you digital copies of all of the edited pictures from your wedding day. Many photographers and videographers also determine their wedding package pricing based on the amount of hours they will be spending at your wedding. Most photographers don't guarantee a given set of images, but they may provide you a range like 200-250 edited pictures or videographers may say a 10-20 minute completed video. The reason for this is because it all depends on the wedding. I've spent the same number of hours shooting at two different weddings but the finished product for one was 12 minutes and the other 20 minutes. Why you ask? It's because one wedding only had a line at their reception while the other had a line to greet guests, dancing, toasts, and more. Remember weddings are supposed to be a fun and joyous occasion, and the more you incorporate that into your wedding day the more memories you will have. For LDS temple weddings you'll want to look and see what the videographers service is for a same-day edit. Same day edits will really depend on how much time the videographer has between the temple ceremony and the reception. In my case I don't add an additional cost for a same day edit. If I have time to put it together between the temple and reception it's no extra charge to couples, but there are some companies that charge an additional fee, which is fine, but just make sure you are aware of that and use that in your list of pros and cons for who you will hire.

   

   Photo Credit: Aubree Lee Photography
   
   

2. Find a Photographer and Videographer that Fits Your Style - I have spoken with several married couples who were disappointed in their wedding film or their photos. Many of the issues lie with the style of the videographer or photographer, but this is something that can be worked out before you even book them. Always look at their work on their website, blog, YouTube/Vimeo channel, etc. I highly recommend that you meet with them in person to discuss their style and make sure it's a good match. Some videographers shoot everything in slo-mo, others utilize quick edits, while others are more abstract. Some photographers want every shot to be posed while others like more natural shots. I always try and sit down with any potential clients prior to booking to discuss their vision of their wedding film and I also share my style and vision to ensure I am a good fit for them.

   

   Photo Credit: Aubree Lee Photography
   
   

3. Always Hire a Videographer -  This last tip is a little self-serving, but I honestly want every couple to have a wedding film whether they book me or another company. If I meet a couple that has recently gotten engaged I always tell them no matter what their budget they need to hire a videographer. I emphasize that even if it's not me, they need to make sure they have one. Pictures from your wedding day are a must, but if a picture is worth a 1,000 words, what does that make a wedding video worth? When I started out my wedding prices were on the cheap end of the spectrum. I was charging $200 a wedding, which included the ceremony, reception, and a photo montage video. But I was okay with that. My goal was to get my name out there and build my reputation. There are lots of other videographers that are in a similar situation today like I was 15 years ago, and it's okay if you book someone in that price range. Here is my word of caution though. You get what you pay for. This is not a slight, but the honest truth. Everyone has a budget and you have to stick within that budget. If you want high quality you're going to have to be willing to pay more for it, but it's worth it in the end.