If you have been searching for a wedding videographer, you may have noticed that the prices are all over the place. Some are expensive, while others are more affordable. What is it that makes one company more expensive than the rest? Why are all of the prices not similar if they do the same job? The answer is simple…they don’t all do the same job.
Say you are looking for your wedding videographer in Buffalo, New York. You might find three companies that you like, however when you contact them, you find that one of them is within your budget, one of them is far over your budget, and the last one is well below that same budget. There are many factors that determine what a company will charge for their services and you should understand all of these before you make your final decision.
LARGE TEAM VS SOLO
Many videographers out there are just that…individual videographers. They will have a small team or it will be a husband and wife team. Many times these people are alone in their business and do all of the work themselves. Other times, it is just a duo that always work together. These companies can only accommodate one event in a given day. Once that date is booked, they are no longer available. The danger in hiring these types of companies is that if something happens to your videographer (they get sick, injured, have an emergency) they cannot show up. Companies with bigger teams can accommodate multiple events in a day and also have back up videographers should anything happen to yours. Having peace of mind in knowing that your videographer won’t cancel on you without enough time to find a replacement is worth something. This level of professionalism is something that also factors into the price. In this case, you are paying for a guarantee that your vendor will show up and you can rest easy knowing that you are covered. The individual will more than likely show up and do a great job, however there is a chance that they won’t. It has happened to many brides leaving them in a situation where they have to find someone at the last minute. If you want a guarantee, pay the extra for a professional team.
PORTFOLIO AND STYLE
When hiring a wedding videographer, it is important to make sure that you like the style of video that you are paying for. Some of the more modern styles such as the cinematic style takes more work to create. Take a good look at the portfolio of anyone you are considering hiring. What you see is likely what you will get. Make sure their video style matches what you are interested in. If it is not consistent, it is likely they are not the ones doing the editing or may be outsourcing to another company. The style should be consistent and high quality. Every company has a slightly different style. Some are more traditional and others are more cinematic. Find the right style for you, but know that the more cinematic styles are more costly to produce.
The shooting style is also important. A good question to ask would be “how intrusive is your shooting style?” In other words, will this videographer be skilled at staying out of the way or will they be shoving a camera in my face as I’m trying to say the vows? Hiring a team with experience is important. The teams that know how to get all of the creative shots, without getting in your face will be worth the extra money in the long run.
EXPERIENCE
The longer a wedding videography company has been around, the more experienced they should be. When you hire a team with experience, they know exactly what they are doing and how to get the best results without being in the way. Having the peace of mind that your videography team will be able to get everything you want them to without worry is worth the extra price tag. There are many stories about couples hiring a cheap and inexperienced videographer to film their big event and not getting a quality product in return. With this experience, most well established wedding videographers will also have expensive equipment and they will know how to use it well. Make sure your wedding videography team has experience in this field. If they do not and they are cheap, then be prepared to take that gamble. You might end up with a great video, but you also may end up with something that doesn’t meet your expectations.
GOOD FIT
The wedding videographer you choose will be working with you all day on one of the most important days of your life. It is for this reason that you should make sure that you have good chemistry. You do not want to be in a situation where you have inserted someone to be with you all day if you cannot stand them. Maybe you weren’t aware that they don’t know the rules of personal space or that they were going to be socially awkward in front of your wedding party. Maybe they have a crude sense of humor and are offensive. Take the time to at least have a phone call with the company you intend on hiring. Getting a sense of people’s style and personality is important. The companies that are professional and know how to interact with people book their calendars quickly and can command a higher price as their calendar fills up. The ones that provide couples with a less favorable experience are not likely to get good reviews, referrals or recommendations from other venues and vendors. For this reason, they may lower their price to attract more bookings. If a company is sought after and in high demand, they will command that higher price.
The bottom line is…do your homework. Read reviews. Ask questions. Talk to friends. Ask for references. Talk to your other vendors. Remember that it is true what they say, you get what you pay for. What are the things that make any product expensive? It comes down to the quality of the product and the experience of your professionals. So when you go to hire your wedding videographer, ask yourself this question…do I want the best price…or the best wedding video?
