Hire a Videographer?

Hi!! OK, so I am wondering how many of you actually hire a videographer? I wasn't planning on hiring one because I was just hoping to get raw footage from friends/family recording the ceremony and having it editted back home. However, now that I'm thinking about it, I don't know if anyone is PLANNING on video taping and I don't want to put that burden on any of the guests to spend their time having to video tape for us. All I really want is footage of the ceremony, but I don't want to pay too much for just that!

We had a friend video tape and we ended up hiring a videographer a month or so before the wedding. BEST decision ever! We love our video. Although I'm glad to have my friend's video it's almost impossible to watch.. unless we take it somewhere for editing.. (plus she had to switch discs in the middle of the ceremony! lol)

 

I have a link to our highlights on my siggy. Obviously all videographers are not created equally so look at their work first if you can. We bust out the video quite a bit.. at least I can watch the web version whenever I want.

I am hiring a videographer for sure!

 

I want someone to get moments that aren't captured on film.

destination weddings are different. usually more people hire them then normal weddings. in the states i would say about 25% of people have a videographer. its a really thing to have but usually its the one thing that people exclude from their budget. the videos arent as watched as photos always. its like the video i purchased for me sky diving. i hardly ever watch it but im really glad i spent the money because its such a great thing to have. when i get married im definately gonna have footage of it. a quality video all comes down to how its edited. find someone with great editing skills and you will be pleased

We had one included in our package, which was great since we didn't remember all of it.

We also had a friend that taped it for us, we didn't know he would do this, so it was great to have another perspective.

We are having one. My FI's bro and wife were saying how they feel liked the day went by so fast, so I figure if we miss anything I am sure the video will pick it up. I found my through my wedding planner.. I have a package that includes 2 camera men so there are different angles. Plus, we have a photographer. Heck.. I think we'll feel like movie stars, lol. Why not? After this it's all about the kids

when i end up getting married its gonna be such an affair. like a rock show or something haha. im gonna have like 3 photographers and 2 videographers.. hell i might even have someone there making characatures and balloon replicas of us just for shi**s and giggles

I agree completley - Raw footage has got to be the most boring thing to watch in the entire world. Editing is the #1 main ingredient here! - I often tell people to think of it in terms of the Video industry.

Watch the evening news? - See that 30 second clip of the big news story of the day?

Now think about all that went behind getting that footage. The cameraman was most likely out for anywhere from 2-6 hours covering an event - all for a breif 30 second clip.

Why? -- Because we viewers have no attention span! If we lose interest, they lose viewers so stories are short and to the point.

Apply the same concept to wedding videos and you will find that the best editing jobs for a 6 hour wedding are probably done in about a 5-7 minute segment.

6 hours of coverage for a 5-7 minute video? - Believe me if you try to have your friends and family sit thru a longer video, they will lose interest!

But most videographers cant get away with a 5-7 minute clip because it seems like there is alot missed. - What many do is a highlight reel 5-7 minute clip and then a longer 30-40 minute story as well.

As to weather it is worth it - Video tells the story in a completley different way than photos. Photos will be seen more - but video presents its own unique story of the day. -

But you can probably not expect great editing to come from raw footage with consumer-end camcorders.

If you decide that Video is important, I would hire a pro - If you decide that its just nice to have, but not in the budget - I would let someone you know tape it.

The arguments for each side are endless!

Personally, a guest at my wedding taped everything..... we sat down with them and watched it once - as we all lost interest and began doing something else!!

To this day, I dont think we've watched it ever again!
--- but I believe if we had a pro do it, and edit it - that would be a completley different story!

Wer had one and it was one of the best decisions we made. We've watched the video a million times. In fact my FI never even looked at our photographs because he felt like the video captured it all...

Photography is more important to me than a video but I still want a video...I had a friend who paid seven grand for hers and yes it was nice but jeeze, thats almost my whole budget!! LOL...I am planning to hire a videograper but I dont want to spend a small fortune on it. But its nice bc back home I can show it to the family & friends who didnt get to make the trip.