Kitsap, Olympic Wedding Videographer

Selecting a good Videographer

For many brides and grooms, that special day passes in a bit of a blur - a flurry of fleeting conversations, photos and having to be in all places at once. But a wedding video can provide a wonderful lasting memento of the occasion, catching all those amusing incidents you missed while you were involved with the receiving line or photographs. It provides a vivid record of all your guests, the venue, the speeches and even the ceremony itself. A copy of your wedding video also makes a great gift for friends and relatives who were unable to attend.

For a truly slick, professional and infinitely watchable video, you generally need to hire a professional video maker. However, the cost can be prohibitive. For a high-quality professional wedding video, be prepared to pay anything between $600 to $2350. "A good professional video maker using proper professional equipment should not be charging less than $600," warns Jan Parry, a wedding video expert who runs the Association of Professional Video makers.

Top tips for using a professional:

"Book a video maker who is a qualified member of the Association of Professional Video makers," says Jan Parry. "Just because someone hasn't joined the Association doesn't necessarily mean they are no good, but by joining, they show they are running a serious and professional business. All qualified members have to pass an assessment before they are recommended by us." WEVA is another excellent association for a videographer to be a member of (Wedding and Event Videographers Association.)
Book your videographer well in advance. All the experts agree that the best ones get booked up very early, especially at popular times of the year. Ideally, you should book one up as soon as the date and venue have been confirmed.
Once you have found a videographer whose work you like, find out exactly what is included in their price, advises Keith Owens. "Ask if there will be any extra charges for editing, adding titles and dubbing music and whether you can choose your own music," he says. "Ask how many copies of the video are included in the price and how much extra copies will cost." He also suggests asking if the videographer will carry back-up cameras in case of camera breakdown.
Obviously, the wedding video will include key moments like cutting the cake and the first dance. But the bride and groom should also let their video maker know if there are other special moments they want to capture, such as the moment the bride's parents see her in her dress. If there are certain people you want included in the video, assign a bridesmaid or usher to point them out to the video maker.