Setting a budget for a wedding is always a recommended step in wedding planning, but so often the best laid plans of brides and grooms often go…well, you know. Often brides and grooms will identify items they wish to splurge upon, the wedding dress, the honeymoon and try to compensate by cutting back on other aspects of the wedding. One aspect of a wedding is the video: do you need it professionally done or can you skimp on the video?

There really is no clear cut answer, but be certain of this: hiring a professional to videotape your wedding will be a considerable expense. The person or people you hire will be with you for the entire day. They are under pressure to capture all those special moments of your wedding onto clear, unobstructed film- which means they have to be everywhere, and yet they can’t be intruding upon the wedding ceremony itself. They need expensive video equipment, microphones and lighting. After they collect their film, they have to spend hours editing it, adding music, adding special effects. All this attention comes at a price, so ask yourself, are you willing to pay for all this?

The following are some reasons to skip the costs of a professional wedding videographer:

Be honest, not all of us have the same depth of sentimentality. A lot of us want the simple wedding ceremony with no bells or whistles. So is there a point to having a wedding video if you’re just going to cringe or laugh at all the muted shots of the bride and groom moving in slow motion, all set to some horrible cheesy soundtrack?

You really do save lots of money asking a friend, or even a couple of friends, to film or take pictures. People would do so non gratis. Besides, with digital camera technology, it is easy for you to set up a free photo album online to which your friends can upload all their pictures or videos. There’s sure to be at least a few good shots out of the bunch that you want to reprint or save.

As an added bonus, your friends are going to know who the “gang” is. Your friends won’t be as shy amongst themselves as they might be for the hired videographer. You’ll probably get a more interesting video from your friends and they will probably have more interesting commentary since you are all familiar with one another.

Asking a friend to create the wedding video and take pictures can also be more flattering than you might expect. Many people are amateur photographers at heart who would love the chance to demonstrate their skills. You might be surprised by the professional quality of their video Maybe they’ll ask if they can use any of the pictures or videos for their professional portfolio.

The following are reasons to pay for a professional over asking friends to shoot the wedding video:

You might end up with a bunch of junk film that is taken from too far away, with too many heads and bodies in the way. A professional knows how to maneuver and position themselves to capture a clear shot of all the action- and do not forget this is a once in a lifetime event! Your walk down the aisle, your ring exchange, your first kiss as husband and wife- those only happen once (for most of us) and are over in a matter of seconds (though they feel like an eternity!). A professional will be able to capture all the vows and speeches with greater clarity than the tiny mic on the palmcorder held by Uncle Barney from 5 pews down.

Face it, a professional knows what they are doing. While your friends can ham it up for each other, the professional has the authority and know-how to get the best shot of everybody at your wedding party. Hiring a professional ensures the important moments of a wedding get captured from the clearest viewpoint and they’re apt to stick around to taping the entire toast, speech or announcements whereas your buddies might be bored or too busy having fun.

Lastly, you stand the best chances of having a professional-looking product if you’ve paid for one. Your friend’s video might be as choppy as the Blair Witch Project, but the professional will likely have a steady and clear shot of all your singular wedding moments. Their job depends on making you look good, or else they won’t get paid.

Thus, when trying to decide whether or not to hire a professional, try to consider sentimentality versus costs. If you are one to cherish and cry happily over your special day, then a professional is your best bet. If you are willing to take a chance, or you prefer more candid shots that capture your best friends enjoying themselves, then you might be fine without the expense.

Back to the Wedding Articles