Your wedding day will be the start of your happily ever after and one of the best days of your life. It only makes sense that you want to eternalize those precious moments, speeches, and dances in any way you can!
Photos are wonderful to frame and hang on your walls, but only a wedding film can help you relive the energy, movement, and laughter of your special day. As your wedding day draws near, you may be looking for a cinematographer who can deliver on filming these special moments.
However, not all videographers will provide the same quality or types of services. There’s only one chance to capture your wedding day, so be prepared to ask questions before you decide who to trust!
These twelve essential questions to ask your videographer before your wedding will help ensure that a company is a good fit for you and your big day.
Essential Questions to Ask Your Wedding Videographer
When booking a cinematographer for your wedding, it’s essential to make sure you receive the services and results that meet your expectations. Here are some questions to ask a potential videographer before signing a contract.
Can You Describe Your Videography Style?
Anyone can put together a simple compilation of video clips or fit a few key moments into a cookie-cutter video template. But only a high-quality film will capture the emotion with cinematic storytelling.
The best wedding films will represent who you are, your love story, and the unbridled joy of your wedding day. It should be true to you, your partner, and your unique relationship.
The overarching style plays a crucial role here, as it will influence the look and feel of your wedding film. Make sure you find a cinematographer whose style aligns with your expectations. A few common answers might include documentary, cinematic, traditional, or romantic.
The best way to fully understand how that style correlates to the finished product is to ask for samples of their work. Make sure that your vision and ideal line up with the videographer’s talent and natural style to get the wedding film that represents your day best.
Can We See Examples of Your Work?
You would never buy a car without test-driving it, and you should never hire a videographer without proof that they can deliver. Be sure to watch a few films they’ve produced in the past to get a feel for their talent and style.
If the videographer only has one or two samples in their portfolio, ask for more! You want to make sure they produce quality, consistent results. Experienced videographers will have many pieces to share.
Beyond exploring their portfolio, you can also take a look at their customer reviews to see how the experience has gone for others.
Curious about the work we’ve done at Reverent? Take a look at our portfolio and what some of the happy couples we’ve worked with have to say about us!
Have You Shot at My Wedding or Reception Venue Before?
Experienced videographers have likely shot at your venue before! Asking this question can help you get a feel for their expertise and knowledge of the wedding landscape in your area.
Videographers who are intimately familiar with your venue will also know the best rooms, angles, or backdrops to capture moments for your film or share with the photographer.
Note that this isn’t a make-or-break factor in how well they can capture your wedding since experienced videographers will have an eye for good lighting and scene opportunities even in unfamiliar spaces. Still, confidence and familiarity in a setting will make the videographer more comfortable and increase the chance of a better-finished product.
Rest assured that Reverent’s videographers are quick to spot the best angles in any room, no matter the lighting or setup.
How Do You Work with the Wedding Photographers and Other Vendors on the Day of the Wedding?
Make sure that your videographer is a team player when it comes to sharing shots with a wedding photographer on your big day. Because both still shots and film are important to accurately create documentation of your wedding, both photography and videography will need to work together to share the best angles.
Having similar styles and visions for the images can help this process along.
Keep in mind that photographers are more focused on capturing staged pictures whereas we want to capture natural moments between couples. Your photographer should ask if we need a specific shot, but we can coordinate to make sure your event is covered with cameras!
How Can I Be Sure You’ll Show Up?
It’s every bride’s nightmare to have things go wrong on the day of the wedding. Of course vendors will always promise to be reliable, but how do you know if you can trust them?
The most important factor at any stage of the process is communication. Pay careful attention to your initial interactions with the cinematographer and how they communicate. Are they timely in their responses? Do they give thorough answers to your questions? Do they take your concerns and vision seriously?
Reliability on your wedding day is paramount because you only get one chance to film this event. Make sure that your videographer is very detail-oriented in their communication with you and keeps you informed as you go through the process and draw nearer to your event.
Reverent is unique from other wedding cinematographers because we have dedicated customer coordinators who manage everything from start to finish. We get timelines from your wedding planner, coordinate with photographers, and create a customized timeline for every wedding and shot list.
If one videographer can’t make it for any reason, the coordinator will be on top of arranging for another one to fill in. All our videographers receive the same stringent training and are held to high-quality standards, so you can rest assured that your film will turn out wonderfully no matter who is there to capture it.
Questions about Logistics and Deliverables
Beyond the style and feel of your wedding film, don’t forget to get down to brass tacks and understand the logistics and how everything will play out. Asking these questions upfront will smooth the planning process and ensure everyone is on the same page regarding budget, expectations, and deliverables.
Here are a few questions to ask a videographer before you commit:
- What packages do you offer and what do they include? Are there any current specials?
- How do you handle payments and what is your cancellation policy?
- How far in advance do we need to book your services?
- Do you have backup equipment in case of a malfunction during the ceremony?
- How long after the wedding will we receive the video?
- How many revisions do we get, if any?
- What format will the final video be in (Thumb drive, cloud storage, etc)? Will we receive raw footage?
Capture Your Memories with Reverent Wedding Films
Your wedding day is one of life’s most important experiences, and a timeless wedding film can let you relive that day for the rest of your life. These questions for your videographer will help you find someone who is reliable, qualified, and sure to produce a cinematic film that exceeds your expectations!
Reverent Wedding Films is the largest wedding cinematographer in Texas, specializing in cinematic storytelling to capture the essence of each couple. We’ve helped thousands of brides just like you feel confident in their choice of cinematographer. Reach out to us today to learn more about our process and see if our style is a good fit for your wedding!
