Finding someone special to marry is one of the most beautiful things in the world and a wedding day is a day filled with magical moments that you will cherish and remember for the rest of your life. Choosing a wedding videographer and photographer for this special occasion is one of the most important things you will do. 

In this article, we are going to share with you common mistakes people make when choosing a wedding videographer/photographer.

Let’s dive in

• Waiting until the last minute
• Choosing the lowest price
• Not researching videographers
• Hiring an unfriendly wedding videographer
• Hiring an unprofessional videographer
• Being mesmerised by fancy equipment
• Not understanding what is included in your package.
• Limiting yourself to a videographer in your city
• Not telling your videographer important information about the day.
• Scheduling your wedding too tight
• Not letting your videographer do their job on the day
• Next Steps and hiring your videographer and photographer

Waiting until the last minute

For some people, wedding videography and photography are an after-thought, and this usually causes last-minute bookings of a videographer and photographer. In situations like this, you won’t have time to fully research the company or individual you want to hire.

It is best to start thinking of the videographer as soon as you start planning your wedding – it should be right there at the top with decor, dresses and the cake. You don’t want to end up settling because you are too late, and all the best wedding videographers and photographers have been booked.

Choosing the lowest price

If you have ever organised or are organising a wedding you know that weddings are very expensive – The dresses, the suits, the venue, the decor, the cake, catering, entertainment e.t.c. While it is important to work within a budget, don’t settle for the cheapest videographer/photographer you can find. Unfortunately, the saying remains true – you get what you pay for.

Remember: at the end of the day, the only records you will have of your wedding are the photos and videos which you will show to generations to come. You don’t want them messed up!

That also doesn’t mean the most expensive is the best. Instead, look for a videographer who will give you a good balance of experience, efficiency, value and price. 

Not researching videographers

So, there is this videographer who shot your friend’s wedding, and your friend swears by them. However, before you go for that videographer, make sure you do your research first to see if they are a good fit for you. Every wedding is unique, and each couple has different things they want to emphasise at their wedding or they have a different style of videography they want. So, yes, a certain videographer may have been the perfect fit for your cousin but are they the perfect fit for you?

Hiring an unfriendly wedding videographer

This seems like something minor. After all, you are not looking to become best friends with your wedding videographer/photographer, right?

Well, if you really think about it, this person is going to be interacting with your closest friends and relatives on one of the most important days of your life. Do you really want them to be shouting at your mother to get out of the way or roughly pushing aside your dear nephews and nieces so they can take pictures? From the first time you interact with your potential wedding videographer or photographer, you will know if they are friendly or gruff.

Hiring an unprofessional videographer

While being friendly is important, it should never come at the cost of professionalism. You don’t hire someone because they are friendly – you hire them because they are friendly AND they can do the job.

How do you know if someone is the best wedding videographer and photographer?

• They know what they are talking about 
• They have good ratings. You can search for their ratings on Google. You see our ratings and some customer feedback on our google business profile here.
• If you are able to talk to their previous clients, then you can ask questions like
  • Did they capture the most important activities of your wedding?
  • Were they friendly (and firm), or were they just shouting at everyone?
  • Most importantly, did they deliver what they said they were going to deliver?

Important note: Be careful of videographers and photographers who are hesitant to tell you their prices upfront. This is usually a sign of someone who charges different prices for different people. They will charge you more if they think you are ‘rich’. In such cases, you may end up overpaying for a service. When you work with us, you can be certain you are getting a fair price determined by your requirement and not by your appearance.

Being mesmerised by fancy equipment

While it is important for your videographer to have the right tools for the trade, do not fall for videographers who over-emphasize how expensive or modern their equipment is. This is usually a sign of a lack of actual expertise. Remember, on your 10-year wedding anniversary, you are not going to be watching a showcase of the videographer’s equipment. In fact, you will have totally forgotten what drone they used at the wedding. 

Keep your eye on the goal – you want a high-quality wedding video, and the best way to know if you will get it is to look at some samples of the weddings they have done.

Not understanding what is included in your package

It is important to sit down with your videographer and photographer to really understand what and when they are going to deliver. After you have agreed, it is important to write it down in the form of a contract. Why is this important? It avoids situations where you thought you were going to get 200 pictures but only end up getting 50. Without a properly written and signed contract, any dispute will just be a matter of he said, she said.

Thoroughly discuss your expectations, and then write them down in a contract and sign it.

Limiting yourself to a videographer in your city

This is a common mistake. Just because your wedding is happening in one city doesn’t mean you have to hire a videographer from that city only. If you are not able to find the perfect match for you in your current city, broaden your search to nearby cities. As we mentioned before, your wedding is too important to settle for a substandard videographer just because they were the closest.

Not telling your videographer important information about the day. 

Remember that in order for your videographer or photographer to properly capture your wedding day, they need to know everything – including your family dynamics. If you are going to do something extra special, like the bride flying in on a helicopter or the groom riding in on a white horse, then you might want to let your videographer know, so they have the relevant equipment to capture that.

These days people are combining Roora ceremonies and weddings, and there may be some cultural issues you want your videographer to be aware of. Let them know in time.

If you are overwhelmed with preparations, then designate one of the members of your wedding committee to update your videographer every time you have a wedding planning meeting, and you discuss something that may affect the filming of this important day.

Scheduling your wedding too tight

When you are scheduling your wedding, keep your filming timeframes and requirements in mind.  Try not to schedule each activity back to back without any breathing room, as this may affect the ability of the photographer and/or videographer to capture the in-between moments and interactions that make weddings so special.

If you plan on surprising your spouse with a brand new car as a wedding gift when they are still dressing at home, be sure to let your videographer know so they can film your spouse’s special reaction.

Sharing your schedule with the videographer ahead of time will also help them give suggestions as to the best time to film certain items. 

Not talking to your self-proclaimed videographer and photographer guests.

Imagine watching your wedding video, and at the moment when you are about to kiss your spouse, Aunt Janet stands up with her iPad and blocks the magical shot. Or when your partner sees you walking down the aisle, and instead of the camera capturing the way their eyes light up in joy, it captures uncle Sam with his iPhone.

Make sure to communicate with your wedding guests that there will be a professional wedding videographer/photographer and that they will have access to the video and photos. Wedding videos can easily be ruined by people standing up with their mobile devices, jostling for space with the videographer.

Not letting your videographer do their job on the day 

This brings us to the final mistake people make when hiring a videographer for their wedding – micromanaging the videographer.

If you have followed this article, then it means you are going to hire a professional videographer and/or photographer with years of experience in wedding videography and photography. It also means you have shared with them important things to remember on the day and what exactly you want.

Allow them to do their job. Don’t feel the need to always be telling them what to capture. Enjoy your day, knowing that your memories are being properly captured. Have complete confidence in your videographer and photographer.

Next Steps and hiring your videographer and photographer

Are you looking for the best wedding photography or videography? ReelNet Multimedia offers excellent wedding filming services. We have an entire team of dedicated videographers and photographers who will make sure your special day is captured in the highest quality.

Call or WhatsApp us on 078127651 or email info@reelnet.video