The Two Most Underrated Wedding Services & Why You Need Them | Part 2
In case you missed it, be sure to read part one in this two-part series, which explains the role and necessity of a wedding stylist and why any couple or family hosting a luxury wedding should invest in the services of a professional fashion stylist and/or dresser.
But now, let’s dive into the second all-too-often-undervalued service when it comes to the selection of wedding vendors. Should you hire a wedding videographer?
Yes. You should.
Read on, friends… we’ve got things to say about this.
Why You Should Hire a Videographer
If you read the first post in this series, you already know that you don’t really need anything for your wedding, other than a person to marry, an officiant to legally marry the two of you, and the paperwork to ink the deal. Everything else is icing on the proverbial cake.
But if you’re lining up a team of wedding vendors and have left videography out of that effort entirely, ask yourself why. If the band is important to you, and the flowers are important to you, and the photography is important to you, why isn’t the videography? It probably is, but you just don’t realize it yet, and perhaps you’ve read one too many articles or social media posts advising you (incorrectly) how to prioritize the allocation of your wedding resources.
Even in the luxury segment of our market, we still see couples and families choosing to forgo videography, and it’s something we know they might feel differently about in the years to come.
So we’ll ask the pointed question: why does photography matter to you? Why doesn’t videography matter just as much?
Make no mistake - this is not an attempt to diminish the importance of still photography. Photographs are timeless and vital, and it’s a mistake for any couple to underestimate the impact that wedding photography will have for years (and generations) to come. When we work through the process of budget development with our clients, we always place a high priority on photography because we know without a doubt that as budget line items go, it’s one that requires intentional and sizeable investment. But are you ready for this hot take? The videography line item should most often be on par with that of photography. They will rarely be identical, as there may be some differences in total amount of weekend coverage and there is certainly variation in the type of final product delivery, but relatively speaking - both photography and videography deserve equal attention and similar levels of prioritization and investment.
This wasn’t always the case. In fact, as recently as 15 years ago, one could argue that most wedding videography was all-too-often downright cheesy! The quality of final product rarely justified the investment to have a team onsite to document the wedding and edit the footage. But technology has come a long way, and so has videography as both an art form and business segment of our industry. In this day and age, cheesy, dark, old-school videography will never hold up to the higher standards we’ve collectively placed on wedding filmmakers as luxury wedding service providers. Now a wedding film can/should be cinematic, and striking in it’s beauty, with editing quality that stands the test of time next to fine art photography. The audio is exceptional, and the visual effect is incredibly powerful.
It’s easy to understand why photography matters so much. We can never place a value on the ability to look at photographs of those we love, and moments that unfolded with them, even long after they’re gone.
But consider this… how could you ever place a value on the ability to hear a loved one’s voice? To listen to them toasting you and celebrating your marriage. To watch the candlelight flicker and the flowers blow in the wind in subtle way that take you right back to those moments in a heartbeat, bringing back a full sensory supply of memories. You can’t. Wedding films are invaluable.
In all the years that we’ve been planning, designing, and producing luxury wedding celebrations, we’ve never once had a client express regret over investing in videography. But we have absolutely had clients tell us they wish they had after they chose not to do so.
It’s worthwhile, and we’re so thankful to see wedding cinematography finally become more accepted and expected, precisely because we know the emotional power it holds. Don’t make the mistake of missing out on it.
Your wedding film will become a family heirloom. Prioritize and invest accordingly.
Photography: Tec Petaja first film - VIDEOGRAPHy by clayton film co. second film- videography by yeattes productions