98% of couples surveyed regretted not having a videographer

Photographer friends of mine often get questions from their wedding clients about videographers, and whether to book one. As I have been filming weddings full time for seven years now, I feel I may be able to answer some of those questions!Now, it may seem I am likely to be a little biased when it comes to this topic, however one of the main compliments I get from my couples once they have seen their finished film, is how booking a videographer was the best decision they made in the run up to their wedding day, so it surprises me how many couples are so unsure about the service.There are certain things most people agree are a necessity at a wedding, one of them being a photographer, to catch all those special moments, something to look back on in years to come. The day goes so fast, after all, so it is important to have those memories stored forever. But an often over looked service, that arguably does the job of storing your memories better than any other, is videography- and couples often realise this too late. According to an article in the Huffington Post 98% of couples surveyed regretted not having a videographer. So what are some of the reasons for this decision and are they justified?

“We have a photographer, so why do we need a videographer as well?”

In our minds photography and videography are both equally important, but for different reasons. A photographer is a mainstay of any wedding and as such there are certain key photos they are expected to capture: the bride walking down the aisle, capturing the first kiss during the ceremony, all those family portraits (including all the extra ones your parents want!), the cutting of the cake, and that special portrait of you and your partner to hang on the wall- so everyone knows what to expect from a photographer. However, when it comes to videography, couples often don’t know what to expect, or what they even need from their videographer, which in many ways is a blessing, as it allows us free reign to capture all those authentic, natural moments that you may have missed while having lots of photos taken! We don’t have family members coming up to us asking to take their photo, so we are free to blend into the background and capture events as they unfold.The parts of the day that are important to a photographer and videographer are also very different: there are only so many photos your photographer can take of the ceremony, or of guests laughing/crying during the speeches, but for a videographer these parts of the day are key to telling your story in an authentic and emotional way. Why would you not want to re-live the moment you exchanged vows, or when your father tells you how special you are to him, or when your partner describes the moment they first set eyes on you before the ceremony. In these natural, unplanned, un-staged moments, without sound, without movement, a photo can only do so much- so I believe photo and video serve you equally well, at different stages of the wedding day.Nearly every couple we work with say how quickly the day they have been organising for months, or even years, passes, and how desperate they are to do it all again, and by having both a photographer and a videographer, you are guaranteeing all those special moments are captured in full, to re-live for the rest of your lives.

“Won’t having a photographer and a videographer be too much of a distraction?”

Couples may feel like they have legitimate reason to worry about having both photographers and videographers at their wedding: they may be having an intimate wedding day with just close family and friends, they may be shy in front of the camera or they may be worried that the setting they have planned so carefully could be turned into a film set. Now, depending on the sort of company you hire, these can all be legitimate concerns. However, the key is to make sure you choose the right supplier for your day, rather than choosing not to have them at all.Large weddings sometimes require a team of photographers and videographers to capture everything happening on the day, and this may be what you need if you are planning a large event, but we cringe whenever we see these companies with teams of people, often wearing branded shirts and using radios to communicate. At Handcraft Pictures we specialise in intimate, elegant and overseas weddings, meaning it is imperative our equipment is minimal (like that of a photographer) and our footprint on the day is as small as possible. Also our natural and completely un-staged style of wedding videography means we blend into the background- our favourite recurring compliment is how no-one even knew there was a videographer at the wedding.I also work alongside your photographer to make sure any shots we both like to get are done so at the same time, to avoid wasting any of your precious wedding day time.I believe the benefits of having a cinematic document of your wedding day is worth having one or two more, unobtrusive, people in attendance!

“What if I can’t afford photography and videography?”

Everyone’s wedding day budget is different and most of us don’t have the funds for every service we would like, however bearing in mind that 98% of couples regret not having a video, we suggest to our potential clients having a second look at the things they have already budgeted for- do you really need that extra tier on the cake, or those chair covers, a live band and a DJ, a free bar etc. Though we’re sure all of these on-the-day services add something special to your day, none of them ultimately stand the test of time, and in the decades to come it will be your photos and videos that you can still look back with a smile.

“What if the videographer and photographer don’t get along?”

A common concern of couples is a potential quarrel between the photographers and videographers. I can only speak from my experience, but during my seven years filming weddings I have never found this to be an issue. The wedding industry is full of friendly and helpful people who all work hard to give the happy couple the best experience possible on their wedding day, but nevertheless we always reach out to a photographer before the wedding day to reassure them we are happy to work together to make sure everyone gets the time they need to provide a great service.Every photographer we have ever worked with has been polite, considerate and professional.