How Much Does a Wedding Videographer Cost

When it comes to planning your wedding, staying within your budget is essential. While some couples opt for simpler weddings, others choose to go all out with every detail. Regardless of the type of wedding you have, hiring a wedding videographer is a great way to ensure that all the important moments of your special day are captured professionally. However, the cost of hiring a wedding videographer can vary depending on several factors, such as their experience and expertise, location of your wedding, and the type of service you require.

If you are looking for a traditional wedding videography service, where they simply record the ceremony and speeches, the average cost can range from $1000 to $3000. However, if you want a cinematic experience with a higher skill level, expect to pay anywhere from $3500 to $12,000. Keep in mind that if you’re paying less than $3000, you may be taking a risk with a less experienced wedding videographer.

For those investing in a luxury wedding or destination wedding, a top luxury wedding planner would typically recommend the best wedding cinematographers. These professionals have extensive experience in capturing the most lavish destination weddings from around the world, and their services come at a premium.

While photography is crucial for documenting your wedding day, a top wedding videographer can capture the moments in live-action and provide a more immersive experience.Ultimately, hiring a wedding videographer is a great investment in ensuring that the memories of your special day last a lifetime.

How Much Does A Wedding Videographer Cost?

Wedding videographers are typically independent contractors, so pricing can vary depending on their individual services and packages. Most videographers offer standard packages, but also provide a la carte pricing for extra services such as additional time, editing, or specific add-ons. It’s best to start with a standard package and then customize it to ensure that all your needs are met. This can often result in better pricing. According to videographerJay Lince, there are many variables that can affect pricing, including video length, inclusions of whole speeches versus snippets, add-ons like raw footage, and the number of cameras used. The style of the video, such as how it’s shot and edited, can also impact the price. Additionally, the cost of a videographer may be affected by the peak wedding season, which can make coverage from June through October more expensive and harder to secure. Nationwide, wedding videographer costs typically range between $1,000 and $3,500, but for a luxury shoot that offers television-quality results, the cost can be as high as $12,500.

What’s Included In The Cost Of A Wedding Videographer?

Professional wedding videography packages come with certain services as standard, although the exact inclusions may be customized to your specific needs. 

It is important that all the key moments in between are accounted for in your contract. This includes the videographer working alongside the photographer to capture the couple getting ready, arriving at the ceremony site to film it in its entirety, and capturing candid moments during cocktail hour while syncing up with the DJ. The videographer should also capture the couple’s reception entrance, dances, and speeches. Your videographer’s gear should also be included, such as lavalier microphones that are discreetly clipped on and wired to bodypack transmitters. Necessary enhancements like music beds should also be included. 

There are several factors that impact the pricing of professional wedding videographer services. As a couple, you deserve a luxury experience, and it is essential to consider the following elements when booking your wedding videographer:

• Duration of services:  How long do you need the videographer to capture your wedding day? Are you looking to document your entire wedding, including the rehearsal dinner and reception, or just the ceremony and speeches? The duration of services required will affect the pricing.
• Team requirements: Do you require a single videographer, or would you prefer a team to capture every detail of your special day? A top wedding cinematographer will assess your needs and provide the appropriate team size to capture the event’s essence.
• Final deliverables: Your final wedding film can take various forms. Would you like a fully edited wedding film or a shorter highlight reel? Perhaps you would like to receive some raw footage of your wedding. You should also consider the format and delivery options for your wedding film. Does your videographer provide HD or 4K resolution? Will you receive a USB drive or an online link to share with family and friends?
• Add-ons: Consider additional extras, such as an Instagram teaser or coverage of pre-wedding day trips or brunch parties. These extra elements can make your wedding film more interesting and memorable.
• Travel expenses: If you need your videographer to travel, there may be additional expenses to cover accommodation, transportation, and other logistical requirements. The most experienced wedding studios will ensure that travel expenses are kept to a minimum while providing excellent coverage.

At Ancora Ever After, we provide a luxurious experience that covers all of the elements mentioned above. We believe that your wedding film should be a timeless keepsake that you and your loved ones can cherish forever.

The production of your wedding film involves several elements that affect the cost of the service. These include:

1. Videography services: The primary expense is for the videography service itself, which covers the videographer’s time spent documenting your wedding events. Typically, you’ll agree on a set number of hours that the videographer will spend at your event. Any extras will be discussed during the booking process. It’s essential to confirm the availability of extras after the wedding, such as a full ceremony edit or speeches and performances.
2. Post-production: The cost also includes post-production services, such as editing your wedding film. The editing process takes time, depending on the style and workflow of the videographer. A low to mid-range videographer may have limited editing skills, and if they do over 30-40 weddings a year, they may have a cookie-cutter workflow. In contrast, a top wedding cinema studio typically takes on around 15-25 weddings per year, allowing them to create an excellent wedding film that is well thought out and presented. This boutique style studio may go through several rounds of editing before delivering the finished film within 90-180 days.
3. Wedding gear/cameras: High-quality cameras, lighting, sound recording devices, and other professional equipment are used to document the wedding events. Low to mid-range videographers typically use consumer quality cameras due to revenue limitations, while top wedding cinematographers make use of the latest cinema cameras that provide the same quality as seen on TV and in movie theaters. The type of equipment used affects the quality of the wedding film, especially when viewed on a large screen.

Questions To Ask You Wedding Videographer Before Booking 

Here are some questions to ask a wedding videographer before booking their services:

• What is your style of videography? It’s important to know if their style aligns with what you envision for your wedding film. Do they focus on documentary-style coverage, cinematic storytelling, or a combination of both?
• How many weddings have you shot, and can I see examples of your work? Experience matters, and seeing their portfolio can give you an idea of their skill level and style. 
• What packages do you offer, and what is included in each one? You want to know exactly what you’re paying for and if it fits within your budget.
• Can I customize a package to fit my needs? If the packages don’t quite fit what you’re looking for, it’s good to know if they’re willing to work with you to create a custom package.
• Do you work with a second shooter or assistant? Having a second shooter can ensure that all important moments are captured from different angles.
• Will you be the one filming my wedding, or will it be someone else from your team? It’s important to know who will be filming your wedding and if you have a chance to meet them beforehand.
• How long will it take to receive the final video? You want to know when you can expect to receive your wedding film and if there are any factors that may affect the delivery time.
• Do you have backup equipment and a backup plan in case of emergencies? Emergencies happen, and it’s important to know if they have a plan in case of equipment failure or unforeseen circumstances.
• What is your policy on music licensing? You don’t want to end up with a wedding film that can’t be shared because of copyright issues, so it’s good to know if they take care of music licensing for you.
• How do you handle audio during the ceremony and speeches?Good audio is crucial for a quality wedding film, so it’s important to know how they plan to capture audio during the ceremony and speeches.

How Far In Advance Should I Book My Wedding VIdeographer?

Booking your wedding videographers is a key step in your wedding planning process.It is generally recommended that you book your wedding videographer as soon as possible, ideally 9-12 months before your wedding date. This is especially important if you have a specific videographer in mind, as they may book up quickly, especially during peak wedding season. Additionally, booking early will give you more time to communicate with your videographer, plan your wedding timeline, and ensure that all of your expectations are met. However, if you have a shorter time frame, don’t be discouraged! It’s always worth reaching out to videographers to see if they have availability, as they may have had cancellations or be able to accommodate your wedding date.

Start your wedding planning and wedding videographer booking journey by booking a free consultation with our award winning team of wedding videographers. We offer cinematic wedding videography services nationwide.