50 Reasons to Hire a Videographer for your Wedding

Why this is one of the most important investments of your life

It's easy to forget when you're caught up in the hustle and bustle of wedding planning - but this day is it.

It only happens once.

And there's no going back and doing it differently.

It's a day filled with love, emotion, meaning, and unforgettable moments.

And you will definitely want to look back on it.

Most people only do this through their memory, and through photographs.

But increasingly recently, couples have been able to do it through video as well.

In this article, I wanted to explore some of the reasons why this is such a wonderful way to relive your wedding day.

And why the recent advent of wedding videography, as it becomes more and more popular, is such good news for couples getting married these days.

Not only do you have your photographs from the wedding - but you can watch it, live it, feel it.

It adds an extra layer of magic that photographs simply cannot.

Should I hire a videographer?

Understandably, many couples are on the fence. Wedding videography is a serious investment, often costing more than photography.

And it's a creative decision, too - you want to find someone who matches your style and vision for your wedding.

So for all the reasons listed below - I wanted to share my thoughts on why this is such a valuable investment for you and your partner as you move towards your wedding day.

In this article, I'll explore some of these benefits, and how a wedding video will let you relive the most memorable day of your life, for the rest of your life.

OK - On to the List!

Let's get started:

1. It’s the #1 regret of brides.

That’s right - not hiring a videographer is one of brides’ top wedding regrets.

In most surveys, over 90% of brides who didn't hire a wedding videographer, wished they had.

2. To relive your partner’s reaction as you walk down the aisle.

And to see your face as you walk down the aisle!

You’ll be able to relive that moment from the perspective of both of you.

Honestly, just having this moment documented in itself is worth getting a videographer - not to mention all the other points in this article.

3. To show your kids and grandkids one day.

We recommend the 3-5 minute film for this, and not the 30 minute :) But you’ll have it if you want to!

4. It’s impossible to see every aspect a videographer will see during your wedding day.

If you hire a videographer, you’ll have not only your memories from your point of video, but also those from what your videographer saw.

This doubles (or more) the precious memories you have of the most special day of your life.

5. To have the entire day captured, start to finish.

Having a videographer there for your entire day, start to finish, will let you have the entire day captured and recorded for your memories.

And if you have a team of 2-3 videographers, you’ll be able to get even more moments and details of the day captured.

From the getting-ready process to the reception, a videographer can help you ensure that you don't miss a single moment.

6. To have a record of your vows.

A videographer can capture the audio of your vows, allowing you to relive this special moment again and again.

7. To capture special performances.

If you have a friend or family member performing a song or dance at your wedding, or hired a band or other performer (one wedding we did this past year had a Mariachi band - awesome), your videographer will capture all of this for you to enjoy and re-live as part of your wedding films.

8. For your wedding website.

If you hire a videographer several months or a year in advance of your wedding, you can plan a time to record a short engagement video or welcome video for you to feature on your wedding website.

This can give guests a sneak peek, important details or announcements also.

And if you plan on using your wedding website after your wedding, a highlight video is the perfect thing to add to it. If not, you can still use it for things like social media stories.

9. To relive the most memorable day of your life.

A wedding video will allow you relive your wedding day over and over again. Much more than the photos, this lets you experience the joy and emotion of the most special day of your life, year after year into marriage.

10. To relive the emotions of the day.

Part of why I became a wedding videographer is that wedding videos contain so much emotion and meaning.

More than almost ay other video genre, wedding videos are some of the most emotional and meaningful.

Why?

Because it’s the most emotional and meaningful day of your life!

From tears of joy, to laughter, and everything in between.

As a videographer, it’s an honor to be able to capture that and create artwork from it that you can treasure forever.

11. To document the wedding party.

A videographer can capture the wedding party: preparing for the big day, posing together, making fun of the groom, taking pictures with the bride — fun and memorable moments.

12. To capture a full film of the ceremony.

Imagine being able to relive your entire wedding ceremony as if you were watching it live.

When you hire a videographer to capture the entire ceremony, they will capture all of this. They’ll also get it from a perspective that you may not have been able to notice in the moment - things like the walk down the aisle, and the exchange of vows, the audience’s reactions, etc.

It’s a level of storytelling that’s far beyond just simply photographs.

And when you hire my company S3 Weddings and get our Full Ceremony package - we record the full thing in 3-4 camera angles and professional audio.

So it’s literally like watching a feature film where you and your spouse are the stars.

13. To get every part of the reception.

The reception goes by like a blur. Trust me, you will want to relive at least several parts of it.

When you have a videographer, not only do they capture the entire reception, but they can create a special edit of any part of it. This includes things like your first dance, other dances, the toasts, speeches, cutting the cake, and any other special moments. Again, it’s photographs taken to a completely new level.

14. To create multiple wedding films for you.

Typically, most wedding video packages will come with a highlight film, from 2-3 minutes in length (ours is 3-5min).

This is a short film highlighting the various parts of your wedding day.

Most couples also opt for a longer version, a feature-length film which can be 20-30 minutes or longer.

But the highlight film, 2-3min, is great for sharing on social media and with family and friends. Anything longer than 2-3 min will likely lose the attention of even your biggest fans.

15. To capture your guests’ reactions.

In the moment, you won’t be able to notice and every guest’s reaction. Even speaking to every guest during the reception is difficult!

That’s why your videographer is there. He or she can capture the reactions of your guests during both the ceremony and reception. These make for great additions to your wedding films.

16. To capture your first dance.

A videographer can capture the first dance in a way that photographs cannot, allowing you to relive the special moment over and over again.

17. To record and replay the speeches.

Your loved ones put so much time and effort into preparing their speeches. (Or, they just wing it). Either way, if the speech was any good at all, then you’ll wish you had it captured on video to re-watch.

And if you want to describe the speech to anyone who wasn’t there — you can just show them.

If a specific line or section of a speech stands out, that could also be included in your highlight film and feature film.

18. To capture any special traditions.

Doing a special tradition at your wedding? Or even a common one, like a bouquet toss?

Having that captured on video will mean you get to experience it again, and it makes for a fun part of your highlight film, too.

19. Getting married in a beautiful venue, or scenic location?

Hire a videographer who is highly skilled in creating cinematic films and re-live the beauty of where your wedding day was set.

Bonus: get drone footage if your location is a good spot for it!

20. To film all the details

With all the time, effort, cost, and attention to detail that is put in to decor and details on your wedding day, having this on video can help you remember how amazing it all was, and how everything came together!

At the ceremony and before: your dress, the flowers, the decorations, the scenery.

At the reception: the decor, the food, the colors, the favors — you’ll be able to re-experience it all.

21. To create a video for social media

Want something to share with family and friends? Or especially for those who couldn’t make it?

The Highlight Film that most wedding video packages include, is perfect for social media.

At S3 Wedding Films, we have an option for a Social Media Teaser film. It’s 1 minute, so it fits on most platforms, and we deliver it the week of the wedding, so you can share it right away.

And if you’re feeling eager to share the excitement, we have an option to get everything the day after the wedding. I’m not sure how many others offer this - but we love doing it. Your family and friends are sure to love it too.

22. To capture the atmosphere of the day.

It’s true, photos can capture the feeling and emotion of the day and event. But video is best for the moments when there’s a specific atmosphere to capture and remember.

During the ceremony, the guests coming in, getting seated, waiting in anticipation.

And during the reception, whether it’s an intimate dance or a lively dance floor, a video is the best way to capture and relive your reception.

23. To capture the excitement, nerves, and emotions of the entire day, from before the ceremony to the end of the reception.

Getting ready, putting on your suit or dress, making sure you have your vows. So many unique and exciting feelings, that you really only experience the most on the beginning of your wedding day. Having this time captured on video can bring you back to those feelings and remember the excitement you had leading up before the ceremony.

24. To capture special small moments in between.

These are some of my favorite moments to capture as a videographer myself: a small joke or comment that you share with your spouse, in between photos or other things. Candid moments. Intimate conversations. Spontaneous dance parties. You or your spouse looking at the camera with excitement and nervousness, ready to walk in to the ceremony.

Moments like this are my favorite to capture and re-live.

25. To document your love story.

Consider incorporating some elements into your wedding video that give some of your story as a couple. Whether it’s how you met, how you fell in love, or even your journey planning your wedding together.

26. To create and show a same-day edit for your reception.

Have you heard of a same-day edit? This is a short film that your videographer will edit and produce on the same day as the wedding, to be shown during the reception. (Typically on a projector or large screen)

A same-day edit is a great way to give your guests a sneak peek of your wedding film, that you get to experience for the first time alongside all your guests. It’s sure to be a thrilling experience for all your guests and especially for you as a couple.

What goes into the same-day edit? Typically they include footage from you guys getting ready, the ceremony, and the reception, and formals of you and your spouse.

Not all videography teams offer same-day edits, as they take a lot of creative and production power to pull off. You’ll need a team with multiple cameras, multiple team members, and a dedicated, skilled video editor to sit at a laptop during your wedding to edit, to be ready in time for the reception.

27. Peer pressure

Or social proof, depending on how you look at it!

About 2 out of 3 couples opt to hire a wedding videographer.

28. Express your creativity.

By selecting a videographer who aligns with your personal taste and style, and who will capture all the other ways you design and plan your wedding day - your personality and unique tastes will come through in the final video.

29. The average cost of a wedding videographer is less than that of a photographer.

The fact is, photography has been around for longer and is more established than video as a must-have for weddings.

But as you can see above, video is just as much of a must-have.

30. Many photographers or videographers offer both in one package.

If you already have a photographer or videographer in mind for your wedding, ask if they offer the other option too. If they’re a videographer, ask if they do photography. Often they have a team member, or partner, and can offer both in one package for you.

This saves you time and money, gives you one vendor to communicate with instead of two, and is easier for them to work with on the wedding day since they’re already used to working together.

31. If you’re having a destination wedding

If you’re having a destination wedding, video is a must-have to capture the fun and excitement of your days spent abroad!

32. It’s relatively inexpensive

Let’s say you hire a high-end videographer and get even the most expensive of wedding packages. It might seem like a lot in comparison to your other wedding costs. But - let’s say you don’t hire a videographer. In 20-30 years, how much would you give to be able to relive your day again?

In the moment, the cost seems like a lot, but thinking long-term, even an expensive package is a very small investment.

33. To ensure there are not any moments you miss.

You spend months, or years, planning every aspect of your day. But you won’t be able to experience it all firsthand. A wedding video will capture it all for you and allow you to see everything you didn’t get to the day of.

34. Loved ones who may have passed away.

I can’t tell you how many stories I have heard, where a grandparent or other relative passes away in the years after the wedding, and the wedding video footage is the best memory the couple has of them.

Smiling, laughing, having a good time celebrating you on your special day - this is a memory you will cherish.

Those small moments and interactions would otherwise be lost or forgotten in the blur of the day.

35. Feel like a movie star.

Your wedding film is a feature-style film where you and your spouse are the star. Enough said!

36. Recommended by wedding planners

Planners typically recommend hiring a videographer, as they’ve worked with so many couples to know what you’ll want the most, even better than you might know!

37. Customizable packages.

Can’t afford a 60-minute wedding feature film, but still want your day captured in a short 2-3minute highlight? You can find a videographer who can do this for you and make sure you still have the video as a memory.

38. Adding value to your wedding photography package.

A wedding video can enhance and complement your wedding photos - so you can enjoy both the photos and video together, more than you would if you have just gotten one of them.

39. Barely noticeable during the day.

This varies by videographer, as everyone has their own style. But many documentary-style videographers are discreet and unobtrusive during the wedding ceremony and reception.

They’ll do their best to capture the events of the day without drawing attention to themselves or getting in the way.

40. Hear kind words and well-wishes from family and friends during your reception.

You can ask your videographer to capture a few messages from your guests during the cocktail hour and reception. These make a great part of your longer feature-length wedding film.

41. Video is more and more popular today, and will only continue to grow.

With video making up more and more of the content we consume online - it’s definitely the future. As we become more and more used to video content, re-living your wedding day will become more and more desirable to you as time goes on, and your wedding video will be more and more valued.

42. Technology is growing so quickly, and video is improving.

The tools available to videographers today are so much more advanced than they were even 5 years ago. Thus, the quality of wedding films continue to go up more and more, as the tools become better, and the artists hone their craft more and more. Now is a great time to get married!

43. Access it anytime, anywhere.

Video is such a flexible medium, you can easily have your video delivered to your phone, tablet, or any other personal device. Unlike an online gallery, a video can stay with you and be easily accessible anytime.

44. They work well with the photographer.

Videographers are very experienced in working together with your photographer to make sure we both capture the shots we need for you.

45. There are a range of styles and types of wedding videography.

Some videographers like to specialize in a particular style, whereas others have a more general and utilitarian style.

If you take time to familiarize yourself with a few, and pick one you like - you’re sure to find one you resonate with.

46. A creative outlet.

A wedding video can be a creative outlet for you to express your personalities and artistic vision as a couple. The styles, colors, decor, and all the creative decisions you make for your special day will come through in your video!

47. As a surprise gift for your partner.

Who says you have to tell your partner you hired a videographer?

48. You can be sure you’re hiring the right one.

With online portfolios, reviews and ratings, and even phone and zoom calls to get to know your videographer - it’s easy to make sure you are hiring the right person and have full confidence that your videographer will capture your wedding day perfectly.

49. The process of hiring is straightforward and easy.

The process varies by videographer. But for us, it’s a simple contract and online payment form, and you’re set!

50. You’re reading this article!

If you’ve made it this far, let’s face it - we were made for each other!

Click here and set up a call with us today. We’d be honored to document your wedding day for you.