While a wedding day is supposed to be the most beautiful day of your life preparing a wedding may become overwhelming. You start enthusiastically with choosing a dress, a wedding cake, and small decorations until you end up exhausted by choosing the seats for guests, music, and all other, not so funny to-do things. One of these is also choosing a proper photographer and videographer.
When it comes to planning your wedding there are a lot of things to think about, consider and budget for. The list will seem endless and you may not know where to start, yet when it comes to wedding planning there are certainly a few things that should be your starting point and priority.
WHY IS HIRING A PROFESSIONAL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER SO IMPORTANT?
Is wedding photography the most important thing when it comes to your wedding? Nope, not at all, however when it comes to planning your special day it should be up there on the priority list of things to look at, budget for and book.
Wedding photography is important because it will capture your day, it will capture your memories, it will tell a story, and not just any story, it will tell a beautiful story of your special day, a day you will never forget. A story that you can show friends and family, your kids, and grandchildren, something you will have and can treasure for ever.
You see your flowers will wilt, your cake will quickly be eaten, your invites will be binned after the day, your dress shall be worn once, those shoes shall go back into their box, this isn’t me trying to be glum and miserable, this is about perspective, this is about helping you focus your budget on things that you may not put importance on, such as wedding photography.
WHAT ARE YOU PAYING FOR?
When it comes to wedding planning, it is more than just one day, it is about a lifetime of memories. It is about capturing moments, it is about capturing emotion, it is about being able to relive the day through beautiful photos, it is about smiling at moments that you never knew happened, seeing the emotion on your family and friends faces, and most importantly of all, having a story you can treasure forever.
If you are just thinking about your wedding and looking at your budget, make sure you maximize your budget for your wedding photography, it’s not just a few photos of you and your partner on your wedding day looking beautiful and happy, it is about a beautiful story of your wedding day, from getting ready and smiling with your bridesmaids, to the emotion on your dads face as he sheds a tear and looks on with pride. Capturing the beautiful details on your day after hours and days of planning, from the beautiful flowers, your dress and venue, capturing the day as it unfolds, capturing the emotion of your guests, the nervousness of the groom, all the way through to that first dance, this is not just any story, this is your story.
Make sure you capture your day, and your story, don't regret not hiring a professional wedding photographer/videographer.
THINGS TO CONSIDER
Maximise your budget. Will the guests notice if you saved a little money on your flowers, will your guests really notice if you saved a little on the food, will they notice if the cake isn’t 5 tiers high? Save a little where you can and maximise your photography budget, it is the only thing you will have left at the end of the day. Read our article on the The Real Cost of Wedding Photography.
Find your style. There are hundreds of wedding photographers to choose from, and most will travel all over the country and even abroad, take time to decide on a style you like and find a photographer that reflects this. Make sure you view more of their work and complete albums, you don’t want one or two beautiful photos, you want a beautiful story that is of high quality through out, from beginning to the the end.
Book quickly. The best wedding photographers get hired and booked up to 2 years in advance, so once you know the date, find your perfect wedding photographer and get them booked.
Why hire a Wedding Videographer?
Videographers Are Professionals
The idea of asking your guests to take small videos throughout the day sounds great in theory. But in reality, your guests may forget to hit record while they're celebrating. Additionally, the quality of those videos might be, er, not up to your expectations. Hiring a professional filmmaker ensures you'll get beautiful clips. Plus, they'll use their technical expertise to edit the video as well. You won't get a simple recording of the day, you'll get an incredible cinematic experience set to music that's filled with all of the special moments from the day.
Video Captures Moments Pictures Can't
Your wedding photographer will capture all of the important moments throughout the day, but they may miss a few in-between moments. That's where video comes in. Hiring a videographer ensures all of those small, candid moments will be caught on camera in real time so you can relive the entire day. Whether you have a sweet, emotional first look or you have a dance battle at the reception, your videographer will be able to capture it all. Plus, videographers can get incredible drone footage of your wedding venue (typically as an add-on to a normal package). This is especially useful if you're having a destination wedding, as the video footage will actually capture the beauty of the setting.
Video Includes Audio
Another reason why you should have a videographer at your wedding is because videos will capture audio throughout the day. You'll be able to re-watch your vows in addition to all the speeches at your reception. If you have a first dance set to a special song, your videographer will be able to capture that as well. And finally, you'll be able to hear all the laughter and love from your special day.
You'll Love Rewatching Your Wedding Video in the Future
Thanks to your wedding photography, you'll have incredible pictures to look back on for years to come. But there's something so special about being able to actually relive the day through video. Plus, many videographer put together shorter "teasers," which are so fun to share on social media. A professional videographer will put together a stunning movie filled with all of your favorite memories (and set to some amazing music) that you and your partner can enjoy for years to come. Your wedding film will become your new favorite movie—trust us.
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