Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life. You spend so much time planning the event and then its over in less than 12 hours. Most couples want to capture their wedding on video so they can relive the special day or send a copy to friends and family that can’t be present.

You could leave the video up to Uncle Bob who thinks he is directing Four Weddings and a Funeral, however you might be disappointed with the results. He might not have enough batteries charged and miss an important speech or he may have a few to drink and forget to film the cutting of the cake. Why not let all of your family and friends enjoy the wedding and use a professional wedding videographer? Not all videographers are the same and there are a number of things to think about when trusting someone to film your wedding.

Start With a Little Surfing…

Find a good selection of local professionals, then browse each videographer's website and watch wedding demos. Ideally, you should also ask to see an entire wedding DVD. Demos are always the cream off the top of any wedding video, so it's important for you to see an entire wedding before you commit. The demo reel will show you that they have experience with a variety of weddings and the full version should be of a wedding similar to your own. For example if you are having beach wedding its no use watching a wedding filmed in a church. This way you can see their editing style, and know exactly what your wedding video will look like.

Discover Your Style

If you aren't sure what videography style you want, take a few minutes to research. Styles are diverse, including traditional, video journalism, the short form and cinematic styles. You'll probably know the right style when you see it... your wedding video should fit your personality like a glove!

Testimonials, References and Referrals

A videographer's website will usually have testimonials from happy clients, but if it doesn't, feel free to call and ask for references. They should be happy to give you a few clients you can call for some personal feedback. If you know any newlyweds, ask who their videographer was, how the overall experience was and if they'd recommend that person for your wedding.

If you've already lined up your photographer, he is sure to have a recommendation. But do beware: Referrals from people in the industry can be commission-based, and therefore, occasionally biased. If in doubt, ask if a commission is involved. Professional wedding supplier associations are a good way to make sure that the videographer you're considering is professional, skilled, and reliable. Try associations such as Australian Bridal Industry Association.

Meet In Person

Once you've narrowed down your list to four or five possible candidates, call or email to arrange a meeting in person. Make sure you ask a few preliminary questions on the phone -- see if they're available on your wedding date!! -- and then set up a meeting to ask the rest of your questions.

The Deciding Factor

Once you've narrowed down a few of your favourites, take personality into account. Do your personalities mesh well? Can you see them interviewing your Uncle Al with good taste? Do they seem able to work well under pressure, or handle any curves thrown their way? Once you've found your dream videographer, be sure to get everything in writing, and that there are no hidden fees. Once the details are taken care of, you can look forward to years of reliving your special day by watching your wedding video.

Questions to Ask:

1. How much experience do they have? How many weddings have they shot?
2. What's their style and approach in filming a wedding, i.e., interview-style, artsy, documentary, short form, avant-garde? Do they have a standard shot/set-up list?
3. What form will your final video take? Will you get an industry-standard, chaptered DVD with thumbnail image menus? Will you get a draft to view and make changes before you receive a master and DVD copies?
4. What type of equipment will they use? Do they use high quality video cameras with widescreen (16:9) and/or HiDefinition capabilities? Will they have backup equipment should something go wrong?
5. How will they record the sound of the wedding, especially the ceremony and speeches? Will they use more than 1 microphone? Do they use a radio mic on the groom for the ceremony to pick up the vows clearly? Will they use a radio mic for the speeches?
6. How will the DVD be edited ie what editing program and what type of effects do they offer (so you get a feel for how technologically-advanced the videographer is)? Do they offer standard and Blu-ray DVD’s? Can they deliver your wedding highlights online in Streaming DVD format so your friends and family to look at it after your wedding?
7. Who will actually be filming your wedding -- the person you're talking to, a colleague, or an assistant? You should be able to meet with the videographer (not just a contact person) before the wedding day so that you feel comfortable with them. Also will an assistant be on-hand to help out, and will that cost extra?
8. What kind of lighting will they use? If you're having a romantic evening wedding with ambient candlelight, and they need the lights on in order to get footage, there could be a problem. Most digital cameras these days work well in low light situations. However, where the lighting will have an impact on creating a natural looking image (like candlelight), highly diffused lighting that doesn’t make you or your guests squint, should be used.
9. Has the videographer worked with your chosen photographer before? If so, find out if they worked well together -- and get the story from both sides.
10. Have they filmed at your venue before? If not, will they come to the ceremony rehearsal. If they have, ask to see DVD examples. They will usually ask for a running sheet or get you to fill in a questionnaire so that they know exactly what is happening and they won't need to ask you unnecessary questions on the day.
11. How much and how do they charge for services? Hourly? Project-based? Get a price list -- often prices and packages will be listed on their website, but you may have to call for pricing in some instances. The videographer will usually be filming your wedding for approx. 7-12 hours. Then there is usually another 16-48 hours spent in the edit suite so expect to pay $1200 and upwards for a basic package.

Julia Lewis, Director, BA (Hons) Film, TV & Media Studies has over 14 years of experience working in Sydney, London and Brisbane as a Producer/Editor and camera operator. She has worked on a wide range of productions including documentaries, corporate productions and television commercials, as well as producing wedding videos.