Everything You Need to Know About Wedding Videography Packages

While photography can certainly capture your wedding day, videography takes memory preservation to another level. Video can document all the smiles, tears, hugs, kisses, laughs, dances, decorations, vows and wedding speeches in a way that's truly unique. For that reason, it's important to opt for a wedding videography package that perfectly aligns with your vision for your big day.

To help you get started, we chatted with Chris J. Evans, a Southern California wedding photographer and videographer who shoots destination weddings around the globe. Keep scrolling to learn about wedding videography packages, from what's included and what can be added on to pricing and more.

What do wedding videography packages include?

First things first: What is a wedding videography package? In general, it is a package of services offered by a videographer. What services each package includes will differ greatly depending on the vendor, as well as their location and various other factors.

Typically, Evans says, wedding videography packages include a certain number of videographers who will be present on the wedding day to shoot video. The wedding videography package will also specify the amount of time in hours (say six or eight) that they'll be available to shoot.

Then, there's the actual deliverables provided by the wedding videographer. Again, this will differ depending on the vendor. Evans says this can include a 30-second mini film that serves as a teaser you can share with friends and family on social media, as well as a 3- to 5-minute highlight video recapping the best moments from your wedding celebration.

So to recap, here's what a typical wedding videography package includes:

• The number of videographers who will be present on your wedding day
• The number of hours of coverage
• Deliverables, such as a 5-minute highlight film and a 30-second preview film

What are some wedding videography package add-ons?

Beyond the wedding videography basics described above, some vendors may include add-ons, which are billed separately on top of the wedding videography package fee.

Evans says these add-ons can include a video edit of the full ceremony from beginning to end, footage of all the speeches given during the wedding reception, recordings of all the formal dances, and additional edits beyond what's already included in the wedding videography package.

Other add-ons can include additional hours of coverage, drone footage and coverage of pre-wedding events, such as the rehearsal dinner.

Another add-on you may see offered in a wedding videography package is raw footage. However, Evans advises skipping on that. "You do not need—nor should you want—the raw video footage," he says. "These clips are incredibly large, unfinished files. The clips are not color-graded, stabilized or edited in any way, and most consumer-grade computers won't even be able to run the clips. Trust that your cinematographer has already selected the very best shots from the event."

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How much do wedding videography packages cost?

Your wedding budget is very important to keep in mind as you're shopping for a wedding videography package. Just like fees vary for all other wedding vendors—from venues and photographers to florists and bands—pricing for wedding videographers also varies depending on the vendor.

According to Evans, high-end wedding cinematographer collections can begin at $7,500 and go as high as over $20,000 for very upscale weddings. As with all things, you get what you pay for. "Higher price points are indicative of a cinematographer's level of trust, experience and attention to detail, as well as their ability to mesh well with the photographer," Evans says, adding that there are certainly many vendors available at lower price points, such as $1,500 or $3,000. "The overall budget of the wedding will help guide your investment options."

What questions should couples ask a prospective wedding videographer?

Wedding videography can be a significant investment within your overall wedding budget. After all, video footage is one of the only elements from your big day that you'll be able to cherish for a lifetime. For this reason, deciding who you should book to tell your love story (and which wedding videography package to select) is not a decision to take lightly.

Before booking a wedding videographer, take time to interview prospective candidates to ensure they'll be the perfect fit for you, your spouse-to-be and the wedding you envision. Take into consideration their experience level and how long they've been in business, as well as—you guessed it—what's included in their wedding videography packages.

Here are some questions Evans recommends asking your prospective cinematographer:

• How long have you been in business?
• How many weddings have you done?
• What is the size of your crew?
• How many rounds of revisions are included in the wedding videography package?
• What other deliverables are included in your wedding videography package?

In addition, ask to view samples of videos they've done for past weddings. Don't just take their word for it. Seeing their finished work samples will help you better assess the quality of their work, and it will also help you see if their aesthetic matches what you desire for your wedding. For instance, a wedding videographer may specialize in shooting weddings in a dark, moody and romantic style, which can be beautiful. But if your wedding aesthetic is light, bright and airy, the overall vibes wouldn't align.

Lastly, you'll want to go over the logistics, such as whether they have your wedding date available, how everything will run on the wedding date, how long it'll take to get the finished video to you, and how they'll deliver the footage to you (i.e. email, flash drive, Blu-ray or hard drive).