5 Reasons to Hire a Wedding Videographer

If you are considering hiring a wedding videographer – this one is for you! Or maybe you haven’t thought about it yet – doing so could be one of the most memorable ways to spend part of your wedding budget.

“When I think back about the things I would have done differently when planning my wedding – hiring someone to capture it on video is at the very top of that list. And this article explains the many reasons why. We don’t want you to have the same regret!” – Kelsey, Cheers MT

To learn more about wedding videography and why every couple should at least consider hiring a professional to film their big day – we sat down with Colter and Zane of Vector Visuals in Bozeman, Montana.

Vector Visuals is a full-service production company specializing in cinematic wedding films. They work with clients to make sure every detail is perfect.

The pair met at Montana State University Bozeman, where they went to film school and graduated in 2015. From there, Colter and Zane both started doing commercial and documentary work around Montana. A friend asked them to shoot their first wedding just outside of Bozeman near Hyalite Canyon. They quickly realized the documentary-style they’d learned in school was perfect for weddings. And they started to book weddings by word of mouth referrals and began Vector Visuals from there.

What is documentary style? Also called video journalism, documentary style is capturing moments as they unfold rather than staging shots. “During a wedding, you can’t say oh I missed the I do moment, can we go back and try that again? It is much more run and gun,” explained Colter.

Check out this sample of their work – Melissa + Kent’s Big Yellow Barn wedding in Bozeman, Montana. We love how they’ve captured the overhead drone footage, preparation, small details, and emotions so well. It’s hard not to get emotional when watching this, and we can only imagine how the bride and groom feel when they watch this back.

Wedding video by Vector Visuals

In this article you’ll find:

Five reasons to hire a wedding videographer
Common questions couples have about hiring a wedding videographer
How to find a Montana wedding videographer in your area

We discussed the top reasons to hire a professional videographer for your wedding with Vector Visuals – and here are five meaningful reasons.

1. To Capture All of the Memories & Emotions

You spend months and months (if not over a year) planning a wedding – creating so much detail. And it’s great to have someone capturing all of that detail so that 10, 20, 30 years down the road, you can look back and see the story of how the day unfolded. The emotion and detail of the day can be brought right back.

It really captures all the memories and hard work that you put into having such a special day. It’s different than having photos. You still want photos, but the experience of the video is so much different. Photography gets candid moments and behind the scenes shots, but video captures a lot of the reaction to a moment.

So whether it’s a first dance or the speeches, you get to see the reaction from friends and family throughout the day. You can see grandma smiling and laughing at something someone said, or someone crying as the dad and daughter do the first dance.

It documents a moment different than a still image can do. Video and photos both capture the moment in their own sense. But a video does an excellent job capturing the environment as a whole.

Lea H, one of their brides explains, “This was one of the best decisions we made surrounding our wedding day.”

➵ One of the Best Decisions We Made Surrounding Our Wedding Day

“My husband and I hired Vector Visuals for our wedding last minute, as we were afraid some key family members would not make it to the wedding. This was one of the best decisions we made surrounding our wedding day – I have watched/shared our wedding video time and time again. The Vector Visuals team was incredible on our wedding weekend! They captured raw, real, and beautiful moments, and were so flexible as we dealt with rain, schedule changes, etc. The finished product was perfect – and the team was so flexible as we requested any changes. Thank you for creating the most perfect memory of our wedding day!”

-Lea H

2. View All the Moments You May Have Missed

We’ve had several couples come back to us once they see the video for the first time and say, “Wow, I didn’t even know that part of the wedding happened.” The bride and groom are the centerpiece of everything. There’s so much going on around them that they don’t even know certain things are happening.

They appreciate us capturing friends and family having fun while they aren’t directly conversing with the bridal party. There is so much going on – even if you were there you don’t remember everything because you were so busy. When you go back and look at the video in 10 years, you recall certain things you may have forgotten.

3. Send to Loved Ones Not Able to Attend

We’ve had couples with destination weddings, and their elder relatives aren’t able to travel. It’s an excellent way to provide insight into what happened that day.

Being able to send a video to friends and family is priceless.

4. Start an Anniversary Tradition

Beginning with your first anniversary and on, you can start a meaningful anniversary tradition of watching your wedding video every year. You could also include a mini version of your wedding cake.

We’ve had numerous people say that every year on their anniversary, the first thing they do is watch their wedding video together. You can look at photos as well, but looking at pictures every year likely doesn’t have the same emotional impact.

5. Pass It On to Your Kids and Grandkids

Your wedding video can become an heirloom you can pass on from generation to generation.

Imagine showing it to your kids and grandkids someday. Your family will get to see how the day unfolded. It becomes a piece of heritage.

COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT HIRING A WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHER

Here are some common questions people have about wedding videographers. Vector Visuals had some great insight for us. If you don’t find the answer to your questions, leave us a comment at the bottom of this post.

Why hire a professional and not ask a family member?

The main thing we can relay to anyone that wants to ask a friend or family member as opposed to hiring a professional filmer is that you will want a finished product – something you can watch that brings back how special the day was for you.

You’re not only going to have the day documented for you, but you’ll also get final edits and an aesthetic that brings back the emotions of the day. And its something that can live on forever for you.

If you have a family member film for you, likely they’re going to video the ceremony and maybe the reception. They’re going to put the phone down at times and talk with people. They’re going to miss things and not be 100 percent invested.

Do you need a photographer and videographer?

Many people may think photos and videos are the same, but they’re very different sciences. They capture different moments in different ways.

Having both is a great way to make sure you have the memories encapsulated for years to come.

What does a wedding videographer do – besides film raw footage?

It’s a common misconception that videographers show up, film your wedding, and deliver raw footage. However, there is much more that goes into your wedding video.

When someone hires us to do filming for the wedding, it’s our job to work with them from the very beginning to the very end. Our goal is to work with clients, and by the end of the day, you have something that’s a cinematic viewing experience that you can sit down and watch, send to friends and family, and relive peak moments.

In the planning process, we work with all of our clients to understand what moments are important to them. Each couple has certain things they want to include.

Do you provide different packages and options? What are the main differences?

We first ask – what do you want to get out of a wedding film? Some couples want the day captured from start to finish, from the preparation to the send-off. They’ve spent so much time preparing that they want to remember every little detail.

Whereas some clients want us to show up and film the ceremony and the reception, more of a highlight of the day.

Our packages are more like templates or starting points. From there, we work with the bride and groom to make sure that they get exactly what they want.

The main difference in our packages is the length of the final short film we create for our clients. When we film an entire day, we have more footage and can create a longer edit.

How long are wedding videos, usually?

An average length of time for a wedding video is about 3 to 10 minutes. Depending on how elaborate the client wants it to be.

A majority of the time, we deliver a two to three-minute social media type montage video with highlights, plus a 10-minute video featuring ceremony and reception with speeches and more detail. And we may provide different versions for social media as an option as well.

The wedding video lengths listed in our packages are also a template for us. Most of the time, we give people one or two extra minutes, depending on how the day unfolds. We want to make sure the final film flows and delivers on the promise.

How much do wedding videographers cost?

The lower end is around two thousand dollars. And the higher end price range can be closer to four or five thousand dollars.

Are there any added costs couples should plan for?

Couples may need to pay the videographer’s travel expenses, depending on the home location of the filmer compared to the wedding venue.

Travel costs can include transportation, lodging, and meals. We’re based out of Bozeman and typically charge for travel over one hundred and fifty miles away.

Why are wedding videographers so expensive?

When you pay for a professional video crew to shoot your wedding, you’re not only paying to have it captured – you’re paying to have an aesthetic look, for the crew’s time to film all hours of the day, and for the technology.

The value is in having a professional show up and deliver the desired outcome in the easiest way possible. The cost reflects the quality and experience you’ll receive.

We know the bridal party has a lot on their plate during their wedding day. We pride ourselves on being able to show up, check-in with the wedding party, and capture everything we worked out with the couple beforehand and make sure that the video is one thing they won’t have to stress about.

Is there typically a contract and a deposit?

Yes. We do a contract and a deposit to hold both parties accountable, and also to make sure that, in detail, we know what the bride and groom expect from us and what we need to deliver to them.

We require a deposit to confirm the date and execute the contract. Clients receive their film, and we make sure they’re happy with it before the final payment.

When should couples book their wedding videographer?

We tend to see a lot of inquiries in January and February for Summer weddings. We recommend clients book at least four to eight months ahead of time.

What questions should couples ask before booking?

“What style does the videographer use?”

“How long have you been doing wedding videography?”

“Do you have different packages, and what are those prices on those packages?”

“Do you have experience working alongside photographers?”

“Do you have a website, portfolio, and testimonials you can share?”

What happens if your wedding videographer gets sick on the day of?

Most videographers should cover this in their contract. If one of our videographers can’t make it, we have a list of other filmers we’ve worked with that we can book in our place.

What should couples have in place for their wedding before talking with a wedding videographer?

Having a general idea of where the wedding might take place is helpful – even if you don’t have the wedding venue picked out yet.

Try to have an idea of what events you want to be captured and what your vision is for your wedding video. Consider if you’ll only want the ceremony and reception filmed or the entire day with preparation and drone footage details as well.

Thank you & Questions

A big thank you to Colter and Zane of Vector Visuals for this insight. We hope this information will help you make the best decision for you and your wedding.

More questions? Leave them in the comments below!

How to Find a Wedding Videographer

For help finding a wedding videographer in your area – visit our Montana wedding videographer directory where you can find work samples, website links, contact information, and testimonials.