| Many young women grow up dreaming of being | | | | Make your selection based upon the experience, |
| brides on their wedding day. They visualize | | | | personality and professionalism of the |
| perfect event that they will never forget, uniquely | | | | videographer. |
| theirs and unlike any before or since. To them, it | | | | Although it might not seem important to you, |
| is their dream come true, their time as a princess, | | | | "personality" is an important part of the equation |
| to be swept away like Cinderella. When the time | | | | because the videographer will be working closely |
| does come, they might spend hours looking for | | | | with you on one of the most important days of |
| that perfect wedding ring. | | | | your life. In addition to being important, you |
| However, when those same brides look for a | | | | wedding day is also very stressful, so he or she |
| wedding videographer who has the expertise to | | | | will need to have a calm personality and good |
| record their special day so they can relive it for | | | | people skills to stay above the fray. Take your |
| years to come, many brides take shortcuts. They | | | | time and choose carefully. |
| might: | | | | If you're not comfortable with a particular |
| - Choose the photographer before they find their | | | | videographer during the interview process, keep |
| videographer. | | | | looking. If the interview isn't comfortable for you, |
| - Look for videographers as they shop for | | | | it sure won't be comfortable for you to have him |
| someone to cater, do flowers, or man the | | | | or her looking at you continually through a camera |
| limousine. | | | | lens for the entire (stressful) day of your |
| - Don't think much about what they want their | | | | wedding. In addition, look with someone who is |
| wedding video to record, only want to know that | | | | supportive and can help instead of hinder things if |
| it will get done; therefore, they might just simply | | | | something goes awry during your wedding day. |
| ask a brother-in-law to do it. | | | | Next, look at the videographer's craftsmanship. |
| - They make their final choice by choosing the | | | | When you're shopping, make sure you look at |
| cheapest way to do so possible (including using | | | | each videographer's work so that you have some |
| the brother-in-law). | | | | base of comparison. As you continue to look |
| If you want the proper product, you have to do | | | | around, you'll get a feel for who's good and who's |
| it right. Don't simply do what everyone else does. | | | | not, so that that you can make the proper choice. |
| To hire a proper videographer, do your | | | | WHERE SHOULD YOU START? |
| homework and don't just settle on the lowest | | | | Bridal fairs are great places to start looking. Most |
| priced vendor. Remember that you want a video | | | | of these will have at least three or four exhibits |
| that you can look at for years to come. Look at | | | | by videographers. As you watch how each |
| quality first, not price. If you don't, you may | | | | videographer approaches his or her task, you'll |
| regret what you get; remember that you | | | | see how each handles visual composition, |
| wedding happens only once, so you can't do your | | | | transitions, timing, and such things as captions and |
| video over, either. | | | | special effects. As you watch, you'll get a clear |
| HIRE A PROFESSIONALM | | | | idea of what you like. |
| The Wedding and Event Videographers | | | | You can also do a lot of looking online. Most |
| Association (WEVA) is an international professional | | | | professional videographers will have a web site |
| group founded in the 1980s. They ran a 2005 | | | | that features sample clips. Do a search for |
| nationwide study to look at brides' attitudes about | | | | videographers in your area online and then take a |
| videography; one survey was done before the | | | | look through their sites. While you're there, also |
| brides' weddings and one survey was done | | | | look for evaluations by clients. Although of course |
| afterward. In both cases, the brides were asked | | | | the videographer can simply pick and choose |
| to choose the importance of the videography | | | | which evaluations he or she has on the site, they |
| among other wedding priorities. Before the | | | | will at least give you an idea of how long the |
| weddings occurred, only about 50% of the brides | | | | videographer has been in business, and what kind |
| thought videography was a "top 10" priority. | | | | of work he or she does. Once you've taken a |
| However, after the weddings, that percentage | | | | look through various videographers, you can |
| jumped to 79%. | | | | choose several; obtain references from them and |
| It may also be true that if brides were surveyed | | | | or contact the reviewers on-site; make sure you |
| again a year after the weddings, that percentage | | | | follow through and check them out. |
| might be even higher. Like photographs, videos | | | | USE YOUR EYES AND EARS |
| are something that should last forever and should | | | | You should also pay attention to the quality of the |
| show your special day to you whenever you | | | | audio. Most experienced videographers use |
| want. Unlike other mementos such as flowers, | | | | wireless microphones during the ceremony and |
| wedding cake, even that special champagne, they | | | | reception to make sure they fully capture such |
| are something that can endure and can help you | | | | important moments as vows and speeches. Since |
| relive your memories, similar to photographs. | | | | audio is such a critical part of what needs to be |
| A VISUAL HEIRLOOM | | | | captured on film, videographers need to use the |
| Your video can provide a "living" memento of | | | | proper audio equipment and not a single |
| your special day, in that every single nuance is | | | | microphone, for example. Therefore, if you find a |
| recaptured, except for perhaps the smells of the | | | | videographer during your search who only uses |
| flowers or of your special perfume. Nonetheless, | | | | one microphone, look elsewhere. |
| everything else is preserved, every visual image, | | | | Some videographers will give you sample DVDs |
| every laugh, every note of your special song, | | | | or CDs of their work. This is a good way to |
| played at the reception. It can also preserve | | | | sample their work on your own time. You can |
| memories to be shown later to people who | | | | take your time, compare styles and make your |
| weren't even born at the time you wedding, such | | | | decision without being rushed. I should also note |
| as your children. Now, how can you skimp on | | | | that almost no one delivers video on VHS |
| that? | | | | cassettes now, unless they are asked to do so. |
| As time goes on, most people realize that their | | | | DVDs offer both superior image quality and |
| video was meant to be an investment, to be | | | | navigation; they are also much more durable and |
| enjoyed again and again. Unlike other things like | | | | less likely to degrade overtime. |
| the caterer or the flower color, they were | | | | Remember that if all of this sounds like a lot of |
| shopping for something as special and as | | | | work, it's worth it because these are memories |
| permanent as their wedding rings. Unfortunately, | | | | that will literally last a lifetime; you'll be sharing |
| many didn't realize this until it's too late. | | | | them with your children and grandchildren, too, if |
| Therefore, don't make the same mistake | | | | you're lucky. After the fact, you'll be glad that you |
| yourself. Choose your videographer with the | | | | went to the trouble to make sure you had quality |
| same care as you would your photographer. | | | | video. You can even have your videographer do |
| DO YOUR HOMEWORK | | | | something special like a "vignette" tape, where he |
| Do your homework and look at the work of as | | | | or she constructs a short "movie" or series of |
| many videographers as you can find. You'll need | | | | photographs in a montage set to music, to |
| to do this because you need to look at several in | | | | encapsulate you and your spouse's lives before |
| order to find what you want and to get an idea | | | | your special day. |
| of what you want your own video to have in it. | | | | |