How does choosing the right wedding videographer determine the style of your wedding video?

Different wedding videographers film and edit in different ways, giving you a variety of styles to choose from.

You’re engaged and due to be married in the next 18 months, and you’re wondering exactly what type of wedding video you want so that can remember your big day in the best light possible…which means choosing the right wedding videographer with the right style of wedding videography…doesn’t it?

Your current search for a wedding videographer has left you a little overwhelmed.

Some of them seem exactly the same for each wedding.

Some have filmed at your venue before and others haven’t…but the ones that haven’t seem great at what they do!

Some have added their personalities and a clear pricing structure….others appear a little more aloof and want you to contact them for their pricing!

Breathe…!

Unless you haven’t been married yourself, or worked in the wedding industry for years, you probably don’t realise that big decisions such as who to choose as your wedding videographer can have such a lasting effect on how you remember your day – forever!

It’s the same with choosing a wedding photographer for your wedding – but in my opinion, this is a little easier. Photos can have that wow factor straight away. Viewing them and scrolling through endless options is easier than with wedding videos, and often it’s easy to see who is at the top of the pile based on branding and personality, than with wedding videographers.

Wedding photographers provide more comparable packages. Essentially you have to decide how long they are going to be at your wedding for, and whether or not you wish to have fully digital photographs, or prints/albums. It’s easy to look at the style of one photographer and compare it to another – then choose the style that fits. Often wedding photographers will complete far more weddings each year, so with more of their work out there, you can quickly get a feel for what their photographs provide.

Just like many wedding photographers, I know wedding videographers who put their whole lives on their social media. So they should – they’re looking for specific wedding couples who fit with their personality.

Yes, whilst you’re out there looking for a specific wedding videographer that suits you, they also have a picture in their mind about who would be the perfect wedding couple.

Recently I spoke to Sam McDermott, from www.inspireweddingfilms.com (yes I’ve just given you a link to someone who could be considered my competition – more on that later). He’s been filming weddings for over 15 years and said that when he positioned his prices at a certain price point, it appealed to a certain client base that he didn’t particularly want to attract to his business.

Personally, I’ve found this to be the case with me too. I work with a videographer from Belfast who has a very niche and particular client base when it comes to his wedding couples. They don’t get to know him too well and keep the formalities….formal. He fits into their days incredibly well and sometimes when I leave his shoots I can’t help but think “that wouldn’t be my perfect client”.

Whenever I leave a wedding after spending more than 12 hours filming I’m always met with appreciation from my bride and groom – and this always takes me by surprise. I presume that I’m there to complete part one of a long process – culminating in delivering an incredible wedding film that they love….but the reality is that how I interact with them and their guests at my weddings is exactly what they appreciate.

I’m not too pushy and pride myself on being able to take a step into the background and film what happens naturally – there is however a time when I have to direct some movements or positions that lend themselves well to video. The longer I’m in the wedding industry, the more I’m adapting my style of filming to each couple. When I film with my friend from Belfast, his clients seem to expect more. This is one of the reasons why his wedding couples aren’t my preferred client-base.

How I work

I get to know each and every couple that I work with, before their wedding.

I recently sat down for a chat with Craig and Nicole, who were getting married at the Rabbit Hotel in Templepatrick and asked them what they thought of my wedding videography.

Nicole loved everything about my videos and Craig particularly loved my drone footage. He said he didn’t want to hear his voice in his wedding film – which is often a big part of my storytelling. So I made sure not to include it in their final edit. I made sure to add a drone shot too! Meeting them before the wedding put them at ease that they could trust me wholeheartedly.

I’m not just a bloke behind a camera, I’m a father of two, and a person who loves being at weddings! I’ve been told before that my passion for weddings really shines through in person – I guess it’s hard not to show what people love doing!

But what about wedding videography styles?

Some wedding videographers stick with one style. They get incredibly good at it, and only take on wedding couples who want their style.

I put myself on a sliding scale, and categorise the styles of wedding videography into the following:

·          Traditional

Nice and simple. You show the timeline as it unfolds on the day and make sure that it captures the emotion of the day.

·          Romantic

I like my couples to write letters to each other and read them on camera the day of the wedding. This adds an extra element of romance, especially when coupled with personal wedding vows.

·          Fun

There’s always plenty of fun that goes on during a wedding - usually a tight knit group of friends, a funny best man or kids are the best source of this! I stay until after the first dance to catch everyone on the dancefloor having a great time and letting their hair down.

·          Family-based

Some people are just more family-oriented than others. Some brides and grooms have a more intimate ceremony and bring their grandparents who might not be in the best health (but usually bust out the best dance moves!).

No wedding film ever falls into just one of these categories. There’s often an overlap and it gives the wedding film the flavour that it needs!

When I meet my couples, I see what it is that they hold dear. Adam and Nicola married at Galgorm Resort and Spa (Northern Ireland). They have 3 incredible boys that became a focal point for their video, and when coupled with the romance that they had for each other it made for an amazing family-based video that was also romantic.

Shot from wedding of Adam and Nicola at Galgorm Resort - photo credit: Mark Barnes Photography: www.markbarnesphotography.co.uk

Connah and Donna married at the Clandeboye lodge (Northern Ireland) and wanted a more traditional and discreet film, and that’s what they got, but it also showed his family who had travelled over from England and Scotland to be there for their big day.

David and Frances chose to get married at Clonabreany House (Ireland) so that their guests could make a fun weekend of it – this is exactly what their wedding film showed, along with just how madly in love the couple are!

My friend Neil, from Mozzfilms shoots in a more candid way, showing off earthy brown tones and often chooses upbeat country music for his edits. He doesn’t often deviate from this type of style - so if you like that style, he’s the man for you.

David and Frances wanted to show a fun and light-hearted day.

Summary

Wedding videographers shouldn’t aim to please everyone.

Not everyone is the perfect client. Good business-people can identify their perfect clients, and brand themselves to market properly to them. This is why I’m happy to put the spotlight on some of my ‘competitors’. No other wedding videographer is exactly like me. You might like the style of Sam McDermott more than you do mine - then you’d be better off booking him! You might like the way Beth from Mindenmedia interacts with her clients on social media - great!

Good wedding videographers adapt their style of filming on the day. Some couples need to be directed when it comes to couple’s portraits. I’ve filmed an actress before who was a natural in front of the camera, and some brides just need to relax a little - which is fine, and it’s my job to make that happen in the most natural way possible!

Some couples want the killer shots - the big drone shots overhead - other couples want the more subtle approach.

Want a different perspective? Check out www.weddingsparrow.com recent post on how to choose a wedding videographer - it’s always great to get a balance persepective.

The next time you’re looking at which wedding videographer is right for you, take a look a little deeper at not only their personality, but how their style permeates each wedding video that they publish.

For more information on choosing the style of your wedding film, check out this post here.

Good look in your search for your wedding videographer. Choosing the right one will influence the memories that you look back on forever.

Want to know more about commissioning me for your wedding videography? I cover Northern Ireland, Ireland, the UK and destination weddings. For more information just get in touch.

Thanks for reading!

Adam White

Wedding Cinematographer