Is a Wedding Video Worth It?

I’ve heard plenty of people ponder the question of whether it’s worth hiring a videographer to create a wedding video for their big day. There are many vendors and services that couples need to consider for their wedding day. With so many options, and often a limited budget, many couples need to make a decision on which of these services are most important for them. 

Ultimately, that’s a decision that you need to make for yourself. Every couple is different, and has different goals, interests, and values. There’s no right or wrong answer, it’s just about whatever works for you. But hopefully this post will give you some food for though when you’re considering hiring a videographer!

A lot of people wonder if it’s worth it to hire a videographer if they already have a photographer. After all, photos are a form of documentation, so do you really need anything more? 

Photos are great for capturing a single moment in time, such as the first kiss at your ceremony. But video brings moments to life in a way that photos simply can’t. Video allows you to not only reminisce on the big moments, but actually watch them play out again in real time. Video can allow you to relive all of those special moments, like the first time you see your partner walking down the aisle, or your first dance as a married couple. 

Video can also provide an extra dimension that photos lack: audio. There’s an argument to be made that good audio can make or break a film, and weddings are no exception. Audio is incredibly powerful for immersing the viewer within a scene. The ambient sounds, the dialogue exchanged, and the choice of music can all set the scene and evoke different emotions. Good audio can make the visuals more immersive than they would have been without.

Storytelling in a Wedding Video

Now don’t get me wrong, photos absolutely can and do tell a story. Storytelling is not a characteristic that is unique to video. However, storytelling through photos and video are two very different disciplines, and can have very different impacts on the viewer.

One storytelling technique that cannot be achieved with photos is the interview. Interviews are an incredible way of learning more information about the couple, their relationship, and the goals and dreams they share together. Just how documentary films often use interviews to tell their stories, the same can be done for a wedding video. 

As mentioned previously, music can also amplify the emotions in any given scene, making a deeper connection with the viewer. The instrumentals, tempo, and overall style of any given song can drastically change the feeling of your wedding video.

And finally, the use of editing can also help to convey feelings and story in a way that photos cannot. When you’re looking through your wedding photos, you’re seeing individual shots one by one. A wedding video, on the other hand, is crafted with all of the elements above in mind in order to perfectly convey the story of your wedding day. 

Conclusion

At the end of the day, photography and videography are two disciplines with many similarities, but many differences as well. There are distinct advantages to both photo and video, and you experience both in different ways. If you have the budget, and are looking for the most comprehensive documentation of your wedding day, it’s great to do both. But if you can only afford one or the other, it’s really up to you to determine what’s more important to you, and what you feel is the best investment.

Only you can decide what seems like the best use of your wedding budget, but hopefully this article can help you out in making that decision!