I know I’m somewhat biased about hiring a videographer (good idea) rather than using a friend or relative (not so good idea) - but here are 2 stories I was told in the last week.

Went to a home party last week where there were several women who had been married in the last few years.  I asked one gal, married about 3 years, pregnant with her 2nd child, if she had used a videographer.  She said, “No, a friend of my husband did it for us.”  I asked her if it had turned out well - she said “I don’t know - we haven’t seen it yet.”  That would be frustrating.

Then, yesterday, a recently married bride called us.  She had had a relative do her video, and it was “shaky, blurry, motion-sickness inducing at times” and she wanted to see if we could fix it.  Well, the technology does exist - but it is very time consuming and takes a lot of computer time to do.  When she asked about pricing, we told her that we would need to sit down with her, look at the video, and see how much needed cleaning up - but that it would be at least $50 per finished minute, due to the extreme amount of time involved.

For a typical wedding, our finished DVD would include the complete ceremony (most are 30-60 minutes long, sometimes longer), an edited ceremony, reception coverage, and highlights of the day - about 2 hours (120 minutes).  It would have been much more cost-effective if she had hired us to do it right - and she has lost her chance to capture those memories forever.

We use great cameras - quality audio equipment - and most importantly - professional videographers, who have in-depth knowledge of how to shoot and edit your wedding memories.  A camera and a tripod do not make a videographer - and I could produce a better finished video with a consumer camera and my knowledge, than an amateur could with the best equipment.
Something to think about - Video is not expensive - it’s priceless.

Got a request yesterday from a bride and groom that I don’t get often - to receive a copy of their source footage - in other words, the raw video that we shoot throughout the day, that we edit and turn into the finished DVD.

I have mixed feelings about giving this to brides and grooms.  The usual stress of having to worry all day about what I might say (when I know I’m not going to use the audio from that camera), how will my shots look to an untrained eye, that type of thing.

But the real reason I don’t like to give it out is this … If you’ve ever been to Disney World (or similar theme park) - Mickey isn’t allowed in Guest areas without his full costume on - to avoid breaking the “magic” that allows us to believe that it really is Mickey standing there.  It’s not too different with the type of wedding video I produce.  With the right music, color correction, speed, etc. an ordinary clip of, say, the bride sliding her foot into her shoe becomes a graceful, emotional moment … and in raw footage, it looks a lot like someone putting on her shoe.  I don’t want to spoil the “magic” my brides and grooms feel when they watch their video - the romance, the emotion that I try and create for them to share.  You don’t want to see the moments that may not have gone well … the flower girl crying, your mom angry at the florist, a drunk guest interrupting the interview we were doing with your grandmother.  Let us show you the great moments, the moments you’ll want to remember forever, the emotional and romantic moments.  Let us do our job - to give you the best and the brightest moments from your day.
Just today’s thought on wedding video …

I want to address this tip to my brides, bridesmaids, and maids-of-honor (maid-of-honors?) -

To phrase this delicately - be aware of yourself as you adjust the front of your dresses -  many ladies have the unconscious habit if hitching up and otherwise adjusting the fit of their dress throughout the day - remember, a lot of people are watching you!

Another tip - if you can walk in your dress without picking up your skirt, do so - it looks so much more elegant and graceful as you walk.  Again, this is something we all do unconsciously, so practice a bit to see if you can.  (Of course, if you can’t - then do hold it up!  No tripping and falling in the aisle! )

Attended a lovely wedding this weekend in Logan, IA. The bride and groom had known each other - literally - since nursery school (I had a photo of them together in nursery school in their photo montage). After 5 years of dating, it was time to tie the knot! Their wedding was on a golf course, outside, overlooking a lovely lake. The weather was cooperative - clear skies, sunshine, not too hot - and the ceremony was beautiful. The DJ provided a sound system so that the vows, readings, and soloist could be heard well by all the guests. The bride’s aunt sang several songs during the ceremony, giving it a special personal touch. And the photographer had been friends with the bride’s mother since Kindergarten! Bandstand Music (Curtis) was the DJ for the evening, and he did a great job of keeping it hoppin’ on the dance floor. And - I have to say - probably the yummiest wedding cake I’d ever tasted - I am going to have to contact the bride and see who baked her cake - I’ll post it when I find out. All in all it was a great day - very friendly people, calm bride and groom, just a very pleasant day for us!