Why is wedding videography so expensive? We know many couples ask themselves this question. Wedding videography can feel expensive, but most couples in search of a well-made wedding video don't realize all that goes into creating a beautiful suite of videos out of your cherished wedding dayexperience. We're here to tell you what you're REALLY paying for when you pay for a wedding video--and why we believe every penny is worth it.

The History of Wedding Videos

In the early days of wedding videography, it wasn't all that uncommon to have one videographer and one camera. We like to call this the "single camera at the back" style of videography. You could see a good amount of the procession, hear the vows (if somebody brought a decent microphone), and got a solid view of the newlyweds as they came back down the aisle.

Modern videographers are armed with vast video and editing capabilities. We can make use of additional tools, like drone videography, high-power microphones, and most importantly, high-definition cameras. With the ability to edit between multiple cameras and camera angles, to adapt to varied lighting environments, and to capture ever-increasingly lifelike video, modern videography can bring you back to your wedding day in a way that's unmatched, even with other wedding day mementos and photos. We like to say photos take you back to how everything looked, but video takes you back to how it felt.

What You're Paying For with a Wedding Video

There are three main services you're paying a videographer to provide:

1. Editing (and delivery!) after the Big Day
2. Videography on the Big Day
3. Consultation before the Big Day

Let's break down each of these services, why they're important, how much of the total cost they make up, and how your friendly neighborhood videographers are working hard to keep these services as affordable as possible for the couples who want to capture and preserve their wedding days.

Editing (and Delivery!) After the Big Day

One of the services we invest in most here at UNF is editing, and our videos are better for it.

We use top-of-the-line editing software to make sure your videos are as high-definition and lifelike as possible. We want you to see the most authentic version of the wedding you’ve worked so hard to plan, and the real relationship you’ve poured all of your energy and love into building. Our staff videographers do a great job of capturing those moments, but an equally vital part of creating the perfect wedding video includes hours (and hours) of meticulous and passionate editing.

We don’t contract out editors. Anyone who edits a UNF video is trained by UNF to create wedding videos that meet our standards. We also edit each video completely uniquely. From the color grading to the story boarding to the music, each wedding video we create is custom made to perfectly replicate the experience our video team witnessed on the big day. When you're paying for a wedding video from Unnamed Films, editing is one of the main services you're paying for.

Our editing and delivery process is rigorous. The whole team is involved at every step, and we don't cut corners. We also involve our clients! From the very beginning, as our office staff is getting to know you and your priorities, then, as the videographers are meeting you and experiencing your big day, and finally, as the editors are reviewing your footage--we are taking careful notes and collaborating to make sure we can craft a video that takes you back to that day. We want you to laugh, to cry, and to fall a little bit more in love every time you watch.

When it comes to delivery, our videos are never late. This takes some expert project management (and a lot of late nights), but it's worth it. Our couples know what to expect, and we deliver promptly--every time.

What Gets Delivered?

Many videographers have multiple deliverables in their packages. At Unnamed Films, we want to deliver as much wedding day footage as possible! Our all-day packages include a FULL Ceremony video, elegantly edited between multiple cameras, a full Reception video, which pulls together all of the headline events from the Reception, and one of our beloved highlight-style videos, which tell the story of the big day from start to finish, set to music that will take you right back to those moments. We also send out a little teaser while you wait, so you can preview a little bit of the video and let us know what you think of the editing and music.

Videography on the Big Day

Videography is the other service we invest the most in here at UNF. We hire top-quality videographers, and pay them fairly. Much like our editing team, we don't contract out videographers--any videographer who wears the UNF logo is our employee, trained by our team to capture weddings in our style so that we can maintain the artistic quality and attention-to-detail that our clients have grown to love. An important part of our wedding day strategy is sending two expert videographers to every shoot, with multiple cameras for each. This helps us to make sure we capture EVERY moment on the big day, from the view on both sides of the aisle to catching either side of a first look, having multiple videographers makes all the difference.

Any videographer you talk to will be accounting for a few factors in their price for day-of videography. They’ll be considering the number of videographers they’re sending, the gear those videographers will need, the hours they will be on-site, and the distance they’ll need to travel. At UNF, we don’t like to add any fees on the back end--so for us, it's important to consider all of these factors when creating our initial customized estimate.

Consultation before the Big Day

In the pie that makes up our wedding day package prices, communication is the smallest slice. However, it's one of the most important services we provide! Before the big day, our dedicated office staff will be communicating with you to get to know you, your fiancé, and your plans for the big day. They’ll work with you to help you:

💡Choose a Package

💡Create a Timeline

💡Decide on your Priorities (Including video, music, and more!)

💡Communicate with Vendors

💡Pin Down Final Details

And finally, they will assign and communicate with the video and editing team, making sure our whole crew knows what to expect and shows up ready to roll (pun somewhat intended) on the big day.

With excellent communication, we're able to help our clients create an efficient (and video-friendly) timeline, and can network with the vendors you've selected (even vendors we haven't worked with before!) to create an unstoppable wedding day team. Every wedding is different, and communication is what sets a good videographer apart from a great one.

Is a Wedding Video Worth It?

So is a wedding video worth the cost?

We might be a little biased, but we certainly think so. Especially when you consider all of the hours of love and attention our team is ready to put toward your big day. We always say we're in this business because we want to be, not because we have to be--and we stand by that. Every member of our team is equally passionate about capturing life's biggest moments. And we make sure it shows in the wedding videos we deliver.

So... How Much Does it cost?

Because each wedding is unique, each pricing sheet we provide is unique as well. To get your custom videography estimate, contact us today! Someone from our office staff will reach back to you shortly with more information.

We love what we do. And we are grateful to every couple who checks out our website, fills out a contact form, or books us for their wedding day for enabling us to do the thing that we love.