Why Hire a Photographer AND a Videographer
A common concern we answer when chatting with couples about wedding video is this: I already have a photographer, why would I also need a videographer?
Our response to this question is simple: photo captures a moment; video captures a memory. Photo helps you to remember how everything looked--all of the details you spent hours pouring over; but video takes you back to how it feels. You don't just see a snapshot of your first dance, you see the movement, the twirling, the little giggles and conversation you shared. You see the walk down the aisle from both sides again and again. You watch your little ring bearer, or your grandparents, or your parents frozen in time just as they were, in full motion and color. Yes, both photo and video will help you to remember. But video will help you to relive.
Photo OR Video? No! Photo AND Video!
We totally understand why wedding photography is a must. Even if you took careful screenshots from your video, it wouldn't quite meet the need to have something to print for grandma for Christmas next year, or to make your profile photo. Videos capture motion, and though you can get gorgeous screenshots, they won't have the depth of a great photo. Photos are handy! Photos decorate your mantle, your hallways, your online profiles, and other odd places throughout your life. You can't exactly hold a video. But what a video can do that a photo can't is take you right into the story. Photo engages one sense, but video engages all of your senses. Recall the smell of the wedding bouquet, the touch of your bride's gown, the sound of the cellist as you walked down the aisle, the ring of your little niece's laughter, the taste of your first bite of wedding cake. It's all there for you to enjoy, watch, and re-watch again and again. We're not here to say that you should hire a wedding videographer instead of a photographer--even we have photos on our mantle that we wouldn't trade for the world! But photography and videography does make one hell of a team.
A Creative Advantage
When you hire an excellent photographer AND an excellent videographer, you get the best of both professions. An excellent photographer will stage the still shots, the ones you'll print on canvas and give to Mom later, and then a videographer will step in and encourage some movement. They'll capture the flutter of the veil, the twirl of your dress, the gently falling leaves or bright blue water of your wedding venue. While your videographer is setting up a shot, your photographer gets an idea, they capture some candid photos inspired by your videographer. Your photographer's next pose inspires your videographer, who modifies it slightly to capture even more creative video. When we're on-site with you, we are a team. Not just a videographer and a photographer, but a carefully selected team with your best interest in mind, working together to give you the best of our combined creativity. It's a beautiful thing to be part of. And an even more beautiful thing to receive in photo and video form after your wedding day.
The Two-in-One Shampoo of Memory Preserving
Alright, so you're convinced, you're open to checking out a videographer, but it'd be nice to save some budget. Maybe you want to look at a videographer who offers both photo and video. We won't stop you! We've met some great professionals who offer combined packages. But think of it this way--when you get a two-in-one shampoo, are you really getting the best out of either the shampoo or the conditioner? Or are they both losing some of their effectiveness by serving different goals at the same time? This is how we think about photo + video packages. For us, to focus on just one thing, and to do it with all of our excellence, leads to the best possible wedding videos. We've met some videographers who also offer photos and do a good job of each. But we know how weddings keep you on your toes. If you're trying to capture video with the eye of a photographer, and photo in a way that works for video, you might not get the results you're looking for.
But what about the budget?
The budget is the most stressful component of most weddings. Whether you're tying the knot at 18 or 35, you're still trying to balance that budget, and to get all that you can out of your wedding without starting your life together under a mountain of debt. Like many of the vendors in our circle, we are always looking for ways to help with the budget. We keep our prices low, and deliver as much footage as possible, while also accepting a variety of payment plans. We want to make sure everyone can have a wedding video, because we really believe in it.
The best way to see if a wedding video will fit your budget is to get an estimate and talk to an expert. Lucky for you, we can do both! Shoot us a message to get a custom quote for your wedding day, or schedule a call to receive a quote and our two cents on what would work best for your wedding day, all at once. We would love to help you capture your wedding day memories to have and to hold, 'till death do us part.
