Your wedding day goes by in a blur. From the moment you start getting ready until the final dance of the night, the hours fly by in a whirlwind of joy, love, and celebration. Many brides consider wedding videography an essential part of their big day to capture all those unforgettable moments on camera. But is hiring a wedding videographer truly a must or simply an extra want? Let’s weigh the pros and cons.
The Power of Reliving Your Wedding Day
Watching your wedding video allows you to relive your once-in-a-lifetime moments from a different perspective. A talented videographer will capture the emotions, reactions, and interactions that you likely missed as the bride swept up in the excitement. Seeing your ceremony and reception from every angle through video can be incredibly meaningful. You’ll notice heartwarming details and touching glances between loved ones that you want to cherish forever. Having a keepsake video of your wedding day is a special way to reminisce and share for years to come.
Preserving Precious Memories and Milestones
Certain significant events like your first dance, father-daughter dance, and wedding toasts happen only once. Though you experience them in real time, the memories can start to fade surprisingly quickly. Wedding videos preserve those precious memories and milestone moments just as they happened. You’ll be able to see the joy on your dad’s face during your dance and hear the touching words from your best friend’s maid of honor speech word for word. A wedding video becomes a priceless heirloom to have and hold onto for the rest of your lives.
Potential Regrets Down the Road
Many brides who opt out of wedding videography end up regretting their decision later on. Once the wedding excitement wears off, the realization sets in that there’s no video keepsake of the biggest day of your lives. Couples who wish they had a wedding video often try recreating photos in their dresses or tuxes, but it’s just not the same. As years pass, photos and memories fade more and more. Having a wedding video can save you from regrets and disappointment in the future when you want to vividly relive your wedding in motion.
The High Costs and Extra Logistics
On the other hand, hiring a videographer is one of the most expensive elements of wedding planning, with costs averaging around $2000. For couples on a tight budget, wedding videography can push the overall price tag out of reach. The expense may outweigh the benefits of having a video, especially if you’ve hired a talented photographer to beautifully capture the day. Extra logistics like scheduling, providing meals, and arranging a good vantage point for videography also add to the planning stress. If costs and logistics are prohibitive, brides should not feel obligated to have a videographer.
Weigh Your Wants and Needs
At the end of the day, the decision of whether to hire a wedding videographer comes down to your personal wants and needs. If you love watching wedding videos and know you’d regret not having one, the investment is likely worth it. If you’re less concerned with video and more focused on excellent photography, those funds could be better spent elsewhere. Take time to consider your budget, priorities and preferences. For many brides, wedding videography is the ultimate must-have. For others, it falls into the “nice to have” category. Determine what feels right for you and your partner. Your wedding day will be magical with or without a videographer!
The bottom line is that wedding videography allows you to vividly relive the sights and sounds of your big day for years to come. But the additional costs and logistics mean it may not make sense for every couple. Carefully weigh whether a wedding video is a must or a want based on your budget, personality and priorities. Whatever you decide, embrace all the special moments and cherished memories on your wedding day!”
