When looking to hire your wedding photographer, more times than not you’re also contemplating booking a videographer too. In this article I will help you understand what you should look for and what mistakes to avoid.

I’ve shared my thoughts on choosing the right photographer in this article.

Let me help you understand the basic difference between the work and the delivered product of a photographer and a videographer. The photographer’s main job , in a nutshell, is to make sure they capture your bridal portraits, your families, your wedding decoration and photojournalistic shots in an elegant and timeless way. But it doesn’t end right there. There’s another step that often times get neglected. The true value of photography is the printed images. These images will not lose their quality over time and they are the true keepsakes of your wedding day. That’s why I always offer printed images in all my wedding packages.

The biggest difference that videography has, is audio. Just think about the speeches and your parents’ voices. These will be recorded, and let me be a little dramatic here, but it’s scientific fact. The first thing we forget when a person leaves, is the sound of their voice.

So if you are planning your wedding, you know that booking your photographer is one of the top 3 priorities. You can read a more extended article on wedding planning tips & advice, if you like. The first and foremost factor to consider when shortlisting your videographers is that they have a similar aesthetic style to your photographer. If you picked a wedding photographer like me, for example, where I love bright, airy, romantic images, it would just make sense to find a videographer with a similar approach. That means that we look for the same lighting conditions. I love soft, diffused light not harsh and contrasty. Also regarding the editing, if you see a videographer using dark and moody colors, they most probably look for a different kind of light than mine. Working together would be very difficult as the shooting wouldn’t have a natural flow.

Another important factor is sharing the space and time we have to make the most for you. As the most common situation involves having 4 professionals, 2 photographers and 2 videographers on-site, you don’t want to feel like you’re surrounded by cameras. Knowing when and how to keep a distance, respecting your guests’ viewpoint and been properly presented are some characteristics you should also consider. A good collaboration between a photographer and a videographer means that even the most confined places, we’ll have a mutual understanding to take the shot. That’s why, I have a list of recommended videographers that I work with. As your wedding planner most probably shared a list of preferred vendors, I too have a list of preferred videographers and make-up artists.

A final word of advice for a question that often comes up. Should I look for photographer and videographer package? My answer on this one is an absolute NO! Why? Because if something comes in a package it means that you have to book them together even if you’re not excited with both their work. Instead, if you book your photographer first, ask them to share their list of recommended videographers. Since you liked their work, it’s guaranteed that you will like the videographer’s work too. Same as when you originally booked your wedding planner.