You have invested incredulous hours planning the details of your wedding day. From the guest list to the flowers and detailed decor, you have chosen the very elements that make this day a true celebration of your uniqueness. There is no doubt you will want to live it all over and over again. Now it is time to schedule your videographer… how many hours should you purchase them for?

You Have To Decide:
What kind of coverage do you want? There are many options to consider. Some wedding videographers offer a ‘ceremony-only’ package, others offer a limited coverage option. Then, there is always the option for full day coverage.  So many options, which is right for you?

Ceremony Only:
Some videographers offer the ‘ceremony-only’ package. This is usually a very cost effective video option, but you have to consider that in the end all you will have in your wedding video is your ceremony. The ceremony is extremely important, but years from now will you actually sit down and watch your 90-minute Catholic mass all the way through? Will you wonder what made you laugh while you were getting ready or how your groom looked before he headed to the altar? Will you wish you could see how funny your best man was during his toast or how beautiful it was to see your mother and father whispering to each other during your first dance? These are all things you will want to consider when looking at your wedding video options.

Bridal Tip: If your budget is tight (and you are just looking for ceremony coverage anyway) consider having a family friend set up a few cameras around the church. It will not be as well produced as a professional (and the audio will be poor) but you will save some cash and you will still have the coverage.

Limited Coverage:
A limited wedding video package usually includes 5 to 6 hours of coverage. It is a package designed for couples adhering to a budget or couples that would prefer to start their video package at the start of the ceremony. This type of coverage usually runs through the entire ceremony and important elements of the reception. While having the reception coverage in your video will be a better keepsake then just the ceremony you will miss out on anything that happens before the ceremony.

Have you considered…
All that happens before your ceremony? As the bride, when you get ready there are many invaluable moments which occur with your bridesmaids and family. There will be spontaneous sparks of nervous laughter, cherished words spoken and humorous candid moments that you will want to capture and keep.

Full Day Coverage
If a full day is in your budget, then this is the way to go. “Before the dress is on, before the hair and makeup are perfect, the true personality and character of the bride shines through… those are the moments when a videographer can truly capture the essence and foundation of the day,” said videographer Dave Bigler. A magical moment can happen at any time and those moments can be relived over and over again in a couple’s wedding video. There may be nothing truer to a couple’s memory than allowing a wedding videographer complete access to the entire day.

Bridal Tip: Some videographers will be willing to cut out some extra elements from a video package in order to allow for more coverage time. It never hurts to ask your videographer to customize their offering for you!

But I’m Camera Shy!
So, you are saying you don’t want some creepy guy filming you and your girls as you get ready?
“Then don’t hire a creepy camera guy! A good videographer will watch how people are interacting with the camera and adapt accordingly. If a bride clearly does not want to see the camera, then a good videographer will become invisible. If on the other hand the bride is hamming it up and clearly having a great time, then the videographer will react to that. A good videographer will seem like another friend at your wedding, not a hired vendor,” Dave explained.

Happily Ever After
Your wedding day will be something you celebrate every year for years to come. Your video package will be one of the most pivotal decisions you make. You will want to relive those treasured moments, so carefully consider the best package to reflect what is most important to you.

Bridal Tip: Skimp on the add-ons in order to get as much coverage as you can afford. Purchase as many hours as you can, because in the end, the ability to watch your moments unfold years from your wedding day will be a keepsake you will cherish.

Special Thanks to JP & Joe from Elario Photography for the above images. They were captured at Melissa & Dave’s wedding this past summer. Bigler Productions produced their wedding video below, enjoy!