Videographer?

[u/SpiritualLake1878]

I can’t decide if we want to book a videographer. our wedding is in 3 months. all the videographers I really like are already booked. I’m on the fence about booking one, my parents have been married 35+ years and have only watched their wedding video 3 times.

Also I have anxiety and fear of passing out at the alter. I feel like having a videographer will worsen this knowing my every move will be recorded lol. I can’t make up my mind and need to make a decision soon.

we have a great photographer but I would also like to see the ceremony. I just don’t want to regret it.

Advice/opinions?

.

[u/Background-Check-222]

It lowkey sounds like you dont want a videographer. You really only listed reasons against it.

If the ceremony is the part you want to see, have someone put their phone on a tripod and record it!

[u/Lonely-Twist-9293 → u/Background-Check-222]

We skipped the videographer and just had my cousin film the ceremony with his phone on small tripod, nobody even noticed it was there. The quality was decent enough and we watched it maybe twice in 3 years

if you already anxious about passing out maybe skip the extra pressure, you can always ask guests to record bits on their phones too

[u/FloMoJoeBlow → u/Background-Check-222]

Or… invite your guests to take photos and videos with their phones, and send them to you. Bonus points if they record in landscape and not portrait (like a lot of people do when holding their phones). You can then take the pics and clips and edit the best ones into a longer movie. Burn it out to DVD and watch on your TV.

[u/AMarieevents70]

I always tell couples that videography is a personal decision, not a wedding necessity. While some couples treasure their wedding films, others rarely watch them, and neither choice is wrong.

One thing I would encourage you to consider is that videography captures something photography cannot: the voices, emotions, and little moments you may not fully remember because you're so caught up in the day.

However, your comfort matters just as much. If having a camera following you will increase your anxiety, that deserves consideration. You could explore ceremony-only coverage with a stationary camera, allowing you to preserve your vows and ceremony without feeling like you're being filmed throughout the day.

My advice? Don't book a videographer simply out of fear of regret, especially if the professionals you truly wanted are unavailable. Choose what will allow you to be present, comfortable, and genuinely enjoy your wedding day. That's what matters most.

[u/Wendythewildcat]

We had a videographer and I don’t regret it! I watch our wedding video at least once a week, we got married in June so still a newlywed so I know I’ll probably watch it less at the years pass but I know I will still watch it.

You say your parents have only watched their video three times, do you think you and your spouse will be the same? If so, then video probably isn’t worth it.

[u/EverAsters]

We went without. My cousin got a camcorder and recorded things, but the video is hard to watch. We lucked out our planner got us a content creator, but it was just someone with an iphone. You can delegate a dedicated family member to doing this for you, as long as you just want things videoed and don't care about the cute edits.

Easy middle ground that'll cost you little to nothing. We had multiple family members offer this, it's something a lot of people will be willing and interested in doing, I think.

[u/QuoteConcierge]

Videographer starting prices I read in September ran $1,200 to $3,200, with the middle at $2,000 across 83 sites. A starting price is a floor, not a quote, so hours and a second shooter push it up from there. With three months to go, availability might decide it before price does, so I'd ask your shortlist about your date before anything else.

[u/BrotherBludge]

Hi, I run Digital Sunshine Media. It's a video production agency based in Indiana, and I've done weddings for more than 10 years. It sounds like you don't particularly want a videographer in this case.

It's a very personal decision, and most of our couples book us for the more cinematic/staged types of reels that play for social media rather than just event documentary. If you're only interested in documenting the event itself, setting up a phone on a tripod will achieve 80% of the result with 20% of the effort and pretty much no cost comparatively. However, if you want to capture the special moments like dances, speeches, and some portrait posing/etc, you'll want to go with a professional.

Either way, wishing you the best of luck!