Is wedding videography the right choice for you?

Do you really even need a wedding videographer? Nah, I wouldn’t bother to be honest. In fact, if you turn your wedding album on its side you can use it as a flipbook. 

It’s just like my Best Man said in his speech…hang on, what did he say in his speech? Everyone was laughing, so I guess it must’ve been good. Anyway, I remember when I got married…actually, it’s all a bit of a blur. Thinking about it, maybe a wedding video wouldn’t be such a bad idea after all.

But it’s not that easy, is it? If you ‘select all’ on your wedding options, not only will you be broke, you’ll spend all day keeping the wedding alpaca away from the doughnut wall. You simply can’t say yes to everything. 

And wedding videography is a big investment. It’s not for everyone, and it’s definitely not something to be rushed into on a whim. So to help you decide if it’s the right choice for you as a couple, here’s 6 reasons you should hire a wedding videographer. 

1. Wedding videography brings your day to life

Imagine cuddling up on the sofa in a few years time and watching your wedding video together. 

You hear the crack in your voice as you give your speech. Hear the background rustle of dresses and buttonholes, glasses chiming, people laughing. You say something romantic and look down at them with a smile. They catch your eye and smile back. You walk across the sweeping lawn of a Scottish castle, laugh and joke and talk about your future. You stop for a kiss and pull in for a hug, as the wind catches your hair and the camera pans out to sea. 

And suddenly you’re not on the sofa anymore. You’re right back in those moments, reliving them all over again. 

Memories aren’t just split-second snapshots. They’re a before, during and after, filled with movement and sound, atmosphere and emotion. We don’t remember in photos, we remember in video. And there won’t be many ‘best days of your lives’ you’ll get the chance to have a video of. 

2. You get to experience your day from another perspective

This may seem glaringly obvious, or it may be an ‘oh yeah!’ lightbulb moment. But here goes. A wedding video gives you a chance to experience your day from a whole new perspective other than your own. 

You’ll see your guests applauding as you have your first kiss, see yourselves running hand-in-hand through a shower of confetti. You’ll see guests laughing and joking with each other when you’re chatting away on the other side of the room. See your mum pushing away a tear with the palm of her hand as you’re lost in each other’s eyes on the dancefloor.

And you’ll get to see all the moments you missed. Be in the room with each other as you’re getting ready. See your partner waiting for you at the altar, hopping from foot to foot with nerves before you arrive. There’s a whole side to your wedding day you’ll never get to see. A wedding video lets you experience it like you were really there. 

3. Wedding videography gives you a window into the past

Your wedding video won’t just capture what happened on your day, it’ll capture the people who were there. Parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends and children. 

And sure, for the first few years- maybe even decades- you’ll watch your wedding video and notice the details and the moments. The florals, the venue, a great line from the speech, an emotional part of the ceremony. 

But one day in the future, all you’ll see is the people in it. “Oh look there’s…” and “Oh wow, look how young they were…” You’ll see the way their faces crease as they smile, hear their voices, hear their laughter. Photos of your loved ones are invaluable. But a video can reignite your memory of a person like nothing else. 

4. You get to rewatch the speeches and the vows

The speeches and the vows will be some of the most personal, heartfelt, emotional parts of your wedding day. Your heart will be thumping, your mind will be racing, your voice will be shaking. And as much as you’ll wish you remembered every second of it, you’ll barely remember a word.

Some couples keep the notes from their speeches or vows in their ‘wedding keepsake’ box. Some couples even frame them. But imagine having them on film (and recorded in HD sound, I might add). Imagine being able to press play on your memories and relive the moment all over again. 

It could be a tradition on your anniversary, something to set the mood on Valentine’s Day. Or just sitting by yourself in your wedding dress sobbing and eating ice cream. Whenever and wherever you watch them, I promise, you will watch them. Over and over again. 

5. Wedding videography and photography are different things

“If we already have a wedding photographer, do we even need a videographer?”

As a wedding videographer, this is a question I get asked a lot (or at least one I feel lurking in the background). So let’s pull it out by the ears and have a little word with it. 

No, you can’t frame a wedding video. But neither can you snuggle up on the sofa together and watch a photo. And as much as I love photos, there’s a reason Marvel make more money from films than they do from comics. Because while it’s nice to see a beautiful moment frozen in time, there’s something truly magical about watching that moment come to life. 

Now don’t get me wrong, wedding photography is priceless. Until our children were born, my wife and I had our wedding photos in pretty much every frame in the house. But do you really need two photographers, a photo-booth and disposable cameras on every table? It’s like the old saying, don’t put all your memories in one album (or maybe something about eggs and baskets?)

6. You won’t regret it

It’s not nice talking about regret. So I’m not even going to mention the study that says 75% of couples regret not having a wedding video. Let’s just keep things positive, shall we?!

You wanna know one of my favourite moments as a wedding videographer? It’s waiting for a couple’s reaction after I’ve sent them their wedding video. I’ve had screaming voice-notes, I’ve had ALL CAPS messages, I’ve had couples calling me in floods of tears. And I’ll tell you something. It’s never a lukewarm ‘meh’. I’ve never had a couple who weren’t bothered, who didn’t get emotional, who weren’t absolutely buzzing or crying (or both) after watching their wedding video for the first time. 

Your wedding video will be something you genuinely love for the rest of your lives. And of all the things you spend money on for your wedding day, you’ll never regret investing in that. 

If you’re looking for a wedding videographer in Edinburgh and you love my work, I’d be so excited to hear from you. Get in touch today and let’s get to know each other before you make any decisions.