How Much Should I Spend On Wedding Videography?
There is a wedding videographer out there who is just right for your wedding and like anything, your investment will reflect on your return. Simply put you PAY for what you get.
For the purpose of this article we have categorized videographers into three general categories; “The Hobbyist”, “The Professional” and the “The Artist.” A videographer in any of these three categories may be right for you, depending on what you are looking for and what you are willing to invest. An average Videographers in Las Vegas costs $4500 for high-quality filming/editing.
Entry Level Videographer
(Packages starting at $2,000)
These entry-level videographers have often been dubbed the “weekend warriors.” These are individuals who either have another full-time job or are just starting out. They started out filming a friend’s wedding, had fun and decided that they want to make some extra money on the side. Everyone has to start somewhere and most videographers started at this level.
RISK: Every videographer learns valuable lessons of “what not to do” simply through shooting more and more weddings. If you choose to go with this level of videographer you do run the risk that they will learn just such a lesson on your wedding. They are also more likely to use entry level equipment and there may be a long waiting period before you receive your completed wedding video.
REWARD: The most obvious reward is the lower price point, as shown above, this reward brings greater risks. The other reward is that if you are lucky enough to find a new videographer (making their way up from entry-level to professional) then they are going to be passionate about your wedding. They have something to prove and need to get their name out there so they may be willing to do more for you at a lower price point then the recognized professional. (note: this up and coming videographer will likely be younger and have only been on the market for a few years).
The Professional Videographer
(Packages starting at $2,000 – $4,000)
These videographers have moved past the hobbyist level and are now making a decent living at their craft. They have worked out their “what not to do” lessons on past weddings and are perfecting their craft. They realize that a happy bride is critical to their business remaining successful, therefore they will put the bride first. A professional videographer will also invest their money into getting up-to-date equipment and it will also work in your favor that this level of a videographer has also been around enough vendors to know most of the people they are working with. You are not likely to see this videographer in a fist fight with your photographer!
The Cinematographer:
(Packages starting at $4,000 – $7,000)
If you are looking for a world-class video, a true Hollywood masterpiece in which you get to play the lead role, then this is the level of videographer for you. These are the videographers that fly all over the world filming and their work truly is amazing.
