Choosing a Wedding Videographer

Zoom in on the latest wedding video trends, and find the best match for your needs. Then, choose the video pro to make it happen.

A New Twist: Documentary-Style Video

Want a wedding video that plays like a stylish HBO documentary or an independent film? Some videographers hold degrees in filmmaking or broadcast journalism, and they'll strive to shoot your wedding like a "fly on the wall," thoughtfully recording the event with a storyteller's understanding of real, dramatic moments as well as a cinematographer's eye for beautiful images.

The best documentary-style videographers (some prefer the term "videojournalist") work with a three-chip broadcast digital camera, like the Sony PD 150. This type of camera performs well in low-light situations such as a candlelit ballroom, eliminating the need to bring in extra lighting, which can be obtrusive and distracting. These pros also use state-of-the-art editing software to create stylish, cinematic effects like split-screen images, panoramic letterbox views or turning certain scenes to sepia or black-and-white (to get that vintage, silent-film-starring-Charlie-Chaplin look).

You'll pay $1,700 to $5,000 for a documentary-style videographer, but that's because he or she will spend 30 to 60 hours editing your wedding and artfully arranging the best scenes into a comprehensive, fun-to-watch film.

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