How Much Will Your Wedding Videographer Cost in 2018?

2018 City and State Averages

Where you live will affect how much you can expect to pay. Shown below are the average costs for wedding videography services over the past 9-12 months. How does your area compare? Keep in mind that these numbers are averages, and the median costs paid by couples for this service will often be lower. *NOTE: The amounts appearing below are updated throughout the year.

What is Included?

Your wedding video along with any photos you take will often be the best way to relive the details of your wedding, since each special moment is being captured as they actually happened. You can expect to be able to choose from between three to five packages, depending on the length of coverage, how many cameras will be used, the style in which it's being shot and edited, if you want the final product to include interviews, titles, special effects, music, etc. Information on the differences of each package and their related costs are shown below:

• Basic or Classic Packages usually consist of a single videographer shooting the wedding ceremony only and can cost anywhere between three and eight hundred dollars. It generally consists of 60 - 90 minutes of shooting time, a single edited video, and basic equipment. Basic packages are usually for couples that want their wedding ceremony professionally recorded for future viewing.

• Deluxe or Enhanced Packages will consist of coverage of both the ceremony and reception and will usually include a second shooter at both locations to capture different angles of each important moment. They generally cost anywhere between $800 and $1800 and can include up to 3-5 hours of shooting time and will include effects like custom music and titles in the film. Proper lighting, microphones, and other equipment will be provided by the videographer, and multiple DVD copies of the final product should be provided.

• Luxury or Platinum Packages will include professional movie quality as a final product and prices can start upwards of two thousand dollars or more. Multiple shooters will completely cover every moment of your wedding, including the planning time with your vendors, your rehearsal, the preparation of your wedding venue, the bridal party getting dressed, the ceremony and reception, interviews with everyone, even the couple driving off together. They will also include 6 hours or more of shooting time, custom music and titles, a photo montage of important moments, multiple edited versions, multiple DVD's, and maybe even a live webcast of the big day for those guests that could not make it!

A la carte options are also available with many videographers, which can include:

• Each shooter will charge $100 or more per hour of coverage. You may have to guarantee a minimum number of hours.

• Extra copies of DVD's

• Online streaming of the event

• Highlight reel or short version

• Rush editing or additional rounds of edits beyond what was originally agreed to in the contract.

• Photo montages and all custom editing work

• Raw footage

Regardless of which package you choose or which options appeal to you, be sure that every single detail is included in the contract to prevent future misunderstandings! From the names of the videographers that will be present at each location, specific times they will be there, how many hours of raw footage each will shoot, what specific moments will be included in the final product, what style will the film be shot (cinematic or documentary), by what date the final product will be delivered, penalty clauses (recommended), even what they will wear on the big day should be included and not be left to chance.

Key Points to remember:

• In 2018, the average wedding couple in the US will pay {averageWeddingCost} to hire a wedding videographer, which averages out to {AveragePercentage}% of their total wedding budget.

• The primary determinant of how much you ultimately pay is according to what type of package you choose (basic, mid-tier, premium)

• The final amount you will be expected to pay can depend on what is included in the package you choose, your city/area, supply and demand factors such as month and day of week, the popularity and experience of your selected videographer, and more.

Tips on Saving Money on Your Wedding Videography

Once you know what will be included in your wedding video and have selected who will shoot your big day, here are some easy ways to keep your costs down that both you and your selected professional can work with.

• Get a good friend to shoot your big day if you can't afford even the most basic professional package. Don't expect too much in the final product, but the cost will be minimal and you'll be able to see and relive important moments afterwards.

• Skip keeping the raw footage after the edited version is complete as you'll never see it.

• Don't include a photo montage in the final product and save hundreds of dollars. After all, anyone watching it wants to see the big day without having to endure five or ten minutes of the bride and groom growing up.

• Offer to pay in cash up front if you've found someone reputable that you love and your situation allows it. This will lead to a small price break.

• Being flexible on your wedding day will result in substantial savings for every vendor you hire, from the limousines to the wedding reception venue to the photographer and more. It's all about supply and demand, and having your wedding off season on a non-Saturday will save you many thousands of dollars!

• Get a personal use release included in your contract so you can share your video or make DVD copies to distribute at much lower prices.

• Booking your photography and videography from the same company will allow you to negotiate a discount as well as other extras at no charge!

• If you really want a photo montage, put one together yourself or have a friend with basic editing skills and a computer do it.

• Don't pay extra for post-production special effects, as it can be easily negotiated to be included gratis to the final product.

• A fun and popular alternative to interviewing guests at the reception is to rent a video guest book/video booth instead and have them record personal greetings.

• Instead of hiring (and paying for) a second shooter, ask your videographer if they could instead have a second camera set up and filming from a fixed location during the ceremony.

• Stick to what's most important by shooting the ceremony and skipping the reception. You'll save several hundred dollars that way.

• Save on each DVD copy and request a digital file to share online instead.

• Asking to have two shooters at the more important ceremony and only a single one at the reception will save on labor costs.

• Travel costs bump up the price you will have to pay, so hire a local videographer instead of someone from out of the area.

• Don't use any professionals that exclusively charge by the hour as delays may happen that will cut their time at the reception.

• Do your research beforehand by seeing the quality of work delivered at different price points by multiple local videographers you are considering. This will give you an idea not only of what you want, but also who to hire and how much to spend.

• ALWAYS negotiate with your videographer and every other vendor you hire! Even if they don't cut their rate they can easily spend an extra hour or two shooting or add in a number of production freebies to secure your business.

• If you find a videographer that you can't afford, but you love their style, ask them if they know of someone similar that might consider doing it for less.

• If you were referred by a previous client, mentioning who referred you will lead to a discount. If you don't have a referral, mentioning Decidio, leaving reviews online, and referring them to your own friends should lead to the same discount.

• Conversely, if you have friends that are getting married in the future, request a referral discount (usually between $25 and $100) for referring future clients.

• Use a credit card that offers points or cash back to pay for your videographer and get yourself some nice extras afterward.

• The number one rule with every vendor is to negotiate! If you have a certain budget or want a certain deal then just ask for it. Most vendors will be as flexible as they can to get your business.

Finding the right wedding videographer that fits both your budget and your vision takes time and patience. There are many factors that will determine your final cost with your selected professional, but fortunately there are many ways to bring that number down that will be acceptable to both of you!