Is a wedding videographer worth it?

The short answer

It is worth it if you would love to hear your wedding again as well as see it. Photographs keep how the day looked. A film keeps how it sounded and moved: your vows, the speeches, the laughter, your grandparents on the dance floor. If those things matter to you, a film is the one record that can give them back.

It may not be worth it if your budget is tight and you would rather spend it elsewhere, if you already know you would never sit down to watch it, or if your ceremony does not allow filming and you are happy with that. Choosing photography only is a perfectly good decision.

What a film keeps that photographs cannot

Sound is the biggest difference. A photograph of your best friend’s speech shows the moment; a film lets you hear every word and the reaction around the room. The same goes for your vows, your first dance song and the noise of a party at its best.

A film also keeps what happened while you were somewhere else. During portraits, you are with the photographer. A film can include your guests arriving, a parent’s face as you walk in and the conversations you missed. Photographs and film do different jobs, which is why many couples choose both.

What a wedding film costs with Bright Sight

Our wedding videography starts at £1,999 for 10.5 hours of coverage with one videographer, a 7 to 10 minute highlight film and a documentary film of typically 40+ minutes, with online viewing, download and a custom USB. Luxury is £2,399 for 11.5 hours, and Platinum is £2,699 for 13 hours with a second videographer and all raw footage.

If you want photographs as well, booking Cam and Beth together as a photo and video team starts at £3,699 and saves £300 compared with booking the two separately. It also means one booking agreement, one £120 deposit and one planning call. Every price and extra is set out in our guide to what a wedding photographer and videographer costs.

How to tell whether a videographer is worth the money

Watch complete films, not only trailers, and listen as well as look. A good highlight should sound as good as it looks, with clear vows and speeches rather than only music. Then ask exactly what you receive: how many films, how long each one is and how they are delivered.

Ask about the things that protect your film. We bring backup cameras and equipment, record our main cameras to two memory cards and make two separate backups after the wedding. Ask every videographer you are considering what theirs are, and how long delivery takes. With us, for a combined booking, the usual guide is around two months for the highlight film and around three months for the documentary, as estimates that can run longer in the busy summer season.

Highlight, documentary or both?

The highlight is a short, cinematic story of the day, usually 7 to 10 minutes, that you will want to rewatch and share. The documentary is a separate, longer edit of typically 40+ minutes that follows the day in order, with your full ceremony and speeches. Our standard videography and photo and video packages include both, so you do not have to choose one over the other.

Our guide to highlight and documentary films explains the difference, and includes a real highlight to watch.

Will a videographer get in the way?

This is a common worry, and a fair one. We film in a documentary style, which means watching what is really happening rather than staging it, and giving gentle direction only when it helps. When Cam and Beth work as one team they plan the day together, so you are not being asked to do things twice.

If you feel awkward on camera, tell us on the call. Most couples do. Also ask your officiant and venue about any rules on filming or sound recording, and share them with us before the wedding so we can plan around them.

If you are still undecided

Each write down the three moments you would most like to keep. If two or more of them are about sound or movement, such as your vows, the speeches, a first dance or a first look with a parent, a film is likely to be worth it for you. If all three are about how something looked, such as the dress, the venue or your portraits, photography may be enough.

When you are ready, send an enquiry with your date and venue. Cam and Beth reply personally within a few hours with availability, pricing and answers to your questions. An enquiry does not reserve your date; the £120 deposit does, once you are happy to go ahead.

Questions couples ask