SHOULD YOU BOOK A WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHER?

THE VALUE OF WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHY

Quite often I hear from couples that they would love to have their wedding day captured in video, but they just don’t have room in their budget. There are a lot of things to budget for when planning a wedding celebration and everyone has a price point that they are comfortable with. Things add up quickly and many couples find themselves having to prioritize and decide what elements of their celebration take precedence over others. But if it comes down to cutting back certain wedding day expenses to accommodate budget, don't discard something as lasting and impactful as wedding videography.

I don't want to try and sell you on anything because that is so not my heart, but I do want to share a little bit about why I personally value wedding videography and craft these films. My parents got married in 1987 in my grandparents living room and my uncle roamed around with a VHS camera and filmed the ceremony in its entirety.  They didn't ask him to do this or ever really watch it after the fact, but I watched it (probably a hundred times) throughout my childhood and was able to edit together some of it as a gift for their 30th wedding anniversary. I don't think I could easily put into words the emotional impact that footage had on me, or how deeply they were moved watching their wedding day back again and hearing their vows after so many years of hardship, joy, craziness, four kids, etc. There was something so powerful about seeing them standing together, the look in their eyes and the microexpressions on their faces as the pastor spoke promises over their marriage and love that 30 years later, can be seen to have carried through a multitude of difficult and joyful seasons. It’s like the footage from their wedding day was a time capsule of a major plot point in their life story, and I was lucky enough to be able to witness it for myself. 

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY VS VIDEOGRAPHY

There are so many ways video captures your day differently than a still image. Photos are timeless and they can be physically printed and preserved in albums. They take a freeze frame and allow you to reflect on a moment more deeply. But videography’s strength is both visual and audible, allowing you to hear back your vows, ceremony, toasts, or the laughter of your partner or a loved one. It enhances your memory because it triggers the emotional receptors in your brain differently. So much is communicated in the inbetween, imperfect moments that videography can capture in full and allow to play out. There is a whole other sensory element of sound that draws us in and takes us back to a time and place, even something as simple as the wind in the trees or the rain dripping off the leaves can remind you of a precious memory. That’s why we get so invested and moved by our favorite shows and movies. The audio and visuals work together to emotionally impact us and relate to us. A quick way to understand this point: Would you rather see a still image of The Notebook or watch the whole movie? You don’t want to miss out on the actual action and romance! (Don’t judge, that movie gets me every time.)

INVESTING IN YOUR LEGACY

There is no arguing that wedding days fly by and memories fade so quickly after the fact. Ryan and I were married in 2017 and already, my memories from our wedding day are less vivid and colorful and are more like black and white snapshots. Fortunately, we have a highlight film and our ceremony filmed in its entirety to be able to reflect back on! If a highlight film of your wedding celebration edited to music isn’t really your vibe, consider having your ceremony filmed and the audio recorded, so that you can watch back that important commitment in full. If you truly can not hire a professional videographer, maybe designate a family member to record it for you, or have your friends capture some moments on their phones. It will at least give you a small sample of the day that I promise you won't regret having. I’ve heard countless times from couples reflecting on their wedding day or elopement that their biggest regret was not getting their day captured on video. It is an investment worth while, it will appreciate in value over the years and is one of the very few things left over when the day is all said and done. 

Hereafter You’re Gone

For us, Hereafter Films is about time and the moments that pass us by. Left to our own ability to retain life’s moments, our memories are fleeting and fading. But we have the ability now to capture time, to encapsulate it and hold it forever, turn it over again and again like our own hourglass of memories. We can keep our stories and see them played out again before our very eyes. That is the magic of film, of what we get to do at every wedding we capture. We give something that remains, that’s Hereafter the moment is gone. Hereafter you’re gone. It’s an heirloom that makes you the keeper of time, moments and memories. Whether you’re having an adventurous destination wedding, an alternative intimate elopement or a backyard ceremony, we love taking the seemingly ordinary moments and memorializing them forever. Every film is hand-crafted and cared for, no formulas or algorithms because there is no formula for real love. We can give people a work of art and life-long treasure that is authentically them. Bottom line, don’t miss out on one of the most meaningful investments of your wedding day that you can carry with you through the rest of your life story.