Juan Godinez (North Forest Films) shoots B-Roll footage at the Hayloft in the Grove in East Aurora, New York.

Choosing someone to film your wedding day is not a simple choice to make. Your Wedding Videographer/ Wedding Cinematographer is going to be the one to capture not only the moments but the feelings of your wedding day. Your wedding pictures are a frozen moment in time. Your wedding film allows you to re-live the reactions your father had when he first saw you, the sound of your grandmother’s voice when she made the dinner prayer, and the eruption of laughter when your maid of honor told stories from when you were kids. These are moments that you will want to re-live again & again.

1. Don’t make price the ONLY factor.

We find that many couples choose their Videographer simply by the price they are offered. Price is a huge factor but, don’t choose solely on price! Your wedding day will most likely feel like a blur and a lot of the details that you worked so hard to plan you are likely to miss. A quality videographer that you work well with is priceless.

2. Hire the Person Whose Style Most Closely Matches Yours

Just like photographers, videographers take different approaches to their craft. Documentary-style wedding films present the events chronologically, without many special effects, while a cinematic highlight film is generally more dramatic, using interesting angles for a cinematic feel. Within each film the style can vary from person to person, are you looking for a more moody or deep vibe? Or were you more interested in a traditional bubbly vibe or somewhere in between? You want to select a cinematographer that has a style that you like the most.

3. Finding a Videographer Is As Serious As Finding Your Photographer

Unfortunately, hiring a videographer seems to get pushed back somewhere between welcome bags and favors. Ideally you should choose your wedding videographer around the same time as your photographer. If you wait until the last minute it is likely there will only be a handful of videographers left to choose from, and most likely, you won't be able to hire your first choice. Planning ahead always pays off, so flag money in your budget for your videographer from the beginning. If you make videography a priority, you'll see it in the end result—a film of your wedding day that comes out exactly as you imagined it would.

4. Subscribe to Video Websites

There are plenty of places to find wedding videographers, but Vimeo and Love Stories TV are the preferred spot for most A-list picks to post their recent work. Aside from the big videography communities, you can easily search by location and even wedding venue to find clips from your reception venue and get ideas. Pay close attention to the flow of the wedding film, and the emotions you experience while watching other peoples weddings. If you get emotional watching someone else’s wedding film, can you imagine how you will feel watching your own?!

5. Embrace the Professional Referral Factor

People like your photographer and wedding planner have worked with videographers in the past and will be able to suggest filmmakers they've liked or that they've heard good things about through previous clients.

6. Seek Out Reviews

Even if you feel like you've found the perfect fit after meeting them, you should still do your due diligence and call references (as well as reading opinions online). Ask questions like: Did they capture the most important parts of your wedding? Were they a positive presence throughout the day? Overall, were you happy with the final film?

7. Have a Meeting Before You Decide

You need to feel at ease with your videographer. (They'll be following you around on your wedding day, after all!) It's best to meet them in person, but Facetime or Skype also works well when they are not local. Finding the right person also means asking the right questions. Take a look at the top questions to ask a potential videographer recommended by the knot.

8. Get the Most Out of Your Contract

Your contract should include the coverage time (as in, how long your videographer will be at your venue), how many shooters you'll have, an itemized list of the finished product (highlight reels, trailers, digital media files), nitty-gritty logistical details (time and location), cancellation policies and, of course, the fee. If it's not outlined in the contract, don't assume you're going to get it.

9. Don't Micromanage

You're hiring someone for their experience and talent (not just their equipment). Trust your decision. On the day of, you shouldn't feel like you need to direct them or keep your eye on them. If you've truly done your research and fully vetted your videographer, you should have complete confidence in them. If you love your video, share your experience with other couples by posting a review and offering to sign on as a reference.

[This piece was inspired by the knot & our personal experiences in the industry]

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