A videographer is someone who is in charge of recording live events for posterity. Their work involves video production for weddings, birthday parties, sporting and music events, commercials, training videos, and so on.

When it comes to wedding videography, several factors go into the final cost. To ensure that you arrive at an affordable price, below are some factors to consider when looking for an affordable wedding videographer:

1.  Wedding Budget

First off, you have to consider the overall wedding budget. The number of funds set aside for video and photo services should be at the forefront of your decision-making. At the same time, shop around to get an idea of the price range you should expect. Having a very low budget will limit your options, especially if it’s lower than asking.

2.  Rate of Pay

While some videographers charge by the hour, others offer day rates or multi-day rates depending on your needs. They may also add on additional charges for travel time, editing/post-production time, and so on. When shopping for a budget wedding videographer, decide which pay structure works best for you. Additionally, you can look for videographers that offer multi-day packages at a discounted rate. This can be beneficial if you want video of your proposal, bridal shower, bachelor or bachelorette parties, the rehearsal dinner or other events around the wedding.

3.  Post-Production Costs

After shooting and recording the entire wedding, the final files determine the value of the video. For instance, raw footage without editing will be much cheaper than a fully edited wedding video, however, this footage may not tell the story you are hoping to tell.

Post-production includes adding music, cutting unnecessary video, and piecing together shots in a seamless way, enhancing lighting and color, and other adjustments for video clarity. All these processes add to the overall cost. When booking a videographer, you will notice what post-production is included in their overall cost. If you are happy with that price, you can ask them in your inquiry about additional charges.

4.  Extras

A one-person job won’t cost the same as a five-person job. A typical videography crew has at least two cinematographers, but there may also be a need for extra people to assist depending on your event and your goals for the video.

 

Depending on the time required for the entire video recording, even a budget wedding videographer may choose to add extra personnel to help in the shooting and recording of the film. When reviewing what’s included in their wedding video package, you should see how many people are included in the rate.

5.  Videography Equipment

It used to be that the higher the quality of the videography equipment, the higher the cost. These days, even a budget videographer should have up to date tools and a professional set up, however additional tools such as extra lighting, a drone or lenses to work at night or in low light, or staging equipment such as ladders may add to the cost of their standard set up.

6.  Experience When looking for an affordable wedding videographer, experience comes into play. The cost of hiring a professional videographer is much higher than that of hiring an amateur. A budget videographer may be less experienced than the most expensive option available, but their work should speak for them. They should have a portfolio showcasing previous works including references who can vouch for their professionalism.