How Much Does Wedding Videography Cost?

Wedding videography has become an increasingly popular choice for couples who want to preserve their precious memories forever. Hiring a wedding videographer is an investment that allows couples to relive all the incredible moments from their wedding day whenever they want, and replay them in real-time. Because of this, professional wedding videography services have become the norm for most couples and hold a high ranking on their wedding planning checklist.

If you want to know why you should hire a wedding videographer to capture your special day, you can read all about it in our article “Top 5 Reasons You Need A Wedding Videographer.”

However, just because it’s on a couple’s checklist doesn’t mean they’re not asking themselves “How much does a wedding videographer cost”? 

You’re probably asking yourself that question. That is why you’re here, right?

In this article, we’re going to dive into the factors that determine the overall cost of hiring a wedding videographer. We will explore how market area, venue location, videography equipment, and package inclusions can alter the price. We’ll also talk about how a videographer’s experience plays a crucial role in shaping the total cost of your wedding video.

Understanding the Wedding Videography Process

Before we explore all the elements that factor into your wedding videography investment, let's talk about the wedding videography process as a whole. 

Wedding videographers capture moments throughout your entire wedding day celebration, from the pre-wedding preparations (hair, makeup, putting on the dress, tossing on the tux, etc) to the ceremony and reception events, ensuring no detail is overlooked. They capture every precious moment using professional-grade equipment, use artistic techniques and cinematic flare to shoot visually stunning and emotionally compelling footage, and ultimately assemble a final product you will cherish forever.

 A professional wedding videographer is always on their feet, always on the go, and always planning, to ensure every incredible moment is covered on your wedding day. It’s no easy task, but professional wedding videographers love the thrill, energy, and excitement of a wedding day and are there to service you to the best of their abilities.

Now that we’ve established what a wedding videographer does, let’s dive into the key factors that will determine the price of your investment.

How Much Does Wedding Videography Cost?

Determining Factors

1.) Market Variation

Wedding videography prices can significantly fluctuate based on a videographer’s market area. All the common elements of supply and demand, competition, and economic conditions contribute to the price you’ll pay in a given market. 

For example, in urban areas, where the demand for wedding videographers is higher, prices tend to be higher too. On the flip side, in less populated areas, prices may be relatively lower due to low competition. Understanding a videographer’s market area is essential for couples to estimate and negotiate prices and rates for videography services.

There is no one-size-fits-all price when it comes to hiring a wedding videographer. In a market like Detroit, Michigan, you can expect to pay $2,500 to $6,000 (on average) for a full day of videography services. But if you’re looking for a wedding videographer based in a small town, you’ll most likely spend $1,000 to $2,500 (on average) for wedding videography services. It all depends on the demand for services in the videographer’s market area.

2.) Venue Location

Wedding videography costs are also factored by your venue location. Metropolitan areas and popular wedding destinations usually command higher prices because of increased operational costs, venue fees, transportation, and accommodation expenses.

For example, if you’re getting married at a high-end establishment that has strict security protocols, your wedding videographer may have to pay a fee for parking and purchase a security pass to bring in all their equipment. However, if you’re getting married on your family farm those additional costs won’t play a factor. 

Another factor related to your venue is the amount of travel involved. Many videographers will charge for travel expenses outside of their primary market if they’re traveling a large distance to join you on your wedding day. If your wedding videographer has to travel 2 to 3 hours, or more, outside of their primary market, they’re going to charge more to accommodate for gas or a hotel reservation, if necessary. Travel rates may vary from one videographer to the next, so be sure to ask any wedding videographer you’re interested in hiring what their travel rates are.

3.) Videography Equipment

The price of wedding videography equipment can have a large impact on the price you’ll pay to hire a wedding videographer. High-quality equipment such as professional cameras, lenses, stabilizers, and audio recording devices are expensive and require constant upkeep. Videographers often invest in specialized equipment to effectively capture the precious moments of your wedding day, ensuring the best possible outcome for every bride and groom. Consequently, the cost of purchasing, maintaining, and regularly upgrading this equipment ultimately gets factored into your wedding videography investment.

It’s also important to note that high-end equipment tends to result in higher-quality videos. Brides and grooms who prioritize a cinematic and immersive experience for their wedding video or wedding film tend to seek out videographers who use top-notch equipment (the proof is almost always seen in the quality of a videographer’s work examples). The added value and improved quality will typically ensure you’re going to get a phenomenal finished product in the end.

On the other hand, videographers who use less expensive, entry-level equipment may offer more budget-friendly services, but the resulting videos may not have the same level of visual appeal. This isn’t always the case, but equipment quality almost always plays a crucial role in determining the overall look and feel of your finished wedding video and ultimately determines the price you’ll pay for wedding videography services.

4.) Package Inclusions

The more elements that are included in your videography package, the more you’ll end up investing in wedding videography services. Typically, videographer packages offer a range of elements that vary in coverage and complexity. These elements can include things like hiring an additional videographer to capture key wedding day events, longer highlight films, drone footage, and even video content that can be created before your wedding day (for example, a “Save-The-Date Video”).

Basic videography packages typically include essential services, such as filming the ceremony and key moments during the reception, with shorter coverage hours (4-6 hours on average). These packages are ideal for couples with a limited budget but are prioritizing capturing the essential events of their wedding day. 

On the other hand, premium packages may include services like pre-wedding shoots, full-day coverage, multiple videographers, drone footage, longer highlight films, extensive editing, and even same-day edits. These comprehensive packages are suitable for couples looking for a more cinematic and elaborate production and ultimately result in a wedding video or wedding film reminiscent of a Hollywood movie.

To achieve a cinematic wedding video or film with “Hollywood” quality, multiple videographers are essential in capturing your wedding day events from every angle. This means your price increases due to increased labor hours. Similarly, the addition of drone footage offers a unique perspective to the final video but incurs the cost of hiring a drone operator. Comprehensive editing services, especially when you’re seeking same-day edits, require skilled post-production work and video editing professionals. All of these elements factor into your videography investment. The larger the scope, the larger the price tag.

5.) Experience and Skillset

The experience and skill set of the videographer you’re hoping to hire also plays a pivotal role in determining the price. Videographers with years of experience and a massive portfolio of wedding work will typically charge more due to their established reputation and quality of work. Chances are their experience will also ensure they know the best tricks of the trade to deliver an exceptional wedding video or wedding film to you. Their expertise, knowledge, and visual storytelling capabilities, will justify the premium price they charge for their services. 

Conversely, less experienced videographers may offer more competitive rates to build their portfolio and gain more experience in the process. Hiring a videographer with less experience can be a cost-effective solution for couples on a tight budget, but be sure to ask them for any video examples they have, even if it’s not wedding-related. This will allow you to see the quality of their work. After all, just because they haven’t shot weddings before doesn’t mean they’re not talented with a camera. You just want to make sure you’re hiring someone who knows how to capture a moment, use professional equipment, and create something you’ll cherish forever.

Now It’s Time To Find Your Wedding Videographer

Now that you understand the determining factors of wedding videography pricing, you’re ready to begin your search for a professional wedding videographer. While it can be overwhelming to navigate through the various options and prices, considering factors such as market value, venue location, experience, equipment, and package inclusions, will help you make an informed decision that aligns with your budget and vision for your wedding film. Hiring a wedding videographer is an important investment you should always consider for your wedding day. This is why it’s always best to hire a skilled and reputable wedding videographer who will preserve your precious memories forever. 

Cinescope Video has been doing exactly that for years. We love capturing the magic of a couple’s wedding day celebration and providing them with a visual keepsake they can cherish for years to come. Given the opportunity, we would love to do the same for you. To learn more about Cinescope Video’s wedding packages and services, be sure to visit our wedding page and reach out to us today.

If you don’t decide to hire Cinescope Video as your official wedding videographer, we hope that this article was informative and helpful in assisting you with your search to find the perfect wedding videographer.

Thank you for taking the time to read our article. We wish you and your future spouse a lifetime filled with joy and happiness and hope to join you on your wedding day.

Email: cinescopevideo@gmail.com

Phone: (313) 889-2463