A picture is worth a thousand words, but a video is just as valuable—especially on one of the biggest days of your life!
Hiring a videographer to capture your wedding allows you to go back and immerse yourself in the day every time you watch it.
After hosting hundreds of weddings at the Lightner Museum, we can tell you that hiring a wedding videographer is a decision couples rarely regret. But in order to get the most out of the experience, you’ll want to put some time and effort into carefully considering your options.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of finding, interviewing, and hiring the perfect wedding videographer to capture your big day!
Grace Ricker of Ricker Films captures a bride on the streets of downtown St. Augustine | Photo by Native Expressions
1. Select your Wedding Date and Venue First
Availability is the first determining factor for wedding videographers. In fact, most videographer inquiry forms will ask you for your wedding date and venue before moving forward with the booking process. Good videographers (like any wedding vendor) can book up fast!
Another reason to wait until after you’ve saved the date: some venues have a required or preferred vendor list that you may need to consider in your decision-making process. Recommended vendor lists provide a list of vetted wedding professionals who have provided quality service to other couples in the past. This is individual to each venue and is an important question to ask during your venue tour.
Here at the Lightner Museum, we do not require your wedding videographer to be selected from a specific list, but we do have a few preferred vendors to make your search easier (you can view that list here).
Melissa Noeth of Noeth Films in St. Augustine, Florida, also recommended couples look to vendors for recommendations:
“Listen to your vendor’s recommendations, particularly your photographer! If your photographer already works well with a videographer and is recommending them, it makes for an ideal day where events transition smoothly and efficiently. When your photographer and videographer have a good working relationship, they are aware of each other’s frames and consider this when filming the first dances and the ceremony. They understand the time needed to get certain shots and help each other so that it is fun for the couple and both professionals to obtain the best possible footage and images.
“Our team focuses on candid shots, so we accompany you, but leave the directing and posing to the photographer and do not require additional time that takes away from the photographer’s valuable time or yours for specific video shots so that you can enjoy as much of the cocktail hour and reception as possible.”
2. Determine Your Videography Style
Now it’s time to do some research, ask for recommendations, and spend some time looking at different videography portfolios.
That’s right! Just like photography, there are different styles when it comes to videography. Looking at a decent amount of wedding videos will help you figure out what style you like in terms of lighting, pacing, and how the day is captured.
Don’t forget about social media, either! Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are some unexpected (but great!) places to find wedding videographers. Try searching for videos in your city and at your venue to get a better idea of the end result.
“I like to think of purchasing a wedding video like purchasing a piece of fine art,” says First Sight Films located in St. Augustine, Florida. “Only the artist is painting this picture next to you on one of the most special days of your life. They are right next to you and the photographer 90% of the time, so get a feel for their energy.”
Check out a few of our favorite Lightner Museum wedding videos below for some style inspiration!
Brittany & Brian’s Wedding at the Lightner Museum
Videographer: Colin Goodman Films
Han & Wilson’s Wedding at the Lightner Museum
Kolleen & Mark’s Wedding at the Lightner Museum
Madison & Isaac’s Wedding at the Lightner Museum
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more video inspiration!
3. Reach Out to Potential Wedding Videographers
Once you’ve determined your videography style and narrowed down your list, it’s time to reach out to set up an in-person or virtual meeting.
Many videographers have an inquiry form on their website for you to fill out. Remember many videographers are solopreneurs, and it might take a day or two after reaching out to hear from them. When they do respond, they will likely send you information on packages, pricing, and availability.
Even if you have a clear favorite at this point, make it a point to reach out to a few different videographers, just in case there are budget or scheduling conflicts.
4. Meet with Your Potential Wedding Videographer
Once you receive all of your responses, you’ll be able to narrow down your list even further to who you would like to arrange a meeting with. Try to keep your list down to two or three videographers and arrange a meeting with them in-person or via video chat.
During this meeting, they will want to meet you and your fiancé to discuss your wedding vision. They also want to ensure that everyone is comfortable and that you’ll be a good fit for each other. Don’t downplay the importance of personality here! You will be spending your wedding day together, after all!
First Sight Films provided us with a great list of questions to start with when meeting with your potential videographer:
• What packages and add-ons do you offer?
• How many weddings have you filmed?
• Why do you love making wedding films?
• What is your turnaround time?
• How many people will be filming the wedding?
• What kind of camera do you use?
• Do you use a tripod, lights, or stands?
• Are you local to St. Augustine or North Florida? Do you have any traveling fees?
• What venues are you at the most?
• What is your opinion on using one camera versus two?
5. Sign the Dotted Line and Celebrate!
You may feel inclined to book the first wedding videographer you meet with, but we recommend chatting with at least two on your interview list before making a decision.
While we definitely want you to go with your gut, be sure to take some time after the meeting to reflect on the budget, pricing, and packages offered by each candidate. Don’t be afraid to send any follow-up questions after the meeting and be sure to read over your contract thoroughly!
Let’s Capture Memories Together
Northeast Florida wedding videographer, Grace Ricker of Ricker Films, summed it up best: “Trust [your videographer], as they are professionals! When you give a creative professional their full ‘creative freedom,’ it is amazing what can happen. If you love their work, their style, and who they are behind the camera, then trust they will create an amazing video for you!”
We hope this guide makes booking your wedding videographer makes the process a little bit easier for you. At the Lightner Museum, our goal is to take as much stress out of the big day as possible so couples can fully enjoy their wedding!
Contact our team today to learn more about booking your wedding at the Lightner Museum and view our preferred vendor guide to help you find your wedding videographer!
