No doubt, you’ve heard people throw around the word “professional” in more industries than just ours, but what does it mean to be a “professional wedding videographer”. The answer will definitely vary depending on who you ask, but we’d like to break down a few key elements that really make a difference when choosing your videographer or any of your vendors for that matter. We hope you find these tips helpful in making your decision and are so grateful you stopped by. Enjoy!
A professional videographer is someone who is knowledgeable, confident, and experienced with a camera. This one goes without saying, but we had to start somewhere. Not just anyone can show up with a camera and start shooting your wedding and expect great results. It takes time, practice, and dedication to be great! Maybe even a little bit of obsession thrown in the mix too 😉 We call ourselves professionals because we’ve put in the time, perfected our craft, and done it over and over again for countless couples. We’ve encountered almost every wedding hiccup along the way and are prepared with a solution. We know a thing or two, because we’ve seen a thing or two. You don’t just want someone who is proficient with a camera though… You want a videographer who is passionate about they do and excited to be working with you because they’re doing what they love. That’s why most of us started shooting weddings and continue to do so. We have a passion for art, for love, and for service and we’re so excited we get to pursue that for a living.
Properly vet your videographers by exploring their website, watching their FULL wedding films, and asking questions about their experience and their passion for filmmaking. You’ll be glad you did!
There’s so much more to this industry than just showing up the day of your wedding to work and you’ll learn that throughout the process of booking any of your vendors. Each vendor has their own laundry lists of proposals, guides, contracts, etc. that you’ll be expected to read and sign. Experienced videographers will make this a seamless and stress free experience because they’ve put in the time to make it that way. Planning a wedding can be a stressful affair and you don’t want your vendors adding to the mix. The last thing you want to be doing is chasing your vendor down for a copy of your contract or timeline; or worse not being able to get ahold of them because they don’t check their emails. Do yourself a favor and ask questions about the booking process, contracts and paperwork, and how your film will be delivered. While these may seem relatively trivial, you’ll thank yourself for being prepared and ahead of the curve.
We’ve spent years talking with couples and streamlining our booking process and communication to make it simple and stress-free. We are always available for our clients and encourage an open line of communication. It’s not uncommon for us to be chatting with our couples at 10 o’clock at night because that’s the only time they have free. We’re here to make your wedding planning experience pleasant and enjoyable.
This one may sound a little strange, but is one of the most important elements of our job. After shooting a wedding, our first task is to backup everything that we filmed in three separate locations. This means that your memories are safe on our hard drives and not floating around on our memory cards or dumped once and forgotten about. We always do this within 24-hours of your wedding to prevent any digital hiccups or accidents (and so we can sleep soundly). We are extremely intentional with the footage we capture because we know that it is so valuable to you. We always record your wedding to multiple forms of media to ensure the most protection of the footage. Beyond that, we always keep a copy of your wedding films and raw footage from the day in case you decide you would like a copy later down the road.
There’s nothing worse than a vendor who doesn’t play nice with others. It’s pretty rare that these types of people find any kind of success in the wedding industry, but we do see it from time-to-time. A professional knows their place and works hard to deliver the best product, but is willing to work with other vendors for the greater good of the couple when necessary. As a videographer, we see this most commonly with the relationship between the videographer and the photographer. We always do our best to speak with the photographer before your wedding day so we can get to know each other and collaborate on how we will tackle your day. This makes both our jobs much easier and leads to a more creative, enjoyable wedding day for everyone.
At the end of the day, we always want our couples to know that this day is about them and we are merely a small piece of the puzzle. We’re here to capture your memories in the most beautiful way possible, but we are also willing to help corral your wedding party, carry your bouquet, and chase out any wedding crashers 😉
Hello and welcome to our site! I’m Sawyer, a wedding videographer based in the Nashville area. I’ve been a wedding filmmakers for the past several years and have had the opportunity to work with so many amazing couples and share their story of love. I make films that are authentic, story-driven, and personalized to you. If you’re looking for a wedding film that stands out from the rest and is truly you, then inquire with us today and let’s start the conversation. Now booking for 2021-22.